Eyrie Vineyards Dundee Hills Estate Chardonnay 2023

A beautifully refined expression of Dundee Hills terroir, the 2023 Eyrie Estate Chardonnay is a study in elegance and balance. It opens with delicate aromas of white peach, Meyer lemon and crushed oyster shell, intertwined with hints of hazelnut and chamomile. On the palate, vibrant citrus and orchard fruit flavors meld seamlessly with a core of wet stone minerality and a subtle touch of creaminess. The wine’s naturally bright acidity lifts its precise, layered texture, leading to a long, nuanced finish with a whisper of spice and saline complexity.

The 2023 vintage marks the eighth year that Eyrie Chardonnay includes both the Draper Selection from The Eyrie Vineyard but also heritage clones planted at Sisters Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. The Wente Clone and the Sterling Clone total 39% of the blend and come from eight year old vines in the Sisters Vineyard. The Draper selection represents the balance of the blend and comes from 57 year old vines in the original Eyrie Vineyard.

Both estate vineyard sites are 100% certified organic and picked by hand. The grapes were pressed in a combination of antique basket press and Champagne cycle press. Juice was run to neutral French oak barrels, fermented with indigenous yeasts, aged on the less for 11 months without stirring and bottled with a light filtration. 524 cases produced.

Often considered the birthplace of Oregon Chardonnay, The Eyrie Vineyards is a pioneering Oregon winery in the Dundee Hills, founded in 1965 by David and Diana Lett. They introduced the first Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Pinot Gris to the Willamette Valley. Known for elegant, long-lived wines, the estate is now managed by Jason Lett, focusing on organic, no-till, low-intervention winemaking. Eyrie gained international recognition in 1979 when its 1975 Pinot Noir competed against top Burgundies.