Winemaker Notes
Avni means "stone" and is a signature of the volcanic geology in the Willamette Valley. The shallow red soils and basalt rocks in the region feature in the mineral flavors and savory quality of this wine.
The aroma is complex with layers of mineral, citrus, white flowers and gunflint. On the palate the wine is balanced, vibrant and racy with a long finish. The natural acidity of the region is rounded by labor-intensive barrel fermentation and aging. Avni 2021 has nuances of lemon peel, green apple, fresh herbs, and a softer edge of pear and vanilla blossom in the background.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Pouring a brilliant straw hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Avni is elegant and focused, with notes of lemon balm, white flowers, fresh rain on pavement, and green apple skin. Focused, pure, and medium-bodied, with a chalky texture, it’s balanced and driven with fantastic energy without feeling austere and has a lovely flourish of fresh chive and spice on the finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2021 Chardonnay Avni is sourced from vineyards across the Willamette Valley. It has aromas of golden apples, matchstick, almonds and crème fraîche. The medium-bodied palate offers concentrated, savory flavors driven by a touch of textural grip. It has a foil of vibrant acidity, a pleasant touch of toasty oak and a long, seamless finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Aromas of orange blossom flowers and orange zest are powerful, filling the air while notes of peach melba and coconut sugar drift lazily from the glass. The Avni’s crisp lime twist in a glass of tonic water on the rocks flavor is joined by a touch of lemon sorbet and earthy oregano. Juicy acidity with a supple texture.
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Wine Spectator
Lithe and snappy, with appealing apple and lemon flavors highlighted by apricot blossom and orange peel elements. Drink now. 2,000 cases made.
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.
One of Pinot Noir's most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a continental climate moderated by the influence of the Pacific Ocean, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture and the production of elegant wines.
Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation vineyard sites.
The valley's three prominent soil types (volcanic, sedimentary and silty, loess) make it unique and create significant differences in wine styles among its vineyards and sub-AVAs. The iron-rich, basalt-based, Jory volcanic soils found commonly in the Dundee Hills are rich in clay and hold water well; the chalky, sedimentary soils of Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton and McMinnville encourage complex root systems as vines struggle to search for water and minerals. In the most southern stretch of the Willamette, the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA soils are mixed, shallow and well-drained. The Hills' close proximity to the Van Duzer Corridor (which became its own appellation as of 2019) also creates grapes with great concentration and firm acidity, leading to wines that perfectly express both power and grace.
Though Pinot noir enjoys the limelight here, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay also thrive in the Willamette. Increasing curiosity has risen recently in the potential of others like Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc and Gamay.