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Knudsen Vineyards Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2016

Knudsen Vineyards Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2016

Textbook Willamette Valley Chardonny from the Dundee Hills AVA—I have toured the vineyard more than once, a parcel planted in 1995, with French Dijon clones—the vines sit in brick-hued volcanic soils at elevations between ranging from 710-650 feet. Purity reigns here—a kaleidoscope of crisp Opal apples, pears and lemon curd sink beneath a dusting of […]

Bergström Bergström Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

Bergström Bergström Vineyard Pinot Noir 2016

From John and Karen Bergström’s estate vineyard, planted in 1999, the 2016 Bergström Vineyard Pinot Noir offers up heady layers of raspberry eau-de-vie, sweet spice, and purple lilacs. The perception of lightness and nimbleness is probably one of the most important examples of Pinot Noir, but it does not matter . A long, glorious finish […]

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2015

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2015

Stoller’s 2015 Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay is awash in Asian pear, lemon curd, granulated honey, and white flowers. The palate is delicate, with French oak so well integrated, it almost feels like a stainless ferment. Almost. Extended lees contact has graced this sustainably-grown Chardonnay with a silky, seamless texture that is as complex as it […]

Knudsen Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015

Knudsen Vineyards Pinot Noir 2015

Established by Cal and Julia Lee Knudsen in 1971, Knudsen Vineyards had long been a primary supplier of fruit to Argyle. The family’s second generation, Page, Colin, and David Knudsen were determined to make their own wines from the estate. The 2015s mark their fourth vintage, and the wines are still vinified at Argyle. The […]

Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2014

Domaine Drouhin Pinot Noir 2014

Enigmatic as all Véronique Boss-Drouhin’s wines are, the 2014 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir boasts freshness and poise in a ripe vintage year. Crushed lavender, cocoa powder, dried mint, underbrush, and an alluring array of red fruits lead into a wine that is medium-bodied and neatly trussed in fine tannins. White pepper and earth emerge at […]

Domaine Drouhin Chardonnay Arthur 2014

Domaine Drouhin Chardonnay Arthur 2014

Beautifully delineated, Domaine Drouhin’s Arthur Chardonnay is pure and fresh, despite 2014 being a ripe year. Layers of crisp d’Anjou pear and apple, white flowers, white peach, granulated honey. It’s equally delicate and finely wrought on the palate, with French oak lending playing a supporting role to an ethereal vein of minerality shines through this […]

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2014

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2014

Beautiful, as are all of Stoller’s wines, but young. I feel will benefit from just a little more time in bottle. I reviewed the 2013 Reserve Chardonnay and preferred it slightly over the 2014. Even so, 2014 offers layers of sensory charm and is laden with just-picked peaches and pear tartan, topped off with a […]

Sokol Blosser Evolution Sparkling Brut NV

Sokol Blosser Evolution Sparkling Brut NV

Convivial and crisp, Sokol Blosser’s Evolution Sparkling Brut is one of the better priced sparkling wines from Oregon’s Willamette Valley. It offers up a nose of green apple, pear and white flowers. On the palate, it’s lively and crisp. It’s not a complex bubbly, but it is pleasantly carefree on a Sunday afternoon. 11.5% ABV | […]

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2013

Stoller Family Estate Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2013

Lilting aromas of apricot, pear, dried honey, lemon curd, anise. Stoller’s Dundee Hills Reserve Chardonnay 2013 is clean and focused on the palate and more delicate than most. The perception is one of silkiness with beautifully integrated oak (you’d hardly know it’s there) except as a textural component, lending structure, allowing pure orchard fruit notes […]

Durant Vineyards ‘La Paloma’ Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2013

Durant Vineyards 'La Paloma' Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2013

Durant Vineyard’s Dundee Hills La Paloma Pinot Noir 2013 doesn’t disappoint. This is their 40th Anniversary edition, and I can smell its heady aromatics with the glass sitting more than two feet away (that always charms me). Cherry turnover, vanilla, rose petal and anise are anchored in a subtly earthy embrace. It’s silky on entry, […]

CHRISTINE HAVENS
McMinnville, OR

christine@christine-havens.com