There’s not an abundance of Chardonnay planted in the Walla Walla Valley, and it’s the only white variety at Browne Family Estate Vineyard in Spring Valley, where wheat still dominates the rolling fields in the northeast corner of the appellation. Precept CEO Andrew Browne pays tribute to his grandmother, Dorothy Gilbert Browne, with this lusciously lovely reserve-style Chardonnay that was harvested Sept. 28 and spent 12 months in 25% new French oak. There’s tropical fruit aromas, toast and butterscotch, which are matched on the palate. Beyond the midpalate, lemon, almond skin and lick of apricot pit in the the finish provide a food-friendly finish, and suggested pairings include roasted chicken, shrimp scamp or other rich seafood. At this point, this statuesque bottle, adorned with a metal-plated insignia on the front, is available only at the Browne Family Vineyards tasting rooms in downtown Walla Walla, Seattle and Tacoma’s Proctor District.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 439 cases
Alcohol: 14.1%
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