The Stone Côte Vineyard is a small vineyard block within the renowned Durell Vineyard, which sits upon an ancient riverbed at the southern end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. The vineyard’s topography was shaped eons ago by a river flowing through volcanic and sedimentary rock on its way to the San Pablo Bay. Tumbled and water-worn river rocks now litter the landscape, and very little topsoil remains. The nutritionally challenged soils force the vines to search deeply for nutrients and water, and as a result, the stressed vines yield very small clusters with intense varietal flavors. Climatically, this vineyard site is characterized by relatively cool daytime temperatures and maritime breezes, which marry with the low-fertility soils to create an ideal site for growing Chardonnay. The wine’s flinty aromas and mineral-laden finish are a reflection of this vineyard’s intrinsic terroir.

Hand harvested at night. Clusters are whole cluster pressed before moving drectly to French oak barrels for fermentation. Native primary and ML. Long fermentations are followed by battonage for several months. Bottled unfined and unfiltered after 15 months of barrel aging.