Winemaker Notes
Evening Land Seven Springs Chardonnay is the backbone to all of the white wines that they make. On the palate, flavors of yellow and green apples, white flower petals, lemon zest, cream, and hints of warm baking spice lead to a soft, palate-coating finish.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
A brilliant silver/yellow color, the 2022 Chardonnay Seven Springs is light on its feet, with notes of lemon verbena, pith, wet stones, and powdery flowers. The palate has a medium-bodied frame with good cut, but also a rounded and very pretty, silky, pure, fruity feel. It’s only going to flesh out with a bit of time, but the energy and tension float through the wine. It has electric energy, though it’s approachable, and as it opens, it takes on more lime citrus notes.
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James Suckling
Light butter and baking spice nuances in the aroma lead to vivid, juicy and crisp lemon, green apple and vanilla bean flavors that expand on the palate and linger on the finish. While it’s the entry-level Evening Land chardonnay, it should age well mid-term.
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Wine Spectator
Lush and vibrant, with enticing apple and pear flavors that show accents of honey blossoms and apricot as this glides on the silky finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
There are pear and apple aromas here, which is nice. What really got my attention was the combination of buttered popcorn lightly drizzled with honey that hovers in the background. Made me want to watch “Hoosiers” for the 14th time. Flavors like lemon verbena and pepitas are backed by crisp acidity.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard takes some time in the glass to shake off initial scents of flint and toast to reveal dried apple, beeswax and spicy undertones. The palate is understated and savory, offering textural breadth that extends its honey-nut flavors on the finish.
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.
Running north to south, adjacent to the Willamette River, the Eola-Amity Hills AVA has shallow and well-drained soils created from ancient lava flows (called Jory), marine sediments, rocks and alluvial deposits. These soils force vine roots to dig deep, producing small grapes with great concentration.
Like in the McMinnville sub-AVA, cold Pacific air streams in via the Van Duzer Corridor and assists the maintenance of higher acidity in its grapes. This great concentration, combined with marked acidity, give the Eola-Amity Hills wines—namely Pinot noir—their distinct character. While the region covers 40,000 acres, no more than 1,400 acres are covered in vine.