2012 Chardonnay Ryo-fu

Akiko and Ken Freeman's new 14-acre Sonoma Coast vineyard called Yu-ki is now kicking into gear and will in due time join their eight-acre estate site, named Gloria, which was planted in 2008, to form the backbone of their winery's production. Winemaker Ed Kurtzman told me that 2012 was a vintage in which "everything came easily, especially fruit," and that the wines will be particularly appealing to those who like to drink their pinot young "because the fruit, acidity and tannins are in such good balance: You won't have to wait for things to come into harmony because they are already delicious, and have been from the beginning." On the other hand, Kurtzman says that because of their fruit intensity and balance, "you can hold them for a while as well--it's your call."