Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Tight and reserved, showcasing the depth of 55-year-old chardonnay vines from Eyrie Vineyard, one of the oldest existing plantings in Willamette, dating back to 1968. A mineral-driven, umami-rich profile with wet leaves, subtle quince, sesame seeds and hints of tangerines. Structured and compact, with a phenolic tension and a savory, earthy, clay-like character. There’s a lot going on in this wine. It is pure, full and very long. Needs time to fully unfold. Whole-cluster pressed. Better from 2027.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Matured in around 35% new oak, plus an additional six months in stainless steel, the 2023 Chardonnay Eyrie Vineyard from Tan Fruit is a beautiful rendition from old vines at Eyrie Vineyard in the Dundee Hills, offering seamlessly integrated flintiness and pure, precise flavors. It has dynamic aromas that segue from matchstick, honey and cereal to perfumed white peach and poached pear—with every return to the glass, it offers another facet of expression. The light-bodied palate offers powerful, savory flavors driven by a vibrant spine of acidity that gives it a shimmery feel. It has a soft, mouth-coating texture and a very long, elegant finish. It evolves dynamically over several days and should be long lived in the cellar. Rating: 95+
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.
Home of the first Pinot noir vineyard of the Willamette Valley, planted by David Lett of Eyrie Vineyard in 1966, today the Dundee Hills AVA remains the most densely planted AVA in the valley (and state). To its north sits the Chehalem Valley and to its south, runs the Willamette River. Within the region’s 12,500 acres, about 1,700 are planted to vine on predominantly basalt-based, volcanic, Jory soil.