2022 Wayfarer Chardonnay
Cuvée Cleo

Tasting Notes

A pale shimmering straw-gold in the glass, the 2022 Chardonnay ‘Cuvée Cleo’ exudes ethereal aromatics of Eureka lemon curd, lime zest, Honeycrisp apple, white flowers, crushed almond and crystalline salinity. A study in nuance and complexity, our premier Chardonnay bottling exhibits a luxurious texture and expansive depth, balanced with striking vibrancy and complimented with just enough oak presence to gently envelop and complete the wine. A long, mineral-laden finish brings the wine to an exhilarating close. While our 2022 Chardonnay ‘The Estate’ is composed primarily of the Berlenbach Old Wente Chardonnay clone, complimented by Hyde and Mt. Eden, the 2022 Cuvée Cleo exclusively showcases the Hyde clone, known for its floral notes, minerality, length and persistence.

Winemaking Notes

The fruit was picked by hand in the cool pre-dawn hours and delivered to the winery before sunrise.  We hand-sorted the clusters before transferring them into a bladder press. After gentle pressing, the juice settled for 24 hours before we carefully racked it into a 500L French oak barrel, 100% new. Native yeast slowly guided alcoholic fermentation in barrel, with measured batonnage until malolactic fermentation was complete.  The wine aged sur lie for 15 months without any racking, fining or filtration.  We carefully racked the wine off its lees directly to bottle.

Vintage Notes

Wayfarer's 2022 vintage showcases the tension between a cool growing season and warm harvest. Budbreak came two weeks earlier than average, resulting in an early September harvest. Wayfarer received significant rainfall in the winter months, replenishing the soil, followed by a very dry April and May, which moderated vigor in the vineyard. June rains required diligent canopy management to balance airflow and sunlight, which proved to be essential to both ripen the fruit in a cooler year, and to not overexpose it to heat later in the season. With below-average temperatures in June and July, 2022 was a cool growing season on the Sonoma Coast until the weather warmed significantly during harvest.  However, even on the hottest days, Wayfarer experienced a diurnal shift of 30 degrees Fahrenheit, preserving acidity and freshness in the fruit. Due to a series of prior drought years, 2022 was a very low-yielding vintage, with Chardonnay production down 50% and Pinot Noir production down 35%, creating a profound concentration in the wines. The 2022 wines display the luxurious texture and fruit-driven character of a warm harvest with the elegance and vibrancy of a cool growing season.

Blocks

Clones

Hyde