Durell Vineyard Wente Clone Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
roasted chicken, pan-seared scallops, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from the legendary Durell Vineyard, which straddles the Sonoma Valley, Carneros, and Sonoma Coast appellations, this Chardonnay is a masterclass in terroir-driven winemaking. First planted in the late 1970s by Ed Durell, the vineyard is celebrated for its rocky, clay-loam soils and cool, wind-swept climate. TOR Kenward focuses on the historic Old Wente clone here, famous for its 'chicks and hens' berry structure—a natural phenomenon where tiny, seedless berries mingle with larger ones, resulting in exceptional concentration, skin-to-juice ratio, and vibrant acidity. Winemaker Jeff Ames employs traditional Burgundian techniques, including native yeast fermentation in French oak barrels and regular battonage, to craft a Chardonnay of remarkable texture, depth, and mineral tension.
🍾 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)
14.1-14.5%