Littorai Charles Heintz Chardonnay 2021

Category:
 
White Wines
Sub-Category:  
 
White Wines
Producer:
 
Littorai
Label Name:
 
Charles Heintz Chardonnay
Vintage:
 
2021
Country:
 
United States
Region:
 
Sonoma Coast, California
Volume:
 
750ml
ABV:
 
13%
Grape(s):
 
Chardonnay
Acidity:
 
4
Sweetness:
 
1
Body:
 
4
Length:
 
4
Aroma Intensity:
 
5
Best Temperature:
 
12-14°C

Awards/Ratings
James Suckling 98; Jeb Dunnuck 96; Wine Advocate (Erin Brooks) 95+; Antonio Galloni (Vinous) 95; Lobenberg 96+. Widely praised by major critics and highly scored in 2023–2024 reviews

Tasting Note
Bright, mineral-driven Chardonnay: lemon oil, green apple and white-peach with saline/sea‑spray, flinty reduction and fresh herbal notes. Silky, medium‑full palate, vibrant acidity and a long, saline finish.

Food Pairing
Roast chicken, butter-poached lobster, grilled salmon, creamy pasta, goat cheese salad; Asian: miso‑glazed black cod, sashimi/sushi, tempura prawns, steamed fish with ginger and scallion, pork gyoza.

Production Method
Whole-cluster/whole‑berry pressing, indigenous yeast fermentation and barrel (barrique) fermentation in French oak (≈25–30% new). Full/near-full malolactic, 11–14 months élevage, minimal intervention and largely unfiltered.

Vineyard Info
Littorai (Ted & Heidi Lemon), founded 1993, is a small family producer focused on site-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir; farms organically/biodynamically and was among the first to bottle a single-vineyard Charles Heintz Chardonnay.