2016 Avni Chardonnay
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Tasting notes
Pale lemon. Ripe, fleshy white peach, with toasty oak overtones and a touch of chalk mineral. Spicy, toasty oak and slight smokiness on the palate entry, with bright acidity and more, fleshy white peach. Carries its bold fruit ripeness well, with decent length. An overt style. (TJ)
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Tim Jackson MW, jancisrobinson.com
More reviews and scores
Grapes from a combination of vineyards within the Willamette Valley region: Salem’s Bunker Hill, Dundee’s Durand, Yamhill-Carlton and Laubejac (Montmouth). Mixture of Nekia (volcanic) and Willakenzie (marine, sedimentary) soils. The grapes are picked early to obtain maximum freshness and tension in the wine, aiming for lower alcohol. Whole-cluster pressed. 20% new 600-litre casks and 80% old French barriques. Aged on fine lees for 10 months. The wines are moved to tank on their fine lees for four months prior to bottling. (Fiona Hayes) Pale greenish gold. Very tight. Nicely balanced with interesting overtones of smoke and toasted nuts, but a bit too young to deliver pleasure yet. Embryonic. (JR)