2017 Martin Woods Eola Amity Hills Chardonnay
Tasting Notes
delicate, floral ‒ asian pear, lemon ‒ dry, minerally, refreshing ‒ focused ‒ youthful
The Terroir
The sole source of this Chardonnay is Willakia vineyard, on the western side of the eola-amity hills. The vineyard is cooled by winds coming out of the Van Duzer Corridor—the “air-conditioning” pathway through the Coast Range that funnels cool marine air in to the Willamette Valley from the ocean 30 miles to the west. This cooling influence delays ripening and preserves fresh acidity. Our goal for Chardonnay is to achieve a tension between expressive fruit and vibrant acidity, between substance and delicacy. The cool microclimates of the Eola-Amity Hills give us the opportunity to find that delightful balance point.
The Growing Season
The Winter of 2017 brought a deluge of rain and the Spring was cool and wet, delaying bud break and then flowering. the Summer was generally dry and warm, sometimes hot. Critically, the Autumn returned to seasonably cool temps and several cycles of rain recharged the soil and refreshed the vines without causing significant rot issues. we began harvesting in the Willamette Valley on September 28 (Gewurztraminer) and finished with Gamay on October 30, two-to-three weeks later than average. The wines already display a wonderful balance of finesse, definition, generosity and depth, and they will certainly achieve greater subtlety over many years in the cellar.
About Martin Woods Winery
Martin Woods(the woods and the winery) is hidden in the oak-forested foothills of Oregon’s Coast Range, within the cool-climate McMinnville AVA, just outside of the city of McMinnville, ground zero for the Willamette Valley wine community. Martin Woods, spearheaded by winemaker/vigneron Evan Martin, is driven by ideals of searching out and partnering with cool-climate vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley to produce truly-exceptional, artisan, terroir-driven Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Gamay, Riesling, Gruner Veltliner and Rosé. We also source Cabernet Franc and Syrah from the absolutely unique terroirs of northeastern Oregon: The Rocks District of Milton-Freewater and the Walla Walla Valley. We are attentive students of our terroirs and we are committed to responsible, sustainable farming. We aim to produce wine with the classic qualities of elegance, lifted aromas, textural complexity, weight and tension…Highly pleasurable wines that complement cuisine and offer long-cellaring potential. Above all, we hope the wines distinctly express a sense-of-place…authentic Oregon terroir, unlike any other growing region in the world.
Tasting Notes
delicate, floral ‒ asian pear, lemon ‒ dry, minerally, refreshing ‒ focused ‒ youthful
The Terroir
The sole source of this Chardonnay is Willakia vineyard, on the western side of the eola-amity hills. The vineyard is cooled by winds coming out of the Van Duzer Corridor—the “air-conditioning” pathway through the Coast Range that funnels cool marine air in to the Willamette Valley from the ocean 30 miles to the west. This cooling influence delays ripening and preserves fresh acidity. Our goal for Chardonnay is to achieve a tension between expressive fruit and vibrant acidity, between substance and delicacy. The cool microclimates of the Eola-Amity Hills give us the opportunity to find that delightful balance point.
The Growing Season
The Winter of 2017 brought a deluge of rain and the Spring was cool and wet, delaying bud break and then flowering. the Summer was generally dry and warm, sometimes hot. Critically, the Autumn returned to seasonably cool temps and several cycles of rain recharged the soil and refreshed the vines without causing significant rot issues. we began harvesting in the Willamette Valley on September 28 (Gewurztraminer) and finished with Gamay on October 30, two-to-three weeks later than average. The wines already display a wonderful balance of finesse, definition, generosity and depth, and they will certainly achieve greater subtlety over many years in the cellar.