Bottle Description

Tucked away just east of the town of Occidental, Charles Heintz vineyard is one of the region's oldest historic vineyard sites purchased over a century ago in 1912. But this site simply 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. So, in 1980, with the assistance of winegrowing pioneer Warren Dutton, Charlie planted Chardonnay. These three-decade-old vines are one of the oldest Chardonnay vineyards on the Sonoma Coast. At the time, this was the westernmost planting of Chardonnay, which was thought to be suitable only for sparkling wine due to its limited ripening potential. Heintz Vineyard has since proven to be superb Chardonnay terroir, its inherent richness balanced by bright acidity and briny minerality. They share the organically farmed section with a fellow winery. While the fruit ripens slowly due to vine age, patience has its rewards: the quality outstanding.