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2004 Chehalem Willamette Chardonnay Inox,
$17.99 - 19.99,
14% alc.: 100% Dijon clone Chardonnay, and the newest wine from
Chehalem, now in its 3rd vintage; Inox is taken from the abbreviation of
the French word for stainless steel, inoxidable, alluding to the fact
that this wine sees only stainless steel tank, and no barrel, with no
malolactic fermentation and no residual sugar. Medium straw, with green
apple - pear flavors and aromas, accented with a hint of minerality;
medium full bodied, rich and round, with good acidity and a decent
finish, and if it's not terribly complex, it's nice enough for what's in
the bottle, not to mention the price. A good choice for those who want a
new world Chardonnay at a decent price without the oak, and works well
with some delicious shrimp and Asian vegetable egg rolls dipped in a
plum mustard sauce. |
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 2004
Chehalem Willamette Pinot Gris, $19.99, 14.7% alc.: Pale to medium
straw in color, with a white peach, green apple and grapefruit
personality, and more than a hint of jalapeno on the nose. Easily the
richest of the four whites tasted here, and my favorite of the bunch, it
shows excellent intensity (from aggressive crop thinning) and varietal
character on a medium full bodied frame, with good acidity and a nice
finish. From Chehalem's three Estate Vineyards:
Ridgecrest, Stoller
and Corral Creek, planted on three
different soil types. A good match for Crab Rangoon (crabmeat,
cream cheese, Chinese pastry plum-mustard sauce) and
Spicy Chicken.2004 Chehalem Willamette Dry Riesling, $24.99, 13.9% alc.: I was in the minority regarding this medium straw colored Riesling, finding it lacking in intensity and expression on both the nose and palate; the green apple - peach flavors are pleasant enough in the mouth, but the nose is rather stingy. Others found it more to their liking, but I'd have a hard time recommending it at the price listed; still, it's not bad with sushi. From selected lots from Chehalem's Corral Creek and Stoller Vineyards; tank fermented. 2002 Chehalem Willamette Chardonnay, $22.99, 13.9% alc.: Medium straw, with a tinge of lime; not giving much on the nose, but shows a nice kiss of toasty oak over pleasant apple - pear character. Good balance, with medium intensity and just the right amount of acidity. Sophie describes this as "a baby Ian's Reserve," showing similar characteristics to Chehalem's flagship Chardonnay. 100% Dijon clone fruit from Stoller Vineyards (60%) and Corral Creek plantings (40%), fermented in French oak, 28% new oak, 30% 1 year, 42% two year+ barrels; left on lees without racking.  2002
Chehalem Willamette Cerise, 80% Gamay Noir, 20% Pinot Noir, $19.99 -
21.99,
14.7% alc.: Cerise means "cherry" in French, and this ruby dark
garnet gives a kiss of sweet oak over, what else? Cherries! The
exceptional vintage has given this structure and substance, nice balance
and pretty aromatics. Pairs well with an Asian osso buco. From
Chehalem's Ridgecrest Vineyard, 11 months in barrel.2002 Chehalem Willamette Pinot Noir 3 Vineyard, $29.99, 13.9% alc.: Blended with fruit sourced from Chehalem's three Estate vineyards, this ruby dark garnet gives a kiss of sweet oak over smoky black cherry, spice and earth on a medium to medium full bodied frame. Ready to drink, this is a good Pinot Noir that goes well with the spicy chicken, but I'd like it better at around $5-8 less. As with the other Chehalem Pinot Noirs, no young vine fruit goes into this wine. 10 months in 22% new, 26% 1 year's and 52% multiple prior use French oak barrels. 2002 Chehalem Dundee Hills Pinot Noir Stoller Vineyard, $42.99, 13.9% alc.: Ruby dark garnet, with a red fruit, black cherry, plum, baking spice, cardamom, clove and cinnamon profile, all set off with a judicious kiss of oak. Very smooth, with an expressive personality on a medium to medium full bodied frame. The best of the reds for my tastes, with more concentration and intensity than even the Rion Reserve. 11 months in barrel, with one racking, in 40% new French oak barrels, 75% new and 1 year prior use; selected barrels from five fermentation lots, 88% Dijon clones, 12% Pommard, and 100% high density fruit. (Chehalem's 1989-90 plantings were double the density of their original 1982 plantings, and 2003's were almost triple.) 2001 Chehalem Willamette Pinot Noir Rion Reserve, $55.99, 13.8% alc.: Made from selected barrels sourced from Ridgecrest Vineyard, this ruby dark garnet follows through with the clearly discernable "house" style of Chehalem, but it isn't showing as much as the '02 Stoller at this point, with a kiss of sweet oak over straightforward smoky black cherry. Medium + body, and very well balanced, but I'd like a little more heft here, and it's downright overpriced for what's in the bottle. Aged for 11 months in French oak, 39% new, 70% new or once-used barrels; 58% from the 5-acre block planted in 1982, 2/3 Pommard and 1/3 Wadenswil clones; 42% from the Babies block (6% Wadenswil and 36% Pommard) planted in 1989/90. Obviously, I had my favorites in this lineup, but in fact, nothing sucked. The wines are well made and food friendly, which is as it ought to be. Sophie Daniels gave a lively and most informative presentation, and of course, the food is always great at Mon Jin Lau. Add to that a couple of jokers like Joe and Ed and you have all the ingredients for a very enjoyable couple of hours on a beautiful summer's afternoon.
Reporting from Day-twah, Bastardo
Other Recent Wine Explorations The Ridge Report - August, 2005
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have fond memories of
