Outstanding New World Chardonnay from Oregon
by Andrew Chalk
Innocent, and a saint. That’s quite a qualification to live up to. This boutique Oregon winery founded by Mark Vlossak has labored under the radar for 36 years and it would be a benefit to the world if they had a larger audience.
This chardonnay, made from Dijon clones, is an impressive keeper. Very good to outstanding depending on how you judge the finish. This is a powerful and complex chardonnay that incorporates well-defined fruit with secondary flavors of oak and a subtle phenolic backbone. Signs of age enhance the enjoyment as it resolves its component parts together without evidence of fading. Keep for up to five years or enjoy today with food, where the healthy acid level will ensure rich enjoyment.
NAME: | St. Innocent 2019 Chardonnay, Freedom Hill Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon ($36) |
APPEARANCE | |
Clarity | clear |
Intensity | deep |
Color | gold |
Other observations | |
NOSE | |
Condition | clean |
Intensity | medium plus |
Aroma characteristics | lemon, mango, pineapple, ripe peach, vanilla, sherbet |
PALATE | |
Sweetness | dry |
Acidity | medium plus |
Tannin | |
Alcohol | medium plus |
Body | medium plus |
Flavour intensity | high |
Flavour characteristics | the lemon, peach, pineapple and mango in the nose predominate. Add a phenolic backbone, minerality, oak and coconut |
Other observations | |
Finish | Medium plus to long |
CONCLUSION | |
Quality assessment | Very Good to Outstanding depending on how you judge the finish. This is a powerful and complex chardonnay that incorporates well-defined fruit with secondary flavors of oak and a subtle phenolic backbone. Signs of age enhance the enjoyment as it resolves its component parts together without evidence of fading. Keep for up to five years or enjoy today with food, where the healthy acid level will ensure rich enjoyment. |
Bottle ageing | Suitable |
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