2014 Demuth Vineyard, Anderson Valley Chardonnay Magnum

At 1700 feet above the town of Boonville, this remote windswept ridge seems an improbable place to find Chardonnay. Ninety-five percent of the vines in the AV are hanging Pinot Noir. Chris Demuth had the foresight to plant Chardonnay here 35+ years ago in the heart of Pinot country. Planted on AXR-1 rootstock and racked by phylloxera, this vineyard has historically shown signs of stress and resulted in tiny yields. When we visited in February, the biodynamic cover crops laid down by Anthony Filiberti and his crew were in full bloom and Demuth had never looked healthier. Our 2014 Demuth displays the vintage character we have come to prize: power and clarity. Antonio Galloni tasted it recently and said it reminded him of a GG Riesling.