2018 Chehalem Mountains Chardonnay

$33.00

Over a decade ago we started sourcing Chardonnay grapes from a different AVA and vineyard each vintage with hopes of gaining insight into the influences of both soil and site on this classic varietal. In recent years we have narrowed our focus to the Chehalem Mountains and specifically Chehalem Mountain Vineyard located on a lovely little hillock between a southern knuckle of the Chehalem Mountains proper and its sub-AVA Ribbon Ridge. Here soil is marine sedimentary and slope south-facing at 450 feet. Clonal selection is old Wente and 76, both tried and true expressions of Oregon Chardonnay. The site’s provenance is its adjacency to the spot where Dick Erath planted the first Chardonnay in the region in 1974.

The grapes were hand harvested on September 12th, 2018 gently whole bunch pressed, settled and racked to barrels for fermentation and aging. The wine was encouraged through malolactic fermentation and kept on lees until bottling in late August 2019.

TASTING NOTES:
The 2018 Chehalem Mountains Chardonnay opens with notes of citrus and stones, floral honey, mom’s lemon bars, mace, mandarin and a hint of flint. On the palate a subtle malty note lifts lemon into Anjou pear, white apple and saffron and moves through in detail to a spiced and saline finish. There is ample succulence and expanse here, but also lightness and tang with acidity keeping the freshness and focus. Quietly complex, citrus and sea.

TECHNICAL:
Vineyard: Chehalem Mountain Vineyard
AVA: Chehalem Mountains
Soils: marine sedimentary, silty loam, volcanic intrusions
Harvest: September 12, 2018
Winemaking: native & introduced fermentation, mostly malolactic, 10 months on lees
Finish Chemistry: 13.2% alcohol, 6.1 g/L TA and 3.27pH