This Chardonnay is 100% estate grown in a little 2 acre parcel planted in 1999 on a steep slope with rows running up & down the hill from north-east to south-west.  This 2014 version continues a string of very compelling wines that started with the 2004 vintage, and bears witness to the recent rebirth of exciting Chardonnays coming out of the Willamette Valley.

Like many of our neighbors, we are gravitating to 100% barrel fermentation, but with very modest use of new oak, typically in the 10-20% range.  The wine spends a full year in barrel and often several months in tank before bottling, and is given at least a year in the bottle before release.

We have always done two harvests for Chardonnay: an early pick for fresh, citrus qualities, and a later pick for riper, tropical characteristics. Past vintages have most often been a 50/50 mix of the two, but in the warm 2014 vintage we tweaked the blend to be 60% early pick and 40% late pick. Echoing past vintages, this combination yields a dual personality of freshness and richness.

Enjoy this terrific full-bodied white now and for the next several years with rich seafood dishes, fresh garden pesto, and lightly smoked meats.

114 Cases Produced