2010 Ceritas Chardonnay Porter Bass Vineyard
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Tasting notes
West of Santa Rosa. Planted 1980. Certified biodynamic. Far western end of the Russian River Valley. Roulot technique: 5-6 months in steel tank with lees after barrel fermentation, which apparently changes the phenolics. They brown the juice pre-ferment for up to 10 days. Roulot/Coche pedigree. Minimal stirring. Very fine aroma: delicate mineral citrus, a touch salty, very fresh, tight and so fresh and quite austere. Ripeness and coastal marginality at 600 ft so more fog influence. Very tight and needs time. Long. (JH)
Critic scores
Average Score
Julia Harding MW, jancisrobinson.com
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
More reviews and scores
I am thrilled that the 2010 Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard captures all of the promise I sensed last year. The inherent richness and depth typical of this site comes through loud and clear. Nectarines, dried flowers and pears all flesh out beautifully in the glass. Soft, open and totally beautiful - yet backed with plenty of bracing minerality - the 2010 is superb.
I am thrilled that the 2010 Chardonnay Porter-Bass Vineyard captures all of the promise I sensed last year. The inherent richness and depth typical of this site comes through loud and clear. Nectarines, dried flowers and pears all flesh out beautifully in the glass. Soft, open and totally beautiful – yet backed with plenty of bracing minerality – the 2010 is superb. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2020. Proprietor John Raytek is one of this country’s most promising young winemakers. His professional resume includes a stint as sommelier at the Little Nell in Aspen. Later he was assistant winemaker at Copain and also spent time at Rhys. Raytek is married to Phoebe Bass, whose family owns the Porter-Bass Vineyard, but adds he gets no preferential treatment when it comes to buying fruit! The 2011 Chardonnays and Pinots are both dazzling. I tasted the 2011 Chardonnays from tank just prior to bottling. Raytek ages his Chardonnays for 12 months in oak (with no lees stirring) followed by 5-8 months in oak, a style of elevage preferred by a number of top estates in California and Burgundy. The Pinots are all made with some amount of whole clusters, usually around 40-45%, but they are totally integrated and virtually impossible to detect in the wines. I also had a chance to re-taste the 2010s from bottle. Those wines were just as fabulous as they were from barrel, if not a little better. Simply put, I can’t recommend these wines highly enough. Tel. (707) 473-9482
Pale gold. Highly expressive aromas of white peach, orange zest and iodine are enlivened by a strong mineral accent. Silky, suave, deep pit fruit and floral flavors show outstanding energy and focus, with no excess fat. Closes with firm mineral bite, a jolt of iodine and superb lingering sweetness.
About the producer
Created in 2005 by John Raytek, Ceritas is one of California’s most exciting producers. The project is focused on making single-site wines from Northern California’s coastal regions, largely Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.