2022 Pearlstad Vineyard Chardonnay
The Terroir:
The Eola-Amity Hills is situated to the immediate east of the Van Duzer Corridor—the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where ocean air enters from the west and cools the Willamette Valley. In the direct path of the breeze sits Pearlstad Vineyard, a sloping ridge where ancient landslides have exposed marine layers and fossil rocks with striking clarity. The soils are well drained and provide balanced but significant stress to the vines. This induces restrained leaf canopy growth and a limited crop of small clusters with good sunlight exposure and air flow reaching the berries and thicking their skins. those thick skins lead to textural complexity in the wine, as does a mixed planting of multiple clonal selections. I am delighted by the distinct saline/salty/mineral expression evident in the wines and the purity and delicacy of fruit resulting from the windy, cool climate. I am honored to collaborate at this remarkable terroir with growers Ken Pearlman and Dana Baker. we all look to the future with great expectations of quality.
Recent Reviews:
95 - Decanter: "The use of old Oregon oak (30-40%) in this wine is an interesting choice. Rather than the bold, round texture typically associated with French oak in Chardonnays. There is a very expressive lemon oil aromatic along with salted lemon freshness. The native oak creates a unique tension that lifts the flavours to the tip of your tongue. This vibrant wine features a lovely mineral and saline character, with notes of honey, pears, doughy crackers, and a delicate citrus floral finish."
94+ - Jeb Dunnuck: "Winemaker Evan Martin describes the 2022 Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard as a Chablisien wine. Coming from the very rocky marine sedimentary soils on the western side of the Eola-Amity Hills, it has a very focused profile on the nose, with notes of salty earth, lime zest, green apple skin, and fresh herbs and flowers. It is linear and also focused on the palate, but has ripe acidity, with a great, savory, salty finish. Mouthwatering and tension-driven, but with pretty fruit throughout, it’s going to age gracefully over the coming 8-10 years."
93+ - Vinous: "The 2022 Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard is full of zesty tension, mixing stone dust and sage with crushed green apples and minty herbs. This blends round and supple textures with juicy acidity and mineral-tinged orchard fruits, taking on a salty crunchiness toward the close. It leaves the palate completely cleansed through the finish as an herbal whiff and a twang of sour lime pucker the cheeks."
Our Tasting Notes:
Marine air, lime zest, white flower—fresh, salty and tense—remarkably refined and resonant—long cellaring potential.
The Terroir:
The Eola-Amity Hills is situated to the immediate east of the Van Duzer Corridor—the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where ocean air enters from the west and cools the Willamette Valley. In the direct path of the breeze sits Pearlstad Vineyard, a sloping ridge where ancient landslides have exposed marine layers and fossil rocks with striking clarity. The soils are well drained and provide balanced but significant stress to the vines. This induces restrained leaf canopy growth and a limited crop of small clusters with good sunlight exposure and air flow reaching the berries and thicking their skins. those thick skins lead to textural complexity in the wine, as does a mixed planting of multiple clonal selections. I am delighted by the distinct saline/salty/mineral expression evident in the wines and the purity and delicacy of fruit resulting from the windy, cool climate. I am honored to collaborate at this remarkable terroir with growers Ken Pearlman and Dana Baker. we all look to the future with great expectations of quality.
Recent Reviews:
95 - Decanter: "The use of old Oregon oak (30-40%) in this wine is an interesting choice. Rather than the bold, round texture typically associated with French oak in Chardonnays. There is a very expressive lemon oil aromatic along with salted lemon freshness. The native oak creates a unique tension that lifts the flavours to the tip of your tongue. This vibrant wine features a lovely mineral and saline character, with notes of honey, pears, doughy crackers, and a delicate citrus floral finish."
94+ - Jeb Dunnuck: "Winemaker Evan Martin describes the 2022 Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard as a Chablisien wine. Coming from the very rocky marine sedimentary soils on the western side of the Eola-Amity Hills, it has a very focused profile on the nose, with notes of salty earth, lime zest, green apple skin, and fresh herbs and flowers. It is linear and also focused on the palate, but has ripe acidity, with a great, savory, salty finish. Mouthwatering and tension-driven, but with pretty fruit throughout, it’s going to age gracefully over the coming 8-10 years."
93+ - Vinous: "The 2022 Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard is full of zesty tension, mixing stone dust and sage with crushed green apples and minty herbs. This blends round and supple textures with juicy acidity and mineral-tinged orchard fruits, taking on a salty crunchiness toward the close. It leaves the palate completely cleansed through the finish as an herbal whiff and a twang of sour lime pucker the cheeks."
Our Tasting Notes:
Marine air, lime zest, white flower—fresh, salty and tense—remarkably refined and resonant—long cellaring potential.
The Terroir:
The Eola-Amity Hills is situated to the immediate east of the Van Duzer Corridor—the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where ocean air enters from the west and cools the Willamette Valley. In the direct path of the breeze sits Pearlstad Vineyard, a sloping ridge where ancient landslides have exposed marine layers and fossil rocks with striking clarity. The soils are well drained and provide balanced but significant stress to the vines. This induces restrained leaf canopy growth and a limited crop of small clusters with good sunlight exposure and air flow reaching the berries and thicking their skins. those thick skins lead to textural complexity in the wine, as does a mixed planting of multiple clonal selections. I am delighted by the distinct saline/salty/mineral expression evident in the wines and the purity and delicacy of fruit resulting from the windy, cool climate. I am honored to collaborate at this remarkable terroir with growers Ken Pearlman and Dana Baker. we all look to the future with great expectations of quality.
Recent Reviews:
95 - Decanter: "The use of old Oregon oak (30-40%) in this wine is an interesting choice. Rather than the bold, round texture typically associated with French oak in Chardonnays. There is a very expressive lemon oil aromatic along with salted lemon freshness. The native oak creates a unique tension that lifts the flavours to the tip of your tongue. This vibrant wine features a lovely mineral and saline character, with notes of honey, pears, doughy crackers, and a delicate citrus floral finish."
94+ - Jeb Dunnuck: "Winemaker Evan Martin describes the 2022 Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard as a Chablisien wine. Coming from the very rocky marine sedimentary soils on the western side of the Eola-Amity Hills, it has a very focused profile on the nose, with notes of salty earth, lime zest, green apple skin, and fresh herbs and flowers. It is linear and also focused on the palate, but has ripe acidity, with a great, savory, salty finish. Mouthwatering and tension-driven, but with pretty fruit throughout, it’s going to age gracefully over the coming 8-10 years."
93+ - Vinous: "The 2022 Chardonnay Pearlstad Vineyard is full of zesty tension, mixing stone dust and sage with crushed green apples and minty herbs. This blends round and supple textures with juicy acidity and mineral-tinged orchard fruits, taking on a salty crunchiness toward the close. It leaves the palate completely cleansed through the finish as an herbal whiff and a twang of sour lime pucker the cheeks."
Our Tasting Notes:
Marine air, lime zest, white flower—fresh, salty and tense—remarkably refined and resonant—long cellaring potential.
