Cristom Eola-Amity Chardonnay 2020

From the winery:

Cristom has produced Chardonnay since our founding 30 years ago. We believe that Chardonnay from the distinctive Eola-Amity Hills AVA in Oregon to be among the most inspiring wines in the world. Here we have consistent sunlight combined with cool Pacific Ocean winds that flow through a break in the Coastal Range over the vineyard slopes. This marine air drops the temperature dramatically which allows the grapes to retain their acidity. 

The 2020 Eola-Amity Hills Chardonnay features Paul Gerrie Vineyard, our highest elevation vineyard at 800 feet and defined by fierce winds and volcanic soils. This fruit provides the structural skeleton of the wine with defining acidity and phenolics. Seven Springs and Von Oehson Vineyards flesh out the body of the wine with generous fruit, weight and length.

Concentrated, textured and layered, the wines finish with salinity and a structured mineral edge. There is a balance of fresh citrus and floral components, texture and mouthfeel built on a cornerstone of natural acidity. Complex aromatically with subtelty and nuance, the wine is perfumed by lemon verbena, chamomile, pineapple, citrus (think lemon zest and tangerine peel) and pears. 

Winemaker and Vineyard Manager Daniel Estrin explains that Cristom's intended Chardonnay style is like "riding the knife's edge between tension and generosity."