Chateau Ste. Michelle 2013 Chardonnay, Columbia Valley, $11
Best Buy! The largest producer in the Pacific Northwest lowered production of its largest-volume Chardonnay by about 10 percent from the stunning 2012 vintage. There’s a fair bit of layering to this inexpensive offering, starting with six months of surlie aging in a program of 35% new oak. That accounts for a softer approach, both in terms of toast and structure, as it picks up notes of starfruit, Gala apple and dried pear with a finish of lemon oil and pith. Suggested foils include chicken, salmon and shellfish with accents ranging from lemon, ginger, tarragon and thyme.
Rating: Recommended
Production: 645,200 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
Scott says
4th Annual Oregon Chardonnay Symposium, Sat. March 14 @ Stoller Family Vineyards, Dayton / Willamette Valley. Over 60 Oregon wineries pouring at the Grand Tasting…technical symposium by Rajat Parr, MS. Always a sellout!!!!
Oregonchardonnaysymposium.com
Eric Degerman says
Greetings Scott,
We’ve enjoyed helping promote this year’s Oregon Chardonnay Symposium …
https://greatnorthwestwine.com/2014/09/16/famed-sommelier-rajat-parr-lead-2015-oregon-chardonnay-symposium/
https://greatnorthwestwine.com/event/oregon-chardonnay-symposium/
I covered last year’s event …
https://greatnorthwestwine.com/2014/03/10/winemakers-meet-to-help-define-oregon-chardonnay/
And I look forward to returning next month to Stoller. Paul Durant and Erica Landon seem to do a marvelous job orchestrating the event.