Unpopular Opinion: Is Chardonnay Oregon's True Star? ✨

Hi Wine Friends,

 I'm heading to the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration this upcoming Saturday, which I’m very much looking forward to. Everyone loves to wax poetic about Pinot Noir, which is absolutely valid, but I find myself pondering a rather controversial question: Is Chardonnay actually the best thing Oregon produces?

Now, I know what you're thinking. "Kelsey, have you lost your mind? Oregon is Pinot country!" And while I adore Oregon Pinot Noir, I can't help but feel that Chardonnay is the unsung hero, quietly stealing the show in its own complex and nuanced way.

Here's the thing: as our climate warms (and it is warming), I personally find myself drawn to the Chardonnays from these warmer vintages more than the Pinots. My favorite styles of Pinot are delicate and ethereal, with more earthy than fruity notes (my current favorite renditions are coming from Germany!), and those styles are difficult to achieve in vintages where the fruit ripens quickly. But Chardonnay, in my humble opinion, can stand up to ripeness with more aplomb.

See, Chardonnay is the tofu of the wine world. Let me explain: it’s a remarkably neutral grape. Unlike Pinot Noir, which marches to the beat of its own distinct drum, Chardonnay is a blank canvas. It doesn't have as much inherent character, which means it's incredibly expressive of two things: the terroir where it's grown and the winemaking techniques employed by the producer.

Chosen Family Chardonnay paired with Arden’s famous truffled pierogi

As Oregon's AVAs continue to expand and we explore more and more diverse sites, you can truly taste the difference in these Chardonnays. Ribbon Ridge's sunny slopes and marine soils yield fruit-forward, dense styles. The Chehalem Mountains' high-elevation sites produce lean, high-acid Chardonnays. And Eola-Amity Hills' coastal winds create small berries with thick skins, resulting in concentrated, full-bodied wines with racy acidity. And that’s just three of the Willamette Valley’s thirteen american viticultural areas (AVA’s)!

Simultaneously, Oregon winemakers are honing their craft with Chardonnay in exciting ways. The techniques are becoming more sophisticated, more individualized, and the Chardonnays are developing unique signatures. It's like watching an artist evolve, their style becoming clearer and more confident with each new vintage. 

We're seeing a real diversity of Chardonnay styles emerge. On one end of the spectrum, you have the lean, racy styles – often unoaked, aged in stainless steel or even amphora (like Sequitur and Beckham have experimented with). These wines are crisp and energetic, with a laser-like focus. 

Then you have the oaked styles, where winemakers play with different levels of toast and new versus used barrels (great examples of more opulent styles come from Beaux Freres and Ambar). And some producers, like Martin Woods, are even experimenting with Oregon oak, adding a truly unique local twist which gives the wine a briny note of sea salt and citrus.

There's also a fascinating exploration of reduction –the absence of oxygen during winemaking–which is seeing a reel rise in popularity at present. Producers like Walter Scott and 00 Wines embrace reduction, resulting in flinty, sometimes even funky, age-worthy Chardonnays. Others, like Statera, produce intentionally oxidized styles a la the Jura. And still others, like Hundred Suns, favor a more middle-of-the-road fresh, primary-fruited style, allowing the pure expression of the grape to shine.

We even see skin-contact renditions, either made entirely from Chardonnay (like this bottling from Swick) or blended with other grapes (great options from Pray Tell and Monument), adding 

another layer of complexity and texture. And then there's Seth Morgen Long, who dedicates his entire focus to Chardonnay, crafting some of the most stunning examples I've tasted.

All of this adds up to a vibrant and dynamic Chardonnay scene in Oregon. It's a wine that rewards exploration and truly tells the story of the place it came from and the hands that touched it. While Pinot Noir may be Oregon's claim to fame, I believe Chardonnay is its hidden gem, waiting to be discovered and appreciated for all its multifaceted glory. I hope to see many of you at the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration this Saturday, the 22nd. There are still a few tickets available, and I truly believe it’s an event worth attending to champion these talented local producers and shine a light on a grape that should be getting more attention! (And no, I'm not getting paid or even getting a free ticket, I just want to share my passion for this grape)

Cheers and until next week,

Kelsey

Five Faces of Chardonnay

1. Lean and Racy: Martin Woods, Pearlstad Vineyard. Aged in neutral Oregon oak, it's reminiscent of Chablis or Etna Carricante. Lean, high acid, and saline – according to Evan Martin, because the Oregon oak trees spent hundreds of years growing in the coastal breezes and soaking in salt air.
2. Rich and Opulent: Bergström, Sigrid. From iconic Oregon producers Josh and Caroline Bergstrom, their Sigrid is their reserve bottling that they use more oak on and named in honor of Josh's grandmother, who had very high standards. For those who favor a more California-style but with plenty of balance and refinement.
3. Reductive and Umami: Walter Scott, Sojeau Vineyard. Walter Scott uses a lot of reduction, and the wines are dead ringers for Burgundy. For those who love Burgundy and those flinty, almost stinky, mushroomy, forest floor noses (like Puligny Montrachet).
4. Fresh and Fruity: Hundred Suns, Old Eight Cut. On the other side of reduction, Grant and Renee Coulter avoid those mushroomy notes and instead try to highlight the natural delicate fruit aromas of Chardonnay (think golden apple, Meyer lemon, and honeysuckle, with just a hint of brioche from lees contact) and aged in neutral oak to avoid overpowering oak flavors.
5. The Grand Dame: Cameron, Clos Electrique Blanc. My favorite Oregon Chardonnay of all time, and what I consider a grand cru vineyard of the Willamette Valley. Planted from clonal cuttings of old-growth California Chardonnay vineyards as well as maybe some from France (but I'll let John Paul tell you that story 😉), this Chardonnay has it all for me – vibrant fruit, a touch of reduction, luscious weight, and it ages to perfection.