The following tasting notes showcase a range of Willamette Valley Chardonnays from producers worth watching across a range of styles. Willamette Valley Chardonnays with less new oak influence tend to age incredibly well. Keep in mind, then, that my suggested drinking windows may be relatively conservative. The view on the right is from above a Domaine Drouhin vineyard in the Dundee Hills.
The 44 wines below are listed in descending score order. Wines with the same score are ordered alphabetically by producer (sur)name.
Clean, focused aromatics. Light flavours on the palate. Nice...
Notes of key lime, white pepper with kisses of baking spice and...
Fuller, more giving aromatics and pleasantly relaxed palate...
Chardonnay. Nice power and density on the aromatics with a hint...
Distinctive aromatics – nice complexity. Notes of white pepper...
Pleasantly generous and giving aromatics and palate without any...
Pleasant whilst subdued aromatics and palate. Notes of pear and...
Bright, fresh fruit aromatics. Focused palate. Notes of flint...
Rich while focused aromatics. Impressive execution on a rich...
Nice nuance in both the aromatics and palate. Notes of white...
Nice consistency of approach in the Aurata 2011 to 2013...
Mild, pleasant fresh, peppery spice aromatics. Notes of yellow...
Fresh, lifting, energetic aromatics. Well-integrated oak and...
A bit more muted than the La Source. Juicy, giving mid palate...
Notes of fresh citrus blossom and citrus aromatics with nut...
Fresh aromatics. Mixed citrus notes of fresh blossom and curd...
Nicely focused aromatics and palate with a sense of density...
Sense of toast and breadth through the aromatics shift into...
Reductive nutty aromatics upon opening. Creamy lemon and drying...
Reductive aromatics that open up and show freshness with air...
Lemon and grapefruit curd and accents of white pepper with notes...
Muted aromatics. Notes of satsuma, and mixed citrus peel with...
Fresh, vibrant, lifted aromatics. Clean, focused, well executed...
Nice nose. More sophisticated aromatics. Bright palate. Notes of...
Integrated oak and fruit character – the two knit together...
A bit pert on the palate through to the finish. Notes of nutty...
Lean focus with still lots of flavour. River rock and quartz...
Beautiful floral aromatics and lifted palate of mixed rose and...
Under screw cap. Riper aromatics and flavour but with lighter...
Rich aromatics of baking spice. More apparent baking-spice oak...
Reductive upon opening, opens with air. Muted aromatics. Lemon...
Nutty, matchstick nose. Clementine, Meyer lemon with a drying...
Subtle aromatics. Bright palate acidity with enough fleshiness...
Notes of flint, makrut lime, toasted lemon and rock salt with a...
Muted aromatics. A little disjointed on the palate. Meyer-lemon...
Light aromatics, though more present than the straight...
Nice aroma and flavour but a bit cloying through finish...
31% new oak, 26% one-year-old oak. Corral Creek and Stoller...
34% new oak, 33% one-year-old oak. 11 months in barrel. All...
Under screw cap. Fresh, lifted and expressive aromatics. Floral...
Under screw cap. Secondary notes on the palate. Pert mid palate...
All stainless steel. Under screw cap.
Muted aromatics and palate...
Notes of pear, green apple. Lots of mid-palate acid that then...
Light aromatics. Almost pert mid palate into a short finish...
