2024 Flowers - Chardonnay Sonoma (750ml)

Walt and Joan Flowers came from a nursery business in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, but dreamed of growing the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir they loved. In 1989 they purchased 321 acres on a remote ridge above the Pacific on the northern Sonoma Coast, a stretch so cool and untested at the time that almost no one believed fine Pinot could ripen so close to the ocean. Their two estate vineyards, Camp Meeting Ridge and Sea View Ridge, helped define what is now known as the "extreme Sonoma Coast," and Flowers has since become a training ground for a generation of prominent cool-climate winemakers.

Grapes for this bottling come from organically farmed vineyards perched between 1,150 and 1,875 feet, just above the marine fog layer. This elevation gives the fruit warm, sun-filled days for ripening and chilly, fog-driven nights that preserve acidity. The 2024 wine was fermented mostly with native yeast, with roughly eighty percent aged in French oak and the remainder in stainless steel, then rested in barrel for well over a year before bottling, a regimen designed to protect freshness while adding subtle texture.

The wine is bright and energetic, layering Meyer lemon and mandarin orange with pithy herbal notes and a fine mist of citrus oil. Mouthwatering acidity carries through preserved lemon and a whisper of spice, while briny, oyster-shell minerality lifts the texture to a long, vibrant finish. It pairs beautifully with roast chicken, grilled shellfish, or a simple seafood pasta.