Chardonnay (2021)

About this wine

This is a 2021 Chardonnay from A to Z Wineworks, made from state wide lots of Oregon fruit and bottled with a focus on freshness and clarity. The nose shows lemon, white peach, and tangerine with hints of lemongrass, honey, and wet stone. On the palate the wine is crisp and medium bodied, offering citrus and green apple flavors that sit alongside melon and a savory mineral streak. The texture is clean and focused with restrained alcohol and lively acidity, and the finish is bright and tangy. The producer avoids heavy oak influence and typical winemaking choices emphasize fruit purity and a brisk, food friendly profile.

About the grape

Chardonnay is a grape with roots in Burgundy that has been adapted across Oregon, where Dijon clone material imported in the 1980s and 1990s helped reshape plantings toward earlier ripening, higher acidity and more aromatic concentration. A to Zs 2021 bottling sources Chardonnay fruit from more than thirty vineyards across Oregon, allowing the winemaker to assemble separate ferments from varied sites and soils, including marine sedimentary and volcanic loams common in the Willamette Valley. In the winery lots are kept distinct during fermentation and aging to preserve site character, and many producers in the region use neutral vessel aging and lees contact to build texture while retaining cool climate clarity, techniques reflected in this blend.

Quick facts

• 🌲 A to Z was founded in 2002 by four Oregon wine veterans, the project was created to showcase the state rather than one vineyard
• 🔩 The 2021 Chardonnay is bottled under a screw cap, a choice made to preserve bright fruit and freshness over long bottle age
• 🗺️ This vintage is a true Oregon blend, the grapes come from multiple regions across the state to create layered complexity
• 🏅 The 2021 earned a 91 point score from Wine & Spirits, a high rating for an accessible value Chardonnay
• 🌸 Tasting notes often call out linalool as a floral scent in this wine, a perfume like aroma that gives it a surprising floral lift

Palate profile

Producer

A to Z Wineworks was founded in 2002 by Oregon industry veterans Deb Hatcher, Bill Hatcher, Sam Tannahill, and Cheryl Francis who set out to make high quality, value driven Oregon wines. The brand launched with a Pinot Noir that earned Food and Wine recognition and quickly grew by sourcing grapes from top Willamette Valley vineyards. In 2006 the group added winemaker Michael Davies and acquired the historic Rex Hill estate in Newberg, which became the company base of operations. A to Z has been an industry leader in sustainability, becoming a certified B Corporation and adopting programs like LIVE and Salmon Safe to advance environmentally responsible farming and winemaking.