Ceritas 2023 Zephyr Chardonnay

Notes from importer Andrew Guard:
Named for the near-constant gale buffeting the grapes, Zephyr exists in a sort of bullseye - ocean influence from the Bodega Headlands collides with cold air rushing in from the Sebastopol Hills in a violent convergence. The tiny crop that is allowed to grow here struggles. The berries show markedly thick skins, providing a rigid spine to a wine that inevitably has all the freshness it could need. Shimmering white gold in the glass, Zephyr offers an incredible bouquet - white flowers, Dry Creek peach, lemon zest and sharp, piercing saltiness. The high-octane palate is dense and powerful, but lifted with a tremendous freshness. The vineyard speaks clearly of its coastal origins. Surprisingly open in its infancy, but would be worth checking back in on a few years from now.