2023 Morgan Winery, Chardonnay “Clone 96” Double L Estate Vineyard, Santa Lucia Highlands.
The beautifully evolving, delicately tropical, golden/straw hued Clone 96 limited release 2023 Chardonnay from Morgan Winery and their organic Double L Vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands is maybe the finest and most exciting wine I’ve ever tried from Dan Lee’s estate, this is exceptional stuff and potentially a perfect wine, capturing the the cool vintage and the terroir here to near perfection in the glass. Deep and luscious on the full bodied palate the single Clone 96 Chardonnay unfolds with honeysuckle, brioche, stone fruits and sea shore notes that lead to a deep mouth of Golden Delicious apple, Bosc pear, crisp peach, kiwi and golden fig fruits, along with lemon curd, leesy toast, bright pineapple, clove spice, smoky vanilla, mineral tones and a touch of wet chalk. While obviously Californian, there’s a real white Burgundy sense of class and depth of flavors and a mighty current of underlying natural acidity, making for an absolutely stunning wine. Winemaker Sam Smith, who has since left Morgan to pursue his own label wines, had taken Morgan to new heights in recent vintages, since he joined Lee in the later part of 2016, and has a truly gifted touch with Chardonnay especially, as his 2018, 2019, 2021s and 2023s proved. The regular 23s are all wonderful across the board here at Morgan, a nice tribute to Smith’s efforts as they were his last set here, but these rare clonal bottlings are on another level, with this one being a real favorite!
Morgan Winery founder Dan Lee’s Double L Estate Vineyard was originally planted back in 1997, today Morgan’s and is the only fully certified organic vineyard in the Santa Lucia Highlands, which has proven itself to be one of the top sites in the region with its cool climate and quality small yields producing exceptional grapes. This cru is located at the northern end of the Santa Lucia Highlands AVA, and as Lee notes, the vineyard’s north-south row orientation provides optimal wind and sun exposure here, with the sandy loamy soils giving good drainage and promotes deep roots for added concentration and complexity in the wines. Morgan says that Clone 96 is one of the many “Dijon” clones of Chardonnay, imported from the University of Dijon through Oregon State University. Adding too that It’s valued for early ripening, smaller yields, and fruity tropical notes, which seem to have benefited especially in this 2023 vintage, being such an intense cool year here in the Santa Lucia Highlands. The grapes were carefully sorted and gently pressed, after which the juice was fermented in 33% new French oak, with full Malolactic fermentation and lees stirring or Batonage, were conducted to obtain a balance of textural richness with the racy acidity. Everything come together here with this Chardonnay and even though I had experience with some of Morgan’s best efforts and Smith’s utterly compelling Chards in the past, this wine still blew me away and I highly recommend grabbing some while it is still available. Just six barrels were made and only 145 cases released of this 2023 Clone 96, which is first being offered to Morgan Wine Club members, but if you beg them at the tasting room, you might get a few bottles!
($48-60 Est.) 96+ Ponts, grapelive