Razor's Edge Last Dance: Enfield's Haynes Old Vine Chardonnay

John Lockwood's 2015 Haynes Vineyard Chardonnay was one of the most memorable California wines ever tasted. 2021 is the last vintage John worked with this revered old vine section of the iconic Haynes Vineyard.

 

Sommeliers have blinded it as Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault. When tasting, descriptors like "laser," "weightless," and "palate-staining" flood the mind. 

 

Haynes, located in Napa's coolest AVA, Coombsville, is home to a special parcel of 55-year-old Chardonnay vines. These same vines were the source of John Kongsgaard's early work with the seminal Newton "Unfiltered" Chardonnay of the 1970s. Lockwood had sourced from Haynes since 2010, but it wasn't until 2015 that he got to work with this prized, old vine parcel.

 

The magic of these vines isn't just in the obvious concentration but rather a story of soil. Haynes is famous for its very high pH, powdery white volcanic ash subsoil, endowing wines with wild acidity that are rare in this region, where ripeness is never shy. The younger vines John had previously worked with here had shallower root systems that only tapped into the alluvial gravel topsoil. When the change was made to the old vine parcel in 2015, the real magic of this fascinating subsoil came to fruition.

 

John and I met while working at Failla Wines in 2011. From a solar-powered cabin on the extreme Sonoma Coast, four of us organically farmed the Failla Estate Vineyard, home to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah. 

 

Getting to know John in tight quarters and amongst vine rows was a never-ending exploration into all things wine. Early mornings and late nights, the discussions never ceased. It was clear immediately that his thirst for discovery would be the root of all future accomplishments––well documented by the New York Times. 

 

For me, finding white wines in California that are built upon their focus and agility is the ultimate rarity since ripe forward fruit is ubiquitous. This wine has a head-spinning level of refinement and incisiveness that will appeal to every single white Burgundy lover.