A to Z Chardonnay 2012

Tasting Date: 9/3/2013

Varietal: Chardonnay 2012

Country: Oregon

Tasting Date Price: $15.99

Rating:

Alcohol Content: 13%

Vineyard Website: click here

Visual Aspect: Clear straw

Nose: Aromas like kiwi, tangerine, white peach and quince are followed by deeper, richer aromas like honey, beeswax and melon.

Palate: The wine is equally complex and inviting. A juicy attack with great minerality leads to flavors that mirror the aromatics while yet more layers, like pear and toasted coconut, arise on the mid-palate. The concentration is balanced by firm acidity that gives the wine vitality and persistence with a long lingering note of clean wet stones.

Food Pairing: Fish and seafood

Winery Notes:

Oregon Chardonnay becomes more exciting each year for several reasons. We are enjoying a warm agricultural cycle, our vineyards with Dijon clones are maturing and we have learned much about how to handle Chardonnay at the same latitude as Burgundy. The 2012 A to Z Oregon Chardonnay is blended from 24 lots that have been fermented and aged in stainless steel of varying sizes to maintain brightness and showcase the nuances of the variety. Malolactic fermentation was intentionally blocked to retain freshness and purity of fruit.

The 2012 Oregon growing season was a return to normalcy after two wild, late years. The warm Rogue Valley and the Columbia Gorge fruit came in fast and furious toward the end of September. Harvest began in the Willamette Valley after a cooling period around the first week in October with Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris showing perfect ripeness and low yields. Chardonnay came in last as picking finished before the end of October. All in all, 2012 will be remembered as a classic Oregon vintage with great weather at harvest and low yields. The fruit was ripe, sound and very healthy. Little sorting was needed and the flavors were intense.