2021 Yamhill Valley Vineyard - Chardonnay
tasting notes
struck flint, subtle cheese rind, lemon, apple, pear, spice—remarkable breadth and refinement—textured, balanced, tense, refreshing and resonant—both complex and immediately pleasureable—long cellaring potential
ava: McMinnville
elevation / aspect: 340 - 450 ft, south-facing 20% slope
soils series: Dixonville, Gellatly, Witzel (volcanic basalt)
planted: 2003—Intermixed clones Dijon 76 and 95
harvest: Sept. 22 & Oct. 4, 2021
Press regime: whole cluster, oxidative juice handling (without sulfur)
elevage: 9 months in 228L & 400L Oregon & French cooperage (neutral)
bottled: July 28, 2022, Unfined, 13.0% Alc.
the Terroir
Yamhill Valley Vineyard is positioned within the McMinnville ava in the foothills of the Coast Range, along the edge of the Van Duzer Corridor—the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where cool marine air pours in from the ocean 30 miles away. The cooling winds and cool mountain air translate to Chardonnay with refreshing, intense qualities. The shallow volcanic soils and steep, south-facing slope of the Fromage and Hilltop blocks have little water-holding capacity, causing stress to the vines and resulting in sparse canopies and loose clusters of unusually small, sun-kissed, thick-skinned chardonnay berries, giving tremendous depth and texture to the wine. Our goal for Chardonnay is to achieve a tension between expressive fruit, vibrant acidity, and subtle yet complex aromas. This exceptional block of vines offers a balance of depth, breadth and focus that amazes us every year.
the Growing Season
A classic shift to cooler temps and occasional moisture of moderate intensity in late-September and early October brought the 2021 growing season to a beautiful conclusion. Despite some significant heats spikes in mid-Summer, the vines supported a good crop of clean fruit (medium-small berries with thick skins) with balanced flavors and phenolic maturity. We were immediately pleased in the winery with what we thought promised exceptional quality...which has proven true. The vintage has always shown a precocious resolution of structure that makes the wines delightful in youth, while also certainly possessing long cellaring potential.
notes on Winemaking
picked Sept. 22 and October 4, 2021 at 20.4 - 21.4 brix, 3.05-3.12 pH. Whole cluster pressed, oxidative juice handling without sulfur. Primary fermentation in tank, then moved (with lees) to barrel. Aged 9 months on lees (no stirring) in 228L & 400L Oregon and French cooperage (average age 8-10 years). Racked clean and bottled without fining on July 28, 2022, 13.0% Alc., TA 6.6, pH 3.12, rs 1.0 g/L
about Martin Woods
Martin Woods is hidden in the oak-forested foothills of Oregon's Coast Range, within the cool-climate McMinnville AVA, Willamette Valley. Martin Woods is both the home and winery for winemaker/vigneron Evan Martin, who has been driven by a passion since 2009 for discovering the most compelling terroir in Oregon. Elegant Pinot noir and Chardonnay are the focus of the portfolio, but Riesling, Gruner, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Syrah are more than proving extremely exciting for exploration. Evan’s small team farms according to sustainable, wholistic principles and the growers he partner's with are of the same mindset. The winemaking methods are delicate and natural, but of greatest importance is that a Martin Woods wine promotes the classic qualities of purity, balance, complexity and fine structure that can only result from great terroir combined with wholehearted dedication to art and craft. Above all, it is the hope that the wines evoke a consistent and inspiring sense-of-place, an authentic Oregon voice. May your wine journey be full of life, love, tears and laughter, and of course adventure, sincerely, Evan Martin
