A Few Oregon Chardonnays

I’ve been trying to rebalance my cellar, reducing the amount of Pinot Noir (which we’re drinking less) and increasing the amount of Chardonnay (which never seems to stay around). So for the Spring releases in Oregon I’ve been buying a lot more Chardonnay. Here are a few that I picked up:

2011 Walter Scott Chardonnay - I actually picked up a case of this a few months ago, and it is already almost gone. Nice citrus flavors with a little green apple, good acidity, a little on the lean side, very good finish.

2011 Walter Scott Chardonnay Cuvee Anne - Very similar to the regular Chardonnay, with a little more depth, richness, and complexity. A poised wine that should reward cellaring.

2010 Westrey Reserve Chardonnay - This exists somewhere between California and Burgundy. Less defined that the Walter Scott, but bigger, richer, and in some ways racier. Excellent finish.

2011 Westrey Chardonnay - Tight, acidic (didn’t go through malo), green apples, a little citrus, great intensity, needs several years in the bottle to show its best.

2011 Eyrie Chardonnay - This exists somewhere between the Walter Scott and the Westrey. Very tight, great intensity, great mouth-feel, a little more length than either, again, needs several years to be at its best.

2010 Blackcap Chardonnay - This is Jason Lett’s personal project. Wow! Meyer Lemon, green apple, a little white pepper, incredible mouth-feel, intense and light on it feet, yet rich and powerful, great balance and finish. A superb wine. Expensive but worth it.

Thanks for these notes Rick. I would like to dabble a bit in Oregon Chardonnay.

There has been a revival of interest in Chardonnay up here. Hopefully people will start grafting the Pinot Gris that they make into insipid, lifeless wines (there are exceptions to this, but not a lot) over to Chard.

Thanks for the notes. I’ve got some of the Cuvee Anne on order. Very eager to try it.

I agree with you on both points. The Chardonnay is getting better (much better), and the Pinot Gris is still just…“meh”. Do you think it is just a winemaking issue why the Pinot Gris is so boring, or, like some of the Chardonnay, do we have the wrong clones planted for the Willamette’s particular climate?

Walter Scott Pinot’s are very underpriced and I predict they will jump to elite status very soon. Nice to hear their Chards are drinking nice as well.

Thread a few years ago regarding Oregon and Chardonnay.

I have enjoyed recently both 2011 of Crowley and the EW LPS chardonnays. Both are buys at the price if you can find them.

Yikes! I forgot the 2011 Crowley. It’s damned good too, but like most of the 2011s I’ve had so far, it needs time.

Was very impressed with the 2010 Kayam Marsh Estate Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay. Made by Jerry at Crumbled Rock on Worden Hill Rd. Lean, crisp, and one of the better Chards I’ve had.

Cheers! Ed
ITB, Angel Vine

Had this wine recently and have been on the hunt for more chards from the area. Love this style.

2010 Johan Vineyards Chardonnay Reserve (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)
5/27/2013: Decanted as it was very tight on first pour. Slowly opened up and started off salty, earthy and dry. After about 30 minutes fruit appeared but never in a big way. Bottle disappeared quickly, very good.

I know rick, I cannot keep my hands off his 2010s either.

This is a great thread. Maybe we need an ongoing Oregon Chardonnay thread.

Any of you who are local, the Oregon Chardonnay Symposium is a great event I’d recommend you consider in 2014. A number of the producers mentioned in this thread participated in this year’s event, presenting their wines and discussing their work in a panel/tasing setting:

I enjoy a variety of Oregon whites including Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. There is some very good crisp Gris that works well with lighter foods.

Looking forward to my vacation in Oregon next month combining camping with of course some wine tasting and a tour at St. Innocent. My cellar is full and outside of a handful of hard to find reds my objective will be to get some whites for consumption over the next 12 months.

Cameron and Evening Land dominate IMHO. No doubting Eyrie either. Westrey and DDO can provide nice examples. Evesham can (could?) be crazy good for the price point. The potential is all there.

I look forward to trying some Walter Scott Chards.

RT

I’m a big fan of Oregon Chards. At this very moment I am drinking my last bottle of the '08 Cameron Reserve - excellent.

Need to try Evening Land.

+1 on both Evening Land and Cameron.

The 2011 Cameron Dundee Hills Chardonnay is exceptional for the price point. I believe the Dundee Hills is primarily declassified Abbey Ridge. Thus, I am looking forward to the Cameron SVD bottlings.

Preach it! Lot’s of wonderful and age-able chardonnays up there and so glad to hear new names. I only started buying Oregon wines in '99 but looking back I wish I had gone deeper on Chardonnay.

Was no malo by choice. My recollection is he just couldn’t get it to go through. So we didn’t try it when I was up there.

Jason