“I think we kind of lost our way with Chardonnay in Washington,” says Brennon Leighton, winemaker for Charles Smith Wines.
Despite a 50-year history and a consistent ranking among the state’s most produced varieties, Washington Chardonnay has suffered from an identity crisis in recent years.
While the variety has been overshadowed by the rise of red wines in the state, it can be said that Chardonnay here has failed to establish its own identity, seemingly influenced too much by California styles.
However, an increasing number of winemakers are demonstrating what makes Washington Chardonnay special.
One of them is Charles Smith, of Charles Smith Wines and K Vintners. In 2012, Smith hired Leighton (formerly of Efeste) to head a new Chardonnay project named Sixto. Late last year, the winery released a series of dazzling, single-vineyard Chardonnays among the most impressive and expensive the state has produced.
Leighton says Chardonnay’s struggles in Washington began in the vineyard.
“A lot of the sites where Chardonnay is grown are more red-wine grape sites, not classic white sites,” he says.
For the Sixto project, Smith and Leighton sought out higher elevation vineyards where they believed Chardonnay would thrive.
“We’re trying to get extended time on the vines in the cooler part of the season so that we can retain acidity and get some of the flavor maturity that we’re looking for without elevating the alcohol level,” says Leighton.
Sixto also sought older plantings, with vine age ranging from 19–37 years.
“I think you get more density in the palate and a little bit more complexity in the wines overall,” Leighton says of older vines. “You don’t have to do as much winemaking.”
Chris Gorman, of Gorman Winery, also recently launched a Chardonnay-dedicated winery named Ashan, whose bottles were released in late 2013. His reasons for the project were part love of the variety and part opportunistic.
“Chardonnay is typically the second-most produced variety in the state,” says Gorman. “Doesn’t it seem strange that there has been so little premium focus?”
Ashan makes three single-vineyard Chardonnays as well as a cuvée, varying styles from neutral to all new French oak fermentation and aging.
“You have to pair up the fruit with how it’s going to be produced,” says Gorman.
As vintners and wine drinkers rediscover Washington Chardonnay, no single profile prevails. Columbia Valley—Washington’s largest growing region—offers a variety of styles.
“People don’t realize we’re just as diverse up here as say California or France,” said Bob Bertheau, head winemaker at Chateau Ste. Michelle.
The profile in Washington tends to be more based on appellation, with warmer regions like Horse Heaven Hills producing ripe wines, with stone and even tropical fruit aromas and flavors. Cooler regions like the Columbia Gorge produce sleek, mineral-driven wines dominated by apple and citrus notes.
Despite Chardonnay’s varied appearance in Washington, Bertheau said there’s commonality across the wines.
“The connecting thread is still the acidity,” says Bertheau, noting that Washington’s hot summers and cool autumns differentiate it from other wine regions. “No matter if it’s red or white, Riesling, Cabernet or Chardonnay, we always see freshness in Washington wines.”
Leighton believes that Washington Chardonnay is finally finding its way.
“You’re starting to see a return to a more classic style that’s more vineyard driven and less winemaker driven,” says Leighton. “It’s exciting to see.” —S.S.
Washington Chardonnays
Sixto 2012 Roza Hills Chardonnay (Washington); $55, 93 points. A pale golden color, this offers intoxicating notes of candy corn, lemon curd, spice and stone fruit along with light toast accents (30% new French oak). It’s rich, textured and full of intense, layered fruit and mineral flavors that carry through the long finish. Editors’ Choice.
Array 2011 Dijon Clone Chardonnay (Yakima Valley); $32, 92 points. Sourced entirely from the Otis Harlan Vineyard, these vines were planted about 25 years ago. It’s a pleasure to see them singled out for this showcase bottling. It’s a rich, oily, nutty, buttery style to be sure, but also dense with ripe apple, pear and peach fruit. The acidity buoys it up throughout a strong, long finish.
Woodward Canyon 2012 Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay (Columbia Gorge); $66, 92 points. This single-vineyard wine shows both the warmth of the vintage and the coolness of this site, boasting depth and richness to the fruit flavors while retaining good acidity. It combines notes of apple, peach and lees with light barrel accents—20% new French—and a creamy feel. Enjoy with shrimp stir-fried in olive oil for a pairing nirvana.
Abeja 2013 Chardonnay (Washington); $40, 91 points. A blend of top sites Celilo and Conner Lee, this appealing wine displays aromas of candy corn, corn silk and chamomile. The stone fruit flavors are elegantly styled, showing a fine sense of restraint and balance that carries through the lingering finish.
Carter-Lamour 2012 Chardonnay (Columbia Valley); $30, 91 points. This wine was crafted by two winemakers, with half of the fruit hailing from Roza Hills (Brennon Leighton, Sixto) and the rest from La Reyna Blanca (Aryn Morell, Alleromb). It’s directly appealing, with notes of barrel spices, cream, peach and candy corn. A pleasing interplay of fruit and barrel flavors leads to a lingering finish. Editors’ Choice.
Chateau Ste. Michelle 2012 Cold Creek Vineyard Chardonnay (Columbia Valley); $25, 91 points. This wine displays all of the intensity of Cold Creek. The aromas of toasty spices and pear are light but lead to a full, rich feeling palate, with the acids providing a perfect counterbalance.
Savage Grace 2013 Celilo Vineyard Chardonnay (Columbia Gorge); $26, 91 points. This is a lightly aromatic wine, with notes of lees, apple, mineral and spice. It’s medium-bodied, with a thick, textured feel showing good weight and intensity to the fruit flavors alongside well-balanced acidity. A uniquely styled wine without an easy comparison in the region.