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Crowley 2023 Chardonnay

Crowley 2023 Chardonnay

Regular price $40.00 USD
Regular price Sale price $40.00 USD
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100% Chardonnay

Willamette Valley, OR

The 2023 Willamette Valley Chardonnay represents our evolving program, combining Draper and Wente clones as well as barrel and stainless-steel aging. As soon as this wine hits the glass, sparkling clarity meets the eye. A nose of morning mist, bright green moss and honeydew melon are layered over notes of fluffy clotted cream. On the palate, chalky vitamins frame a firm fruit core of kiwi, lemon and tart lychee. The elegant mineral finish is very long and makes the bottle disappear quickly!

Vineyard info: Four Winds was planted in 1993 to Wente clone Chardonnay (1.5 acres) and Dijon clone Chardonnay (.75 acres) and beginning in 2017 (2.5 acres) of Draper clone. Elevation is 825 feet and south facing. Own rooted and dry farmed.

Appellation and soil: This vineyard is located in the McMinnville Coast Range. The soils have a volcanic origin, primarily Saum, like Nekia, with a strip of Jory running along the northwest edge of the vineyard. They are made up of a rocky base of weathered basalt that was covered by wind blown (colluvial) loam, which was derived from eroded basalt higher up in the coast range. As compared to other appellations in the Willamette Valley, these soils are uniquely shallow for winegrowing with low total available moisture. The resulting wines have pronounced leanness and mineral tones.

General/vintage info: 2023 began late after a looong chilly early Spring…bud break occurred late April. But when the sun arrived it came on strong and accelerated the pace, getting us back on track for a typical early June bloom. What transpired from there was a long dry summer and plenty of heat which ramped up sugar production leading to a shorter growing window than normal…90 days instead of 100. We decided to pick on acid and preserve freshness, emphasizing lower alcohols and a more ethereal sense to the wines.

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