current release
2022 Quartz Acorn chardonnay
winemaker notes
A stunning expression of our Yamhill-Carlton Estate, our 2022 Quartz Acorn Vineyard Chardonnay is golden hued with concentrated notes of ripe nectarines, guava and limoncello. The palate displays the great qualities of our Quartz Acorn Vineyard, a satisfying acidity matched with a rounded mouthfeel and lingering salinity, this wine will age wonderfully for over 10 years.
winemaking details
Sourced from the southeast slope of our Quartz Acorn Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, featuring the 95 & 76 clones. Our chardonnay is sorted slowly by hand and pressed whole cluster, with no settling time before barreling down. This wine was 100% barrel fermented with native yeasts and underwent full malolactic fermentation. Aged on lees for 11 in 100% neutral French oak. Very limited selection of 2 puncheons. Alcohol of 12.5%.
vintage notes
The 2022 growing season in the Willamette Valley began with a mild winter that turned into a warm and dry March, prompting and earlier bud break. This was then followed by a frost event on April 14th and very cool and wet late April and May, a one in every 50 year weather phenomena. The frost and subsequent conditions affected buds that had begun emerging from dormancy and set vine growth back 2 to 4 weeks. However warm weather came late June, just in time for flowering to produce a great fruit set and rapid shoot growth. Summer was marked by a few heat spikes, though with the soils full of water from the wetter spring the vines produced a healthy canopy to carry them through the season. Late summer and early fall witnessed cool nights and warm days, which facilitated the retention of acidity in the grapes and prolonged hang time. October was hotter than average, allowing the grapes to fully mature before colder temperatures arrived. Overall, the season remained moderate and ideal for grape maturation.
The vineyard management practices employed during the 2022 growing season played a crucial role in shaping the quality of the wines. Challenges were created due to the large amount of canopy growth, increasing powdery mildew pressure. We had to be diligent with our canopy management and integrated disease control practices. Though, the exceptional climatic conditions and meticulous vineyard management efforts resulted in outstanding grape quality for the 2022 vintage. Chardonnays from this vintage displayed excellent flavor development, with ripe fruit character, refreshing acidity, and well-defined structure. The combination of favorable climatic conditions, sustainable vineyard management practices, and the dedication of winemakers to quality is expected to yield wines of exceptional character and complexity.
wine information
This top tier showcases a limited selection, with only 92 cases were produced in 2022. Fruit for this label is sourced from our organically farmed Quartz Acorn Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton.
reviews
2017 | 93 points James Suckling
A very restrained nose with bright-citrus, fresh-pear and light bread-dough aromas, leading to a palate that has a superbly crisp, fresh, and lively, lemon and pear finish. Elegant and powerfully focused chardonnay.