2011 TOR Chardonnay Torchiana

The terrific 2011 Chardonnay Torchiana Beresini Vineyard (from a 30-year-old parcel of an Old Wente clone) was produced from yields of one ton of fruit per acre. It exhibits lots of roasted hazelnut, creme brulee, creamy, buttery apricot and peach notes intermixed with pineapple and subtle barrique smells. Full-bodied and rich, this top-flight Chardonnay should drink well for 3-4 years. Tor Kenward, the long-time PR rep for the Beringer empire, has his own project for a number of years and he continues to build an impressive portfolio of fascinating wines that reflect his love of Napa Valley and his own personal preference for complex wines. Incidentally, he has one of the great wine collections of Napa and he is one of those true connoisseurs who is happy to share his best bottles. While production levels for the wines in this portfolio are relatively small, all of them are top-notch, interesting efforts. Tasting through three vintages of Tor’s Cabernet Sauvignons left me with the impression that this winery continues to go from strength to strength. Despite the issues of valley floor vineyards, Tor has done well in 2011. He told me that the rot that afflicted many valley floor vineyards was very site specific, and the only way to ensure clean, pure wines was low yields, open canopies, culling out affected bunches or berries, and Draconian-like sorting procedures. It appears he has done all of that given the success of his 2011s, which, with the exception of the Cimarossa, are low elevation vineyards. I also tasted five barrel samples from 2012, a large, easy vintage with no problems of any serious consequence. Tel. (707) 963-3100