Frenchman’s Gulch Winery 2012 Chardonnay, Idaho, $20
Yakima Valley winemaker Charles Smasne, a former vineyard manager at Kestrel Vintners, recently has taken over the program at this Sun Valley winery. Chardonnay from Idaho fruit has been a recent addition for Stephen McCarthy, who launched the brand in 2000. No other winery in the Pacific Northwest stages fermentations at an altitude of 5,700 feet, and the texture of this Chardonnay is delicious. It begins with aromas of pear butter, lemon oil and lots of minerality, a theme that makes its way to the palate, which is joined by Golden Delicious apple and a burst of acidity that seems to blend lime juice and Granny Smith apple. This wine picked up a silver medal at the 2014 Idaho Wine Competition.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 50 cases
Alcohol: 13.6%
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.