The 2023 growing season for Sonoma was cool and slow-paced. Record winter rains thoroughly moistened the soil, causing budbreak to begin nearly a month late, and low temperatures persisted into the summer. The harvest at California was delayed by two weeks to a month compared to usual. At September, while the increase in sugar content plateaued, the ripening of the grape skins and aromatic compounds continued; as a result, many of the 2023 wines finished with a lower potential alcohol content without compromising the depth of flavor. That year, the fruit on Sonoma Valley grew large, yet the wine still turned out to be concentrated. While this may seem counterintuitive, it is a defining characteristic of this vintage.
As a result, Chardonnay emerged as a wine where freshness stands out more than richness. It is best enjoyed by 2036.
Robert Parker (95)
The 2023 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard opens with wafts of iodine and nori that give way to Meyer lemon and orange peel, saline and almonds. The medium-bodied palate is much more open at this stage. The mouth is flooded with mineral-laced flavors, and the racy acidity adds an irresistible tautness. It has a long, dynamic finish and should be long lived in the cellar.
James Suckling (98)
So creamy, lush and full, a luxurious white that coats the palate with baked apples and pastry spices. Subtle acidity underpins the marzipan, poached pear and creme brulee flavors. Vanilla bean, lemon zest, cream and nutmeg expand in the finish. Drink now or hold.
Vinous (96)
The 2023 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is a wild, exuberant wine. Apricot, graphite, dried herbs, menthol and crushed leaves soar out of the glass. This dynamic, layered Chardonnay is lights-out gorgeous. There's a real feeling of viscosity that is so compelling. A wine of mid-palate creaminess and palate presence, the Stone Flat is outstanding.
Jeb Dunnuck (95)
Pouring a deeper yellow/golden hue, the 2023 Chardonnay Stone Flat Vineyard is also from the Sonoma Valley but has a darker, more mineral feel, with rocky dark wet stones, golden peaches, yellow flowers, and honeycomb. It’s full on the palate, with a ripe textural feel, its stone fruit shining on the finish.
