Wine Notes > Chardonnay > Current Release

2007 INOX™ Chardonnay

(new release May 2008)

The Wine

INOX™ takes its name from the abbreviation of the French word for stainless steel, inoxydable. The wine was created differently from most Chardonnay you've had. We think we've succeeded in expressing the crisp, steely, and fruit-rich side that we love about some Old-World Chardonnays. What makes this possible is the use of exclusively Dijon clones, exceptionally well suited to Oregon's cool climate and exhibiting a richness that does not depend on oak. Entirely tank fermented, without malolactic fermentation or lees contact, INOX™ screams of the hallmarks of a cool climate-brightness, pinpoint fruit, and explosive aromas and flavors. We intend INOX™ for a full range of use, from hot weather chilling to elegant dinner complements.

The Vineyards

Fruit comes primarily from our Estate Vineyards, predominantly Stoller, with a measure of Corral Creek. Dijon clones 76, 95, and 96 are fermented together for a fully complemented wine. The estate vineyards are planted on two different soil types: Stoller on Jory and Corral Creek on Laurelwood. In 2007, we also bought Dijon fruit from some of our Willamette Valley neighbors: Gran Moraine, Justice, Temperance Hill, Thistle, Elvenglade, and Willamette Valley Vineyards.

The Vintage

In summary, we think this may be a fantastic white vintage and a surprisingly good red vintage, despite the rain that many times might lead to less intense wines. With rain in the range of 2005 and much less than the last really rainy harvest season of 1997, most winemakers in the valley knew how to adapt and took advantage of the vintage’s attributes, such as lower sugars (and therefore alcohols) and higher acids. As long as botrytis is kept from reds or sorted out, and winemaking sleight of hand provides physical therapy for the intensity shortcomings, such as saignée, tannin adds, chaptalization, and acidulation, the vintage will have stellar wines, just with more variability. Buy whites in general, buy reds from trusted names.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 9/24–10/26/2007 @ 20.6–22.2 brix, 3.16–3.33 pH, and 7.1–9.2 g/L TA, from 2.0–4.8 tons per acre cropload

Fermentation:

Tank fermented with VL1 and 3079 yeast,
no Malolactic fermentation

Cooperage/Aging:

None

Bottling:

Cold stabilized and filtered, bottled 3/24–3/27/2008

Bottling Analyses:

13.4% alcohol, 6.6 g/L TA, 3.42 pH, 0.24% residual sugar

Cases Produced:

7,187

Suggested Retail:

$19 (TO ORDER)

Release Date:

May 2008

Winemaker's Comments

A platinum, brilliant wine that immediately shares a profusion of floral aromas and bright fruit, especially pear, green apple, honeydew melon, tangerine, peach, apricot, Meyer lemon, and even kiwi and pineapple. Spice and other aromatic accents include confectioners’ sugar, vanilla bean, and ginger, as well as the "Juicy Fruit" gum aromatic that is a marker for Dijon-clone Chardonnay fruit. There is a knife-edged brightness and minerality due to incredibly snappy acidity, making it tartly succulent and mouthwatering. Although high in acid, low in alcohol (13.4%), and bone dry (at less than .25% sugar), this has great weight and near-perfect balance.