
This old-vine Chardonnay hails from the “Old Wente” block, planted in 1981 on a south facing plateau just above the Yakima River. The chalky, stony soil drains well and warms easily, producing a full-bodied, layered wine of great balance and complexity.
The South-facing, lower elevation of French Creek Vineyard, combined with a consistent westerly wind through the Yakima Valley, cools the vines in the evening, allowing the fruit to maintain natural freshness and acidity. The soil is mostly silt loam with occasional spots of clay, caliche, basalt, and river rock. Older vines like these, have deep roots and self-regulate which provides consistency year-after-year and deeper, more complex flavors.
With such excellent drainage, the warm Eastern Washington Summer sun, and light annual rainfall (6”- 8”), this is one of our earliest ripening sites and we harvest to retain freshness, lively flavors, and acidity to complement the power and richness imparted by old vines.
A nod to French tradition, we aged this Chardonnay for 17 months in 50% new French oak, and 50% 1-year oak from Burgundian coopers.
A full-bodied, layered wine, of great balance and complexity.
NOSE: Chardonnay fruit that stands out on its own and greatly benefits from judicious oak aging. Even though there is more oak influence, it doesn’t overpower the wine
MOUTH: crisp and fresh with lively flavors and acidity
FOOD & WINE PAIRING: Asian cuisine, crab cakes with pickled ginger or lobster