TN: 2018 Goodfellow Family Cellars Chardonnay Durant Vineyard

[Adam Frisch]

• 2018 Goodfellow Family Cellars Chardonnay Durant Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (4/7/2021)
  Probably not the best start to the tasting: Opened a bit too cold, and then paired with a Bibimbap!
  
  And first notes were of slight astringency as I often get with the variety. But shortly after, and as it warmed up in glass, that disappeared. Not a lot of overt fruit, but what was there was in the yellow and green spectrum, lemon peel and perhaps a little bit of a grass note (I got no tropical notes, like someone else had). A sea-sprayed salty minerality accompanies it. Slight cooling Menthol finish. Extremely well balanced and just a delight to drink. A cliché to say, but it does feel very Chablis-like and would probably throw a few people in a blind.
  
  On the back it says it was aged in "new and neutral oak". Perhaps Marcus would be able to clarify how much, as I could not detect any new oak influences on the taste. Great wine. (93 pts.)
  

Posted from CellarTracker

[Marcus Goodfellow]

Hi Adam, thanks for posting and I am glad you liked the wine.

I like to use larger barrels for the Chardonnays, and they generally present a much lighter oak profile, even when new. The elevage for the 2018 Durant Chardonnay was in 1 new 500L puncheon, and an older 800L puncheon, both coopered from trees in the Allier forest.