Durell Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted chicken, creamy mushroom risotto, pan-seared scallops
✨ Technical Specifications
The Durell Vineyard, nestled in the rocky, clay-loam soils where the Sonoma Valley, Carneros, and Sonoma Coast AVAs converge, is legendary among California Chardonnay enthusiasts. Originally planted in 1979 by Ed Durell, this vineyard benefits from the cooling breezes of the Petaluma Gap and San Pablo Bay, allowing for a long, slow growing season. Tor Kenward has sourced from this iconic site for decades, selecting old Wente clone blocks known for producing tiny, highly concentrated berries. Winemaker Jeff Ames coaxes the vineyard's signature character using traditional, low-intervention techniques: native yeast fermentation, full malolactic fermentation, and aging in French oak barrels. The resulting wine is celebrated for its luxurious texture, vibrant citrus and stone fruit notes, and a distinct flinty minerality that reflects its unique terroir.
🍾 About the Producer
Founded in 2001 by Napa Valley veteran Tor Kenward and his wife Susan, TOR Wines is an artisanal producer located in St. Helena, California. Drawing upon Kenward's nearly three decades of executive experience alongside legendary growers and winemakers at Beringer Vineyards, the estate is dedicated to crafting small-production, vineyard-designated wines from premier sites throughout Napa Valley. TOR focuses primarily on historic grand cru-caliber terroirs, most notably Beckstoffer To Kalon, Beckstoffer Dr. Crane, and Cimarossa Vineyard. Employing a minimalist, site-expressive winemaking philosophy, the winery is internationally celebrated for its powerful, cellar-worthy Cabernet Sauvignons, refined Chardonnays, and rare, expressive Syrahs.
🍇 Grape Varieties
Chardonnay
🍷 Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
14.2-14.6%