The 2011 Chardonnay is striking. Lemon, pastry, white, flowers and nectarine all meld together gracefully in this gorgeous, totally beautiful wine. All the elements are in the right place. Sweet floral notes and a hint of peach linger on the finish. In 2011, 30% of the fruit was fermented and aged in concrete eggs, an approach that worked very nicely, to say the least. This is a totally classy introductory level Chardonnay from Failla. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2019. Ehren Jordan is one of those people who are maddeningly talented at many things. Jordan recently left his post at Turley, where he spent nearly 20 years making a dizzying array of superb Zinfandels. At Failla, which Jordan owns with his wife Anne-Marie, the focus is on cool-climate Chardonnays and Pinots, rendered in a range that approximates Turley when it comes to the number of different bottlings. Did I mention Jordan is versed in the classics and is also a licensed pilot? Jordan wants to spend more time at Failla, and I believe it, given the breadth of this range. Frankly, I can’t imagine how Ehren took care of similarly large portfolios at both Turley and Failla while maintaining a sense of sanity. It will be interesting to see how things develop at Failla. The wines are already stellar, as I hope these notes amply demonstrate. Simply put, Failla is a reference point winery for the Sonoma Coast. This is as good as it gets.Tel. (707) 963-0530

Pure, clean scents of ripe apple, melon, pear and subtle citrus form the core of this bright, elegant, delicate version. Subtle oak comes through on the finish. Drink now through 2019. 900 cases made.??–JL??Region: California / Sonoma / Sonoma Coast Select to Add