The density and richness of the wines produced from these small clusters is undeniable.
“Oh my god, it’s like Jesus’ water.”
“I'm just saying, it’s like Cinderella’s glass slipper if it had a taste.”
—Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Vineyard: This wine comes from a single three-acre Chardonnay vineyard Larry Hyde introduced to Tor in 2008. It belonged to one of his oldest friends in the Napa Valley, Steve Beresini, and was planted three decades ago with cuttings Larry gave Steve. We call this plant material – Hyde Selection Wente Clone. Larry Hyde claims it is the shyest bearing clone he has propagated. Today it produces a minuscule crop in Steve’s vineyard, usually between one to two tons per acre. The clusters are half the normal size of an average Chardonnay cluster, but the density and richness of the wines produced from these small clusters is undeniable.
Winemaking: Very Burgundian in style. Barrel fermented in small French cooperage, favoring premium three-year dry aged barrels at a medium toast level. The two new barrel cooperages used are Damy and Ermitage. Fermentations begin with native yeast for primary and secondary, and the wines receive the minimal amount of handling through the aging period. Bottled unfined, unfiltered; we work hard to bring an honest and true expression of the vineyard to you.
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes: The 2022 Beresini vineyard is possibly the richest Beresini to date and shows additional density from the warmth of the vintage as we went through harvest. This is always a more rich/intense styled chardonnay, but this year it displays additional layers of complexity and finesse. As always, this wine shows a bit of what I tend to associate with a white rhone (think like Chave Hermitage) in its textural richness and length. The nose immediately hits you with white peach, honeydew, Earl Grey, and jasmine, followed up on the palate with bergamot, white raspberry and almond extract.This year adds on a bit of back end freshness and precision that just keeps this wine going forever on the palate, with a creamy and silky texture.
Vintage: Winemaker Jeff Ames and Tor Kenward have collectively witnessed over 70 harvests, and cannot compare 2022 to any of them. Some winemakers said it was four vintages in one, with the wild swings in temperature, small crop, and small picking windows made it one we call “ a winemaker’s year”. Those who nailed the right picking windows made exceptional wines. In particular, our 8 blocks in Beckstoffer To Kalon have never looked better. A winemaker’s and wine grower’s year. Experience made all the difference.
