A to Z Chardonnay 2017
- W&S
Winemaker Notes
The 2017 A to Z Chardonnay radiates with a beautiful shine in the glass, then greets with notes of lemongrass,key lime, honey, pear and white peach. Deeper aromas of grapefruit, honeydew, pineapple and graham crackers come through. The broad palate is fresh with vibrant acidity exhibiting all the characteristics of a true cool climate wine with aromatics and flavors in perfect harmony. Modest in alcohol, the 2017 A to Z Chardonnay is a ridiculously food-friendly wine finishing round, rich and generous.
Pairs well with fresh, vibrant, and lively foods that sparkle with acidity like Baja fish tacos or heavier foods that need a bit of a high note lift such as roasted monkfish and trout.
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
Home to some of America’s most celebrated Pinot Noir, Oregon maintains a tight focus on small production, high quality wine even while the state’s industry enjoys steady growth. As a world-renowned wine region, Oregon has more than 700 wineries and is home to well over 70 grape varieties. With a mostly Mediterranean climate, its cooler and wetter regions lie in the west, close to the Pacific Coast.
By far the most reputed Oregon wine region is the Willamette Valley, which is further subdivided into six smaller appellations: Chehalem Mountains, Dundee Hills, Eola-Amity Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge and Yamhill-Carlton.
The Oregon wine region's most obvious success story is with Pinot Noir, which here takes on a personality that could be described in general terms as somewhere in between the wines of California and Burgundy—and is often more affordable than either one. The best Willamette Pinot noir has a rare combination of red and black fruit, elegant balance, high acidity and rustic earth. While completely enjoyable in their youth, some of the better, single vineyard or appellation-specific Pinot noirs can often benefit from some cellar time.
Other AVAs in Oregon’s west worth noting include Umpqua Valley and Rogue Valley.
In the east are Snake River Valley, which overlaps into Idaho, and Columbia Valley, which Oregon shares with Washington. Summers are hot and dry in these regions but winters are cold and rainy.
Pinot Gris, Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot blanc also grow successfully in Oregon.
One of the most popular and versatile white wine grapes, Chardonnay offers a wide range of flavors and styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. While it tends to flourish in most environments, Chardonnay from its Burgundian homeland produces some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. California produces both oaky, buttery styles and leaner, European-inspired wines. Somm Secret—The Burgundian subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style. Anyone who doesn't like oaky Chardonnay would likely enjoy Chablis.