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The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay 2021

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The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay 2021
Producer The Eyrie Vineyards
Region, Country Willamette Valley, USA
Bottle Size 750ml
Case Size 12
Product Code 24267-750

Eyrie’s Chardonnay story reinforces the visionary nature of its founder, David Lett. When planting Chardonnay back in 1964, he eschewed what he saw as unsuitable clones from UC Davis, choosing instead mass-selection cuttings from old vines (Draper clone, planted in the 1890s and 1930s) in California that he felt better suited to Oregon’s cooler climate. Unsurprisingly, his foresight has paid off, and Eyrie now boasts some of Oregon's oldest and most revered Chardonnay vine material. Since 2015, he has included a small portion of fruit from mass-selection vines (Wente clone and Sterling clone) planted in Sisters Vineyard in the foundational Eyrie Vineyard base.

The clonal breakdown for the 2021 Chardonnay is as follows: 61% Draper Selection from 57-year-old vines on the original Eyrie Vineyard; 26% Wente clone from eight-year-old vines in Sisters Vineyard; and 13% Sterling clone from eight-year-old vines in Sisters Vineyard. 2021 was another low-yielding season marked by warm, dry periods punctuated by short spells of rain. The summer was warm but brought into balance by a cool close to the season in September and October, while chilly nights preserved acid freshness across the board. Handpicked fruit was lightly pressed as whole bunches in a combination of antique basket press and Champagne cycle press. The juice was then gently run to primarily neutral French oak barrels (5% new) for natural fermentation. It underwent full malolactic conversion and matured for 11 months on lees with no stirring.

The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay 2021

Reviews

“The 2021 Chardonnay Estate offers exotic aromas of ripe peaches, honey, pie crust, tangerine oil and musky floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with an impressively concentrated core of spicy fruit. Its broad, mouth-coating texture is balanced by fireworks of fresh acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish with flavor that goes on and on.”
96 points, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
“Coming from relatively younger vines planted in 2013 and pouring a pale yellow hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Estate takes on delicate floral aromatics of citrus blossoms, quince, and fresh pear. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with elegant, ripe fruit and is silky-textured, with great balance and a clean finish. Drink this refreshing, supple white over the next 5-6 years.”
93 points, jebdunnuck.com
“It’s a rich wine but elegantly so. Milk toffee apple, ripe peach and nougat and ruby grapefruit in the back, nut husk and shell, rich spices come later on, like masala mix, red apple skin, cinnamon dusted apple, peach moving into cinnamon roll and even apple pie. Yes, all sounds rich but in a satisfying way, pleasing way. With concentration and length. A decadent style.”
95 points, Kasia Sobiesiak, The Wine Front

Reviews

“The 2021 Chardonnay Estate offers exotic aromas of ripe peaches, honey, pie crust, tangerine oil and musky floral perfume. The medium-bodied palate is satiny and expansive with an impressively concentrated core of spicy fruit. Its broad, mouth-coating texture is balanced by fireworks of fresh acidity, and it has a long, spicy finish with flavor that goes on and on.”
96 points, Erin Brooks, The Wine Advocate
“Coming from relatively younger vines planted in 2013 and pouring a pale yellow hue, the 2021 Chardonnay Estate takes on delicate floral aromatics of citrus blossoms, quince, and fresh pear. Medium-bodied, it fills the palate with elegant, ripe fruit and is silky-textured, with great balance and a clean finish. Drink this refreshing, supple white over the next 5-6 years.”
93 points, jebdunnuck.com
“It’s a rich wine but elegantly so. Milk toffee apple, ripe peach and nougat and ruby grapefruit in the back, nut husk and shell, rich spices come later on, like masala mix, red apple skin, cinnamon dusted apple, peach moving into cinnamon roll and even apple pie. Yes, all sounds rich but in a satisfying way, pleasing way. With concentration and length. A decadent style.”
95 points, Kasia Sobiesiak, The Wine Front

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