RAEN, Lady Marjorie Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast, California, 2023

Overview of the Wine
As winemakers and farmers, Carlo and Dante attribute a great deal of what they have learned to their grandfather Robert and father Tim, both whom influenced them from a young age.

Carlo and Dante’s father Tim was a pioneer for California Pinot Noir in the early 1970s and has always had a tremendous regard for the great wines of Burgundy. To this day his Pinot Noirs from the 1970s are showing incredibly well. Carlo and Dante credit their father’s passion for Pinot Noir as the early inspiration that got them excited at a young age.

Dante studied abroad in Switzerland at the Webster University in Genève as well at UC Davis in California. Carlo studied in France at the University of Aix-en-Provence and in Italy at the University of Milan. After their formal studies were complete Carlo and Dante continued their educational work with the winemaking team lead by their father Tim Mondavi at Robert Mondavi Winery and Opus One.

When Robert Mondavi Winery was sold in 2004, the brothers joined their father Tim, Aunt-Marcia and grandfather Robert as they founded Continuum in 2005.

In 2013 Carlo and Dante founded RAEN winery with the goal to produce world class Pinot Noir on the western hills of the Sonoma Coast. RAEN currently focuses on making three Pinot Noirs, from three unique sites on the Sonoma Coast.

Winemakers
Carlo and Dante Mondavi

Grape / Blend
Chardonnay

Origin
Sonoma Coast, Sonoma County, California

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
This bottling is dedicated to our grandmother Marjorie, who will always be a bright light of inspiration for us. An incredible woman, her hard work and steadfast determination led us to where we are today. Born from the remote, rugged landscape of the Sonoma Coast, our Lady Marjorie Chardonnay hails from the rocky soils of the true Sonoma Coast, resulting in a wine of incredible depth and vibrancy. 

The wine fills the bowl with floral notes of lemon zest, crushed gravel, white and yellow flowers, honeysuckle and just-ripe nectarine. On the palate, these aromas come together with notes of zesty lime blossom and stone fruits, all integrated seamlessly with a bright backbone of wet rock minerality, and subtle notes of salinity that all lead to an incredibly bright and persistent finish.

91 Points - Vinous
The 2023 Chardonnay Lady Marjorie is a blend from vineyards in Fort Ross-Seaview and Occidental. Bright and sculpted, the 2023 is super-impressive. Citrus peel, white flowers, chalk, mint, and white pepper all open in the glass. More than anything else, I admire the wine's total balance and harmony. Give it a year or so to soften.

Product size: 750ml