Are you drinking wine from Oregon’s Willamette Valley? If you are, there’s a pretty good chance it’s Pinot Noir you’re consuming. No surprise, due in no small part to their more than 50 years experience with it as a region. They really know where to plant which clone, what vineyard practices and picking decisions to make and how to handle it in the Winery. Pinot Noir is one of my favorite mainstream grapes, but if all you’re familiar with from Willamette Valley is their Pinot Noir, you’re missing out on the bounty of other wines they have to offer. It would be similar to going to a world class restaurant and ordering the same dish every time. Sure you LOVE that dish, but you may feel the same about some others if you try them. Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gamay and other grapes have their place. But the grape that’s ready to make some big noise coming out of Willamette Valley is also among the mostly widely planted on earth.
Besides simply being popular, Chardonnay is widely planted because it thrives in a variety of soil, elevation and climactic conditions. Add in clonal selection, picking choices, and wine-making decisions like fermentation methodology and aging vessels and there’s literally a bottle of Chardonnay for every conceivable taste bud. I first traveled to Willamette Valley in 2007 and it’s been eye opening to see the rise of Chardonnay from then until now. Wineries are passionate about it and doing exciting things with it. I just sat down and tasted a couple dozen Willamette Valley Chardonnays. Here are the ten you need to seek out.
Firesteed 2016 Willamette Valley Chardonnay ($24)
455 cases were produced of this offering made entirely from Dijon Clone 76. Citrus aromas such a Meyer lemon and grapefruit drive the aromatics. Tart granny smith apple, juicy Anjou pear and a persistent vein of citrus drives the palate. The finish is clean, crisp and ultra-refreshing. ABV is 12.6%
Willamette Valley Vineyards 2017 Estate Chardonnay ($30)
!,000 cases of this Chardonnay were produced. The Estate vineyard was first planted in 1983, Dijon clones were added in 1993. A merger with pioneers Tualatin Estate added a vineyard planted in 1973. Bright lemon zest, subtle but present, orchard fruit notes and bits of yellow melon are all held together by terrific texture and racy acidity. It’s certainly tasty on its own but it’ll excel with food. Whole Roast Chicken and Garlic Roasted Potatoes would be a killer, and classic pairing. ABV is 12.5%
Carbella 2017 Estate Chardonnay ($32)
325 cases were produced of the Chehalem Mountains Chardonnay, made entirely from Dijon Clones. Lemon ice, limestone and a generous hint of yellow cling peach are the dominant characteristics from the first whiff to the last sip of this gorgeous, textured Chardonnay. The mouthfeel excites and the persistent finish offers more reason to be impressed. ABV is 13.6%
Sokol Blosser 2017 Estate Chardonnay ($38)
Standing among the pioneers of Willamette Valley, Sokol Blosser was founded in 1971 and is now run by the second generation. All of the fruit came from their Dundee Hills Estate and several fermentation methods were utilized including new and neutral oak, as well as concrete egg. What impresses most about this Chardonnay is the texture and mouthfeel; both are next level. However, there isn’t a thing here not to love. Be it the citrus and spice laden aromatics, the purity of orchard fruit on the palate, or the impossibly long finish, which is dotted with bit of wet limestone. This is an extremely impressive Chardonnay. ABV is 12.5%
Stoller 2017 Family Estate Reserve Chardonnay ($40)
This Reserve wine is composed entirely of Dijon Clones from their Family Estate in the Dundee Hills. Each Clone is fermented separately. Intense aromas and favors of lemon zest and ice lead the way here alongside granny smith and yellow apple. Droves of minerals drive the long, acid-laden finish. Elevated texture and mouthfeel add to the overall package. One of the more widely available wines in this bunch, this is a reliable go to in much of the country.
Brittan Vineyards 2016 Chardonnay ($42)
390 cases of this offering were produced. The fruit for this wine came from two vineyards within the McMinnville AVA. Lemon, hints of ginger, lime zest and a touch of golden delicious apple are all evident in this acid rich, well hewn Chardonnay. If you love Chardonnay that leans tart and excels with food, this one’s for you. ABV is 13.5%.
Gran Moraine 2017 Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay ($45)
2,305 cases were produced. All of the fruit is from a vineyard planted in 2005 to Dijon Clones. This Chardonnay has a richness to it from the first aromas of ripe stone fruit and spice. The palate is layered and textured with yellow melon and orchard fruit leading the charge. Racy acid, minerals and continued dollops of spice drive the finish. And while the richness that’s evident from the first continues, everything is in proportion. ABV is 13%.
Knudsen Vineyards 2017 Chardonnay ($45)
Knudsen is also a second-generation family outfit with a history dating back to 1971. This wine comes from two blocks on their Estate Vineyards in the Dundee Hills. This incredibly welcoming Chardonnay shows off subtle baker’s spices, droves of yellow apple and a dollop of mineral notes and lemon zest. A tiny hint of brown sugar emerges on the succulent finish. It seems easy, but there’s depth to spare here. Delicious now, this Chardonnay will evolve nicely with 3-5 years of age. Less than 300 cases were produced. ABV is 13.5%.
Archery Summit 2017 Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay ($48)
1,000 cases were produced. This is entirely Eola-Amity Hills fruit from vines growing Dijon Clone 76. There’s a core of Lemon Meringue that runs through this wine in thrilling fashion. It’s also got a citrus dance partner in the form of some Key Lime. Minerals, white pepper, tart green apple, and a kiss of toast are all evident too. Rich in acid and well structured, it’s delicious now but will be even better in a couple of years. ABV is 12.7%
Bergström Wines 2016 Sigrid Chardonnay ($100)
This is their 11th vintage of this wines. The fruit is entirely from their Biodynamic Estate Vineyards. They select their best barrels to assemble this wine as this is their Star white wine offering. I’ve had the chance to taste a handful of vintages of Sigrid Chardonnay. What’s most consistent; it always impresses, not a little but a lot. This is a benchmark Chardonnay. It’s deep, precise, proportionate and measured n intensity. If you’re looking for a perfect example of New World Chardonnay this surely fits the bill. Rich in tart green fruit and acid. It’s layered with spice, bits of oak and a subtle undercurrent of salinity. The finish is prodigious in length. There isn’t a thing here not to love and admire. Quite frankly when the bottle is gone, you’re going to be jealous of yourself from a few minutes earlier when you were still drinking this. Sigrid is delicious today, it’ll improve with age and has the bones to drink well for 15-20 years, at least. ABV is 12.7%
I don’t normally mention Alcohol content of specific wines. Balance is far more important in my opinion than the ABV of the bottle. However, the modest ABV of these as a whole caused me to decide it’s worth noting. This is particularly true when considered relative to examples from a host of other new world regions. Of course, many of those areas have more sunlight and higher temps. In any case this I just one item to consider if you love new world fruit and have a jones for a little less ABV.
Taken as a piece these wines have so much to offer. There are commonalities that run through number of them, such as a strong lemon characteristic of one type or another, to name one example. But there are perhaps more differences. Some lean towards tart fruit, while in other cases the wine feature brighter fruit. Ultimately, they’re most tied together by all being excellent examples of vineyard driven Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley. If you’ve yet to dip your nose in that direction, I strongly urge you to. Many of these wines are made in limited quantity, the producer’s website is a place you’re likely to find these.