Durell Vineyard Cuvee Mimi Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2021 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, seared scallops, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
The Durell Vineyard Cuvée Mimi Chardonnay is a heartfelt tribute from vintner Tor Kenward to his mother, Mimi. Sourced from the legendary Durell Vineyard—a site straddling the intersection of the Sonoma Valley, Carneros, and Sonoma Coast appellations—this wine showcases the exceptional terroir of Sonoma's volcanic soils and wind-swept hillsides. The fruit is selected from prized blocks of Old Wente clone Chardonnay, known for producing small, concentrated berries with intense flavor profiles. Under the guidance of winemaker Jeff Ames, the wine undergoes indigenous yeast fermentation in French oak barrels and complete malolactic fermentation, followed by aging on its lees with regular stirring. This traditional, low-intervention approach results in a Chardonnay of remarkable texture, balancing rich, golden orchard fruit with a vibrant, flinty minerality that is characteristic of the Durell 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