2021 Quandary Vineyard Chardonnay

Tasting Note

A gorgeous single vineyard Chardonnay with ripe apples, baked pears, and tropical citrus notes. The oak is in perfect balance with the beautiful fruit and clean acidity on the finish. 187 cases produced

How we make our Chardonnay

Impressed with the Chardonnay fruit coming from the free-draining marine soils found in the hills of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, we decided to release a small-production vineyard-designate from our neighbors at Quandary Vineyards - just off of Pike Road. The fruit was hand-picked and gently whole-cluster pressed to avoid extracting bitterness from the skins. The juice then made its journey into 130-gallon Puncheon French oak barrels (25% new) to undergo primary and secondary fermentation, with lees stirring during the first six months. During its 9-month elevage in barrel, the wine was never racked.

The 2021 Vintage

The 2021 vintage was an exceptional year. The timing of weather events was key to our success in 2021. We experienced a bit of rainfall during bloom which helped to lower yields by producing some hens and chicks (variable-sized berries). Then a historic heat event happened during late-June which brought worrisome temperatures at a time that luckily did not result in any damage to our grape crop. Growth resumed normally once temperatures cooled with average heat from July through September bringing even ripening to the plentiful small, loose clusters. For Pinot Noirs, expect intense color and flavors bursting out of the glass, while white wines and rosés are fruit-forward with great acidity and balance.