2022 Cattleya 'Cuvee Number Five' Chardonnay Sonoma Coast

Winemaker Notes:I grew up in a country where vineyards are virtually non-existent. My exposure to wine was limited only to rare occasions at the dinner table. A few sips occasionally stolen from my father’s wine glass were enough to inspire an all-consuming dream—to become a winemaker. So I packed my bags and left for France. And in that moment I set the course of my life, a never-ending journey pursuing inspirational wines. During the summer of 2001, I immersed myself in all things wine, ultimately earning a BTS degree in Viticulture and Enology from Cognac followed by a degree in Enology from the University of Bordeaux, graduating with honors. Driven by the tenacity which first took me to France, I pruned vines during ice-cold winters, trimmed shoots in sweltering summers, and tended to the vines that cling to the sheer slopes of Côte-Rôtie—first at Domaine Stéphane Ogier, then at Domaine Clusel-Roch. At the famed estates of Château Haut-Brion & La Mission Haut-Brion, I completed research for my thesis. This hard work paid off – I had the privilege to work among other family-owned wine producers in Burgundy, Alsace, and Cognac. My passion for wine whisked me around the globe, sending me between California, South Africa, and France for several years before I decided to call California my home.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM


Wine Independent - "The 2022 Cuvee Number Five Chardonnay is a blend of two vineyards, with only 300 cases made. It swans out with showy notes of beeswax, candied ginger, and orange blossom leading to a core of pineapple upside-down cake and guava with a touch of apple butter. The full-bodied palate is concentrated and taut, with spicy tropical fruit supported by well-knit freshness and a satiny texture, finishing with epic length." (12.24)


Jeb Dunnuck - "Coming from two sites at almost 1300 feet elevation, the 2022 Chardonnay Cuvee Number Five saw 11 months in barrel. In the glass, it pours a bright yellow hue with a green tinge and is pure on the nose, with notes of pineapple, candied lime, wet stone, almond, and delicate flint. Medium to full-bodied, it’s silky and refined on the palate, with a fantastic, weightless feel. While it’s ripe, it’s fully dry and very well-styled to drink over the next 6-8 years."


Vinous - "A blend from two Sonoma Coast sites above 900 feet in elevation (Sunchase and Nightwing), the 2022 Chardonnay Cuvée Number Five is a rockstar of an appellation-level wine. Soft-textured, caressing and even-tempered, it coasts through the mouth with toasted hazelnut, mint, white flowers and chalk hints. Bright, citrus-fresh acidity keeps things moving, finishing with an oily tangerine peel note. Fermentation and aging in 65% new French oak for 11 months was expertly judged." (8.24)