Ceritas Chardonnay Mt. Pajaro Vineyard 2023

Sourced from the high-altitude Mt. Pajaro Vineyard—perched high above Monterey Bay—this unique site sits above the fog line, exposing the vines to intense daytime sun while constant maritime winds from the Pacific Ocean keep temperatures cool. The vineyard features ancient, complex soils of fractured shale and marine sediment, yielding tiny, deeply concentrated berries. Proprietors John Raytek and Phoebe Bass practice a strict philosophy of low-intervention winemaking: the fruit is whole-cluster pressed and fermented naturally with wild yeasts in neutral French oak barrels, with zero malolactic fermentation or battonage. The result is a wine stripped of all typical California oak and butter, delivering instead a raw, primal snapshot of coastal terroir.

In the glass, it shows a pale, luminous straw hue, giving way to an exceptionally chiseled and expressive nose of green apple peel, lemon pith, and white grapefruit, underscored by complex layers of crushed wet flint, sea salt, and fresh pine needles. On the palate, it hits with a stunning explosion of energy and vertical tension. It is bone-dry and medium-bodied, wrapping a taut, energetic core of lime and crunchy pear around a vibrating, razor-sharp line of electric acidity. The texture is intensely tactile, showcasing a distinct chalky, phenolic grip and a deep, saline-driven minerality that mimics world-class Chablis. It finishes incredibly long and pristine, leaving a lingering trail of smoky reduction and a clean, mouth-watering snap.