2021 Hartford Court - Chardonnay Four Hearts Vineyard Russian River Valley (750ml)

Hartford Family Winery was founded by Don and Jennifer Hartford, who focus on distinctive single vineyard sites near their Russian River Valley home in Sonoma County, roughly fifteen miles from the cool Pacific Coast. Hartford Court is the label devoted to small lots of site-driven Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, guided by the family belief that character is built through adversity.

This 2021 Chardonnay is sourced mainly from Dehlinger's vineyard on Laguna Ridge, one of the oldest Chardonnay plantings in the Russian River Valley, with vines more than forty years old. Heirloom selections such as Old Wente, Sees, and Rued grow alongside Dijon Clone 95 and Clone 4. Each clone is harvested and fermented separately, and only the best barrels join the final blend. The wine was barrel fermented and matured for eight months in French oak, 28 percent of it new, and finished at 14.7 percent alcohol.

Aromas of yellow apple, orange blossom, honeysuckle, and tangerine skin lead to Granny Smith apple, Meyer lemon, and crystallized ginger on the palate. Brown butter and toasted almond add richness without heaviness, while a silky texture and lively acidity carry through to a long, mineral finish.