Sliced peach, young jasmine, lemon confit. Asian pear, crushed rocks, orange peel zest. Wild dandelion and chamomile, fresh thyme and dried basil. Homemade applesauce meets nectarine pit and honeydew rind, which struggle for dominance over mountain springs and gravelly loam. Exhibiting pretty yet restrained fruit that largely gives way to minerals and secondary notes after careful observation. Well balanced with good tension and a distinct freshness about it. This 2016 Kenny Hill Vineyard Christina Chardonnay by Den Hoed Wine Estates is focused and delicious Chard from the Walla Walla Valley.

Established in 1984, the Walla Walla Valley appellation encompasses the eastern edge of the larger Columbia Valley AVA surrounding Columbia River Gorge, which divides Washington and Oregon. This extremely dry growing region sees hot summer and cold winters, and experiences significant diurnal shifts during its growing season. Soils in the Walla Walla Valley are dominated by wind-blown silt, known as loess, along with gravel and basalt from when this area was carved out by glacial flows. This region is primarily known for red wine production but can produce high quality white wine as well. This bottling, crafted from 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Kenny Hill Vineyard in the Walla Walla Valley, proves that Washington State can indeed make great Chardonnay. Despite coming from a warm-climate region this wine is delightfully restrained and balanced, with the fruit acting more as a complementary piece of the puzzle rather than the outright focus. It is secondary and nicely complex while maintaining constant refreshment. This was our first run-in with Chardonnay from Walla Walla and we're quite impressed.