2017 Ferren Wines Chardonnay Frei Road Vineyard

The 2017 Chardonnay Frei Road Vineyard is a dynamic wine, its aromatic range stretching from salted almonds, orange peel and baker's yeast to deeper tones of honey, peaches and earth. The light to medium-bodied palate offers tremendous energy and tension with savory flavors accented by bright touches of citrus and uplifted by bright acidity and mineral character, finishing very long and layered. I expect this will gain even more complexity in bottle and should be long lived.

Coming from a site on the Sonoma Coast (as do all these Chardonnays from Ferren), the 2017 Chardonnay Frei Road Vineyard was fermented and aged 12 months in one-third new French oak. Buttered pineapple, honeysuckle, caramelized lemons, and lots of floral notes all define the bouquet, and this big, rich, powerful Sonoma Coast Chardonnay has subtle oak, bright acidity, and a great finish. It's another 2017 from this team that needs a year of bottle age to come together.

The 2017 Chardonnay Frei Road Vineyard is such a distinctive wine, as it always is. There is lovely nuance and delineation that really elevates it in this range. Subtle and yet powerful, with tremendous resonance and brightness the Frei Road is a total rock star Chardonnay. A hint of reduction on the finish adds freshness without being overpowering.