By now, it’s well established that Oregon’s Willamette Valley is one of the world’s preeminent regions for Pinot Noir, with a relatively cool climate that’s just about perfect for the finicky red grape and production of wines of distinction and finesse.
But the region’s Chardonnays, which have also been part of the landscape almost since the Willamette Valley first appeared on the wine map in the mid-1960s, deserve more attention.
Like Willamette Pinot Noirs, the region’s Chardonnays have cool-climate character: lower alcohol levels, typically in the 12–13 percent range, and higher acidity, which makes them good food partners and also makes them refreshing on their own. Many of the vineyards lie on volcanic soils, which adds to the character of the wines. To use a bit of a cliché, they evoke the Chardonnays of Burgundy more than those of California.
Use of oak in the winemaking is rather all over the place. The best wines are those that have it woven in judiciously. Some of them are a bit over the top, letting the wood influence dominate at the expense of the fruit.
Many are simply labeled “Willamette Valley,” while others also cite more specific AVAs within the valley (there are 11 of them). There are standouts among both groups in the several dozen wines I tasted for this article.
While Pinot Noir accounts for almost 70 percent of the vineyards in the Willamette Valley, Chardonnay covers only about a tenth as much. While the region is becoming known for Pinot Gris (a.k.a. Pinot Grigio) — making up about 15 percent of the grapes grown here — the world is far more familiar with Chardonnay. And in my view, based on the quality of the wines I tasted, the Willamette Valley should make a greater commitment to it.
Here are 10 Willamette Valley Chardonnays worth considering:
GC Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2021
This 20-year-old winery is named after its founder and head winemaker, John Grochau, who sources grapes from growers “committed to sustainable, organic, and sensible farming,” as the website describes it. Some of the grapes in this blend come from two vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. It’s crisp and lighter in style, with apricot, pineapple, candied orange, lime, and vanilla notes. There’s a hint of cumin seed and a long, mineral finish. GC also offers the excellent 2021 “Vivid Vineyard” Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay in a slightly richer style.
Price: $25
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R. Stuart Winery ‘Love, Oregon’ Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2019
This delightfully light Chardonnay weighs in at just 11.4 percent ABV and is bursting with fruit: red apple, strawberry, and a good deal of citrus. Mouth-puckering acidity balances a hint of vanilla from seamless oak integration. Easy to drink and a natural pairing for all kinds of fish. The R. Stuart & Co. Winery was founded in 2001 by Rob Stuart, the winemaker and “fruit finder,” who sources grapes from a dozen Willamette Valley vineyards.
Price: $25
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Boedecker Cellars Chardonnay Chehalem Mountains 2019
Boedecker, which was founded in 2003, operates an “urban winery” not far from downtown Portland, where Stewart Boedecker and Athena Pappas craft their wines with grapes sourced from throughout the Willamette Valley. Their Chehalem Mountains Chardonnay shows a good deal of oak but is balanced and delicious with notes of pear, lemon, spicy orange, vanilla, and floral and herbal touches.
Price: $32
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Iris Vineyards Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2020
One of the more intriguing wines I tasted and a great value, this Chardonnay is full of mineral and citrus notes. It’s “steely,” as the label says, and is reminiscent of Chablis with a touch of saline and muted oak treatment. The fruit suggests Bosc pear and apricot with a hint of cream. The vineyard was first planted in 1996 and is dry farmed, meaning that there is no irrigation except for the youngest vines.
Price: $30
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Le Cadeau Vineyard Chardonnay Willamette Valley 2019
This gorgeous wine is muted and complex, with a perfect balance of fruit, acidity, and oak. Zesty citrus, herb, and floral notes accent green apple and apricot tastes. Hints of powdered cinnamon, vanilla, and butterscotch complete the profile of this exceedingly smooth wine. With bright acidity, it’s an excellent food wine — herb roasted chicken and grilled salmon are just a couple of the possibilities. It’s a wine that doesn’t scream out but leaves a lasting impression.
Price: $45
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Stoller Family Estate Chardonnay Dundee Hills 2021
Fresh, lively, and easy to drink, this value Chardonnay is bursting with fruit tastes, including apple, strawberry, white peach, and pink grapefruit. There’s a mineral note on the finish and moderate oak. It almost demands oysters and clams on the half shell.
Price $25
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Adelsheim ‘Staking Claim’ Chardonnay Chehalem Mountains 2019
Nuanced and complex with tastes of apple, quince, and overripe strawberries accented by spice and vanilla notes, all of it balanced by subtle oak and lively acidity. It lands with a flinty minerality on the long finish. A beautiful, medium-weight Chardonnay from one of the Willamette Valley’s founding wine families whose roots go back to 1971.
Price: $45
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Division Winemaking Company Chardonnay ‘Un’ Willamette Valley 2021
This is one of the more interesting Willamette Chardonnays — herbal and botanical with a long, mineral finish that just stays on the palate. Ripe pear, tart green apple, and apricot tastes give way to a lime note on the back end. The blend, from several organic and biodynamic vineyard sites, is also a great value. Founded in 2010 by Kate Norris and Thomas Monroe, the Portland-based winery aims to make “minimal-intervention, approachable and balanced wines with great price to quality value.” They succeed with this bottle.
Price: $30
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Carabella Vineyard Chardonnay Chehalem Mountains 2019
An elegant, fresh, and delicate wine with tastes of stone fruit, green apple skin, and Bosc pear, accented by touches of vanilla, cinnamon stick, nutmeg, and minerals on the long finish.. Balanced oak and crisp acidity make it refreshing and delightful. It’s made from Dijon clone grapes, as are many of the top wines in the region.
Price: $35
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Domaine Nicolas-Jay Chardonnay ‘Affinités’ Willamette Valley 2020
A world-class Chardonnay with a range of tastes: tart and candied apple, quince, a flinty minerality, a touch of butterscotch, and a lemon-lime finish. There’s a great deal going on, but all the components are subtle. The winery was founded a decade ago by a winemaker from Burgundy (Jean-Nicolas Méo) and a music entrepreneur (Jay Boberg), who own a vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and source fruit from others in the Willamette Valley.
Price: $50
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Next up: The Etna Rossos of Sicily.
