Marena Sonoma Coast Chardonnay

I’ve had a few different Ceritas wines, but not all. This was my first experience with their entry level Marena Chardonnay.

If this is what age can do for this type of wine, I can’t imagine what their single vineyards show like with time. I expected this to show well, but didn’t expect it to show really well! Right out of the gate, a small hint of matchstick, sweet honeysuckle, and grilled lemon aromatically. High quality Chablis-like on the palate. Not sure of oak use, but it’s not steely. There’s mineral-like vibes to it, but everything comes back to underripe tropical fruit and meyer lemons. Drank it alongside other wines, but food would make it shine.

Chablis like, minerals, lemon, 🍏 very well made. Is it true these wines don’t see oak?

Another solid Ceritas Chard

Cali Chard is not (usually) my wine of choice but in walked 🚶🏽‍♂️Ceritas. This has that minerality I love in a Chardonnay (umm, Chablis lover right here 🙋🏻‍♀️). A squeeze of lemon, twist of orange peel and that stony minerality😍

Great intro to Ceritas if you are new to John Raytek’s wines.

Great acid backbone with the sweetness of the Cali fruit starting to show a bit more. These are slow to evolve so I’d say it’s in a solid place.

Lemon peel, white flowers, some morning citrus fruit. Lots of acid, not much body. Was good with whole fish and raw vegetables.

Electric fruit with well integrated oak. A rare Cali Chardonnay that entices you back for a second glass

While Cali Chardonnay is not usually where I find my happy place, this is pretty damn drinkable. There's an engaging tension for me, lots of rich but not over ripe fruit for the cali-chardophiles. Makes everyone happy.

Loads of lemon/ citrus. Oak is invisible. Riper end of Ceritas chards. Some fleshy texture sandwiched between the citrus and the acid that's on the finish. Delicious and refreshing chard. Even better than my first bottle.