Ceritas Charles Heintz Vineyard Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, USA 2022

Tucked away just east of the town of Occidental, Charles Heintz Vineyard is one of the region’s oldest historic vineyard sites. This site begged for wine grapes, specifically Chardonnay, with its classic Goldridge sandy loam soils and the location just above the fog line, offering abundant sunshine with cool ocean breezes. These almost four-decade-old vines are among the oldest Chardonnay vineyards on the Sonoma Coast.

Defying conventional wisdom of the 1980s, Heintz Vineyard has since proven to be superb Chardonnay terroir, its inherent richness balanced by bright acidity and salty minerality. While the fruit ripens slowly due to vine age, patience has its rewards: the quality outstanding and the contrast of this Chardonnay to our other Chardonnays shows what this varietal is capable of. We happily share the organically farmed section with a fellow winery, Littorai.

" From an esteemed vineyard planted in the 1980s, the 2022 Chardonnay Charles is a highly appealing and attractive wine out of the gate. On opening, it pours a bright silver straw hue and is forward and highly expressive with notes of salted pineapple, fresh citrus blossoms, orange zest, and lifted mineral accents. Medium-bodied to full-bodied, it boasts wonderful fresh, juicy intensity through the palate. It is emblematic of the 2022 vintage, which offers a wide drinking window, as it’s a pleasure to drink now, and it should have some real longevity over the coming 10-12 years." Jeb Dunnuck 96