2022 Sojourn Chardonnay Reuling Sonoma Coast
Wine Enthusiast 92 pts
We are impressed each vintage with the consistency of Reuling Vineyard and the rich, savory character of this Chardonnay. It is distinctive and a pleasure to drink. Reuling Vineyard is located just off Highway 116 between Graton and Forestville. It is perched on a small sandy hillside and benefits from the cool marine influences converging from the coast. Our block of Chardonnay is planted to a unique “suitcase” Montrachet clone, which sets it apart from other vineyards in the region. Its complex flavors inspire your imagination. Beautiful stone fruit aromas greet the nose, with hints of savory herbs and floral notes adding to the intrigue. The texture is rich and full bodied, yet it finishes with balanced acidity and tension.
THE VINEYARD
Reuling Vineyard is located in the Sonoma Coast AVA, just off Highway 116 between Graton and Forestville. Planted in 2000 under the direction of Mark Aubert and Peter Michael Winery, this vineyard is comprised of 12.2 acres of Pinot noir and 2.2 acres of Chardonnay. T he latter was propagated from clones of Burgundy’s famed Montrachet vineyard. Reuling Vineyard is perched on a small hillside with gentle slopes at an elevation of 250 feet. It benefits from the cool marine influences converging from the coast, yet is exposed to the sun and afternoon heat, allowing the grapes to reach optimal maturity. Its extremely sandy Goldridge soils naturally stress the vines, resulting in low yields and concentrated flavors.
WINEMAKER NOTES
A warm 2022 summer brought one of the earliest harvests on record in the Sonoma Coast, with a September heat wave influencing some picking decisions. Cooler pockets of the Sonoma Coast fared well through the heat and the resulting wines offer depth and finesse. Yields were miniscule, with many vineyards breaking records on the low side for cluster weights. The resulting wines have concentrated flavors with tension and length. We picked the grapes from this single block of Montrachet clone at night and pressed them whole-cluster immediately in the morning to retain freshness. 2022 offered moderate yields in Reuling Vineyard, resulting in a wonderful balance of rich fruit flavors and distinctive savory notes that are characteristic of this unique clone.
2023 Sojourn Chardonnay Sonoma Coast
@2022 Tasting & Ratings
Winemaker Notes
The small clusters of the 2022 vintage allowed us to make Chardonnays with appealing intensity, balance, and nuance. Our Sonoma Coast Chardonnay showcases three of the top vineyards in the region – Sangiacomo, Durell, and Gap’s Crown – with the goal of creating a cuvée that illustrates the varietal’s exceptional character across the region. We picked and fermented each component of this blend separately and aged them all for 11 months in 30% new French oak barrels. The resulting blend offers compelling new world aromas with fresh acidity and focus, reminiscent of the old world.
Sojourn Cellars
Sojourn Cellars produces highly acclaimed Pinot noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon wines. We source fruit from celebrated vineyards in both Sonoma and Napa counties, where we work closely with vineyard owners who use world-class growing methods for cultivating grapes of the highest quality. Our hands-off winemaking style allows the character and personality of these special vineyard sites to shine through in the finished wines.
At Sojourn, every single decision we make, every vineyard we work with, every person on our small team, and every hour spent in the winery is done to deliver an extraordinary experience to our customers. We love sharing our wines through the approachable and memorable tasting experiences in our Tasting Salon in Sonoma, as well as sharing our wines with our loyal mailing list members, at our events and in our homes. There’s little in life that surpasses a shared experience with others over a very special glass of wine. In everything we do, our goal is to deliver uniquely memorable wine sojourns.
