Darms Lane Fortune 1621 Chardonnay Carneros

Darms Lane is the project of Oklahoma native Larry Bump, whose family connection to the wine world runs deeper than most. The Bump family traces its American roots to 1621 and the arrival of Edward Bompasse to Plymouth Harbor aboard the ship Fortune, and that heritage gives the label its name. The winery itself sits on Darms Lane, a quiet country road just west of Highway 29 between Napa and Yountville in the Oak Knoll District, where the estate's seventeen acres are planted primarily to Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varieties. The Fortune 1621 Chardonnay was born at the request of their Japanese importer, who wanted a white wine to accompany the flagship red, and it sources fruit from Carneros, the cool fog-swept appellation straddling the southern reaches of Napa and Sonoma at the northern edge of San Francisco Bay. The winemaking approach here is a deliberate counterpoint to the rich, heavily oaked California Chardonnay style. The wine is fermented in stainless steel with no malolactic fermentation and sees only neutral oak if it sees any at all, preserving the natural brightness and aromatic freshness of the variety. The result is a Chardonnay that leads with restraint rather than weight. The nose is fragrant and inviting, with citrus blossom, jasmine, apple skin, yellow nectarine, and peach blossom giving way to a light touch of vanilla as the wine opens in the glass. The palate follows through with golden apple, white peach, apricot, and a hint of pineapple, all carried by bright, clean acidity and a silky, rounded texture. It finishes with a whisper of fresh herbs and crisp stone fruit.