2023 Ceritas, Marena Chardonnay, Sonoma Coast

At Ceritas, John Raytek focuses on site-driven Chardonnay from the extreme coastal edges of Sonoma County. The estate utilizes fruit from vineyards situated near the Pacific Ocean, where persistent cold fog and maritime winds naturally slow the ripening process. This environment allows the grapes to develop flavor while maintaining the natural energy and structural tension that have become the hallmarks of the Ceritas style.

The 2023 Marena is a multi-layered bottling drawn from vineyards heavily influenced by this marine climate. The 2023 vintage followed a long, cool growing season, resulting in a wine defined by a lean, focused architecture and a dense mid-palate. It leads with notes of citrus and orchard fruit, finished with a distinct saline quality and the "stony" persistence characteristic of the Sonoma Coast's most rugged sites.