Ripe Asian pear, fresh jasmine, lemon zest. Juicy papaya, ground clove, pineapple upside down cake. A brilliantly expressive and elegant fruit core led by Gala apple, grapefruit pith, and cantaloupe booms with deep yet energetic intensity as hints of cinnamon and nutmeg delicately impart a range of well integrated baking spices. Notes of cashew, bread crumbs, and straw expose subtle yet absolutely gorgeous nutty and yeasty undertones that playfully interact with pretty floral wafts of honeysuckle, dandelions, and wildflowers. A mild suggestion of crème fraîche gently reveals balanced creamy qualities that are brilliantly offset by terroir-focused notes of sandy soil and stony minerality. Impressively powerful, complex, and layered on the palate while still possessing excellent poise and tension; exhibiting a ripe yet delightfully restrained presentation that is irresistibly round yet still deliciously fresh and crisp. Medium plus in body and bursting with impressively bright acidity. This 2020 "Martin's Gold" French Creek Vineyard Chardonnay by The Walls Vineyards is a serious and seductive white from Washington's Yakima Valley.

Located in Southern Washington and completely contained within the larger Columbia Valley AVA, the Yakima Valley is Washington's oldest official AVA and boasts the state's highest concentration of wine production. This bottling, crafted by The Walls Vineyards using Chardonnay sourced from the French Creek Vineyard in the Yakima Valley, is an outstanding example of this region's ability to shape Chardonnay of equal parts ripeness and finesse. This wine radiates out a concentrated yet lively arrangement of citrus, orchard, and tropical fruits layered with wonderfully yeasty bready notes, elegant floral tones, balanced oak character, and exciting stony earthiness. It manages to retain great tension and verve despite its tremendous depth, and proves that Washington has become a force to be reckoned with in the world of high-end Chardonnay. Delicious.