2018 Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay - Marshall Davis Vineyard

Lemon curd, soft vanilla, Granny Smith apple. Almost-ripe pineapple, unsalted cashew, tart yellow pear. Cubed cantaloupe, peach flesh, and citrus zest initiate a broad yet biting attack that is full and flavorful while remaining exceptionally crisp and snappy. Mild florals emerge to waft gently over eccentric fruit that is tempered only slightly by impressions of macadamia nut, clove, and light baking spice. While extremely zingy and bright at first glance the scene changes as wine warm in the glass - slowly softening and becoming considerably more generous yet still expressing a distinctly edgy twang. Fruit focused, refreshing, and shaped for easy drinking while still containing nice balance and complexity. Medium in body with elevated acidity. This 2018 Yamhill-Carlton Chardonnay by Marshall Davis Vineyard is a wonderfully bright and thirst-quenching white from the Willamette Valley.

Although production in the region still skews heavily towards Pinot Noir, Oregon's Willamette Valley has emerged as a source for incredibly high caliber Chardonnay at nearly any price point. This bottling, crafted by Marshall Davis Vineyard using Chardonnay sourced from within the appellation of Yamhill-Carlton, proves that Oregon is setting the bar for what affordable Chardonnay can be. Although initially a bit angular and elbowy when poured heavily chilled this wine blossoms at it edges closer to cellar temperature where notes of ample fruit and subtle nuttiness begin to spread their wings. Quality is clearly apparent here along with an intensity suggesting this should mellow and improve with a few years in the cellar. A really nice wine and an impressive value to boot by Marshall Davis.