Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2023 - 2029
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, seared scallops, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
The TOR Hudson Vineyard Chardonnay is a masterclass in Carneros terroir, sourced from the legendary estate of Lee Hudson. Nestled on the gentle, rolling hills of the Napa portion of the Carneros highway, this vineyard is cooled by maritime breezes from the San Pablo Bay, allowing for a long, slow growing season. Tor Kenward and winemaker Jeff Ames select specific blocks planted to heritage Wente clones, prized for producing small, concentrated berries with thick skins. The winemaking process respects the fruit's natural intensity, utilizing native yeast fermentation in French oak barrels, followed by regular lees stirring (battonage) to build a luscious, creamy texture. The result is a Chardonnay of remarkable depth, balancing rich tropical fruit and toasted brioche notes with a vibrant, saline minerality that is characteristic of the Hudson Vineyard's clay-loam soils.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 2001 by Napa Valley veteran Tor Kenward and his wife Susan, TOR Kenward Family Wines represents the culmination of nearly five decades of immersion in California viticulture. Following a 27-year tenure shaping Beringer's private reserve programs, Kenward partnered with talented winemaker Jeff Ames to craft site-driven, artisanal single-vineyard expressions. The estate sources fruit exclusively from premier, sustainably farmed crus across Napa Valley and Carneros, including Beckstoffer To Kalon, Vine Hill Ranch, Dr. Crane, Hyde Vineyard, and Durell Vineyard. Winemaking is dictated by minimal intervention, featuring native-yeast primary and malolactic fermentations, parcel-specific French oak maturation, and bottling without fining or filtration. TOR's benchmark portfolio is anchored by cult Cabernet Sauvignons alongside sculpted, mineral-laced Chardonnays—notably the Durell Vineyard Cuvée Mimi, Torchiana Beresini Vineyard, and Hyde Vineyard bottlings—as well as the ultra-limited Bordeaux-blend cuvées Black Magic and Pure Magic.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay
🍷 ABV
14.1-14.6%