Winemaker Notes
As the first commercial grower of Dijon Clones Chardonnay in the U.S., Argyle has been on the leading edge of a Chardonnay revolution in Oregon since 1987. Argyle Chardonnay is grown on high density vineyard blocks planted with devigorated root stocks.
Food Pairing Notes
Argyle Chardonnays have what we refer to as an "International Palate" that denotes a kinship with styles of Chardonnay that are well known in Burgundy.
Vineyard Notes
The growing season began with a moderate winter followed by a wet spring, leading to a mid-to-late April budbreak. A cool, rainy middle of June lead to a challenging bloom, resulting in some of our lowest yields in a long time. The rest of the summer was quite beautiful—a classic no-AC-required Oregon summer. A late August/early September heat spike accelerated ripening, which sent us into harvest mode on September 1st with Chardonnay at Lone Star Vineyard. After a week of picking, easterly winds blew smoke from the Cascades into the Valley, causing us to stop and re-evaluate our harvest plans. We moved with Mother Nature and decided not to pick anymore red grapes after the fires in order to focus on sparkling wine, chardonnay, riesling and still wine rosé, keeping wine quality at the core and focusing on gentle, low-yield pressing. We finished picking on October 23rd, with a small parcel of late-ripening Lone Star riesling
Accolades
James Suckling 91 Points: Outstanding
“An attractive nose of lemon tea, crushed thyme and lily. Medium-bodied. Very citrus and juicy. I like the acidity here. Drink now.” — James Suckling
