Our Chardonnays are truly made in the tradition of the great white wines of Burgundy. Both Abbey Ridge and Clos Electrique vineyards are planted to very rare clones of Chardonnay not typically planted in either Oregon or California. The wines are fermented with indigenous wild yeasts from the respective vineyards and finished with a French yeast to assure dryness. Both wines are fermented in older, nearly neutral French oak barrels and then left with the original yeast sediment for nearly 2 years in our cave which averages 57°F (14°C). They are bottled without filtration and generally have an aging potential of well over 10 years.
The Abbey Ridge Chardonnay is produced from vines that have been growing for over 40 years in one of the highest-elevation vineyards in the Dundee Hills. Mineral aromas meld with nuances of quince and lemon grass. Its richly textured palate and mouth-watering acidity are very reminiscent of a fine Chablis.