Chardonnay, Cattleya 'Cuvée No.5'

Dazzling in the glass with a pale lemon core and tinges of youthful green around its edge, the unmistakable expressions of the Sonoma Coast burst forth with sleek and focused notes of crisp pear, peach blossom, and an undertone of racy minerality.The expansive mouthfeel is built upon pure flavors of Honeycrisp apple, lemon meringue, and a hint of brioche that adds an unctuous complexity to its bright and textured finish.

Beyond the unquestionable allure and beauty of Sonoma County lie an amazing number of microclimates, soil conditions, and distinct geographies conducive to growing and making wonderful wines. This incredible diversity has resulted in over sixteen sub regions in this county alone, one of which is the Sonoma Coast. The 2022 vintage marks the fifth iteration of Cuvée Number Five. The wine is composed of a blend of different clones of Chardonnay; 76, 95 and 124 Old Wente; from two beautiful vineyards sitting above 1,000 feet elevation named Sun Chase and Nightwing.

Brought to the winery in the cool early morning hours of August 24th and 31st, the pristine clusters that would soon become this powerful Sonoma Coast Chardonnay were delicatley and meticulously hand-sorted before being gently pressed. After overnight cold-setting, the juice was racked clean to 60% new French Oak barrels where native fermentation worked slowly to preserve the pronounced fruit notes and the malolactic fermentation created added richness and complexity. This mouthwatering cuvée was bottled unfined and unfiltered after 11 months of peaceful aging on August 8th of 2023.