The 2021 vintage was a welcome change from the catastrophe of 2020, which saw devastating fires throughout the region. Sugar and acidity levels tracked well and while crop size was shorter than we would prefer, we were able to harvest perfectly ripened fruit at a reasonable pace. The resulting wines have excellent balance and intensity. In comparison to our most recent vintages, there are some similarities to 2019 in that the wines possess great elegance and site specificity.

The Albutom Vineyard is our smallest vineyard of Chardonnay at 1/3 of an acre. The plot produces a distinct expression of fractured shale upon which it was grown. It seems to epitomize all that we love about the chardonnay we grow in the mountains: minerals, rocks, subtle fruit, and bright acidity. This vineyard always brings these various components together in a finely knit chardonnay of great elegance and subtle power. Very thin, rocky soils and a cool eastern exposure leads to precise wines with great potential for age.