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Big Table Farm, “Wild Bee” Chardonnay

Oregon, United States 2019 (750mL)
$32.00
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Big Table Farm, “Wild Bee” Chardonnay

Big Table Farm is one of the hottest labels on the market right now, proven by consistently glowing reviews, the inability to hang onto anything other than the current vintage, and the overwhelming success of past offers at SommSelect. Truly, their Pinot Noirs have been met with unrelenting demand here, so much so, we’ve hardly had a chance to enjoy one for ourselves! My colleague Mark Osburn decided to change that: Just last month, he trekked up to Willamette Valley and tasted through their entire star-studded lineup. He quickly learned that (1) Clare Carver is one of the most zany, forthright, and inspiring people in the industry, and (2) Brian Marcy’s winemaking genius extends well beyond Pinot Noir and into today’s “Wild Bee” Chardonnay. This exceptional creation was so remarkable, it resulted in a deal quite literally at Big Table’s big table—Mark came for the Pinot, but he left with a deliciously charming Chardonnay.


Forget Burgundy, today’s “Wild Bee” is in a class all its own: Built on a layer of finely pulverized minerality, judiciously influenced by barrel aging, and loaded with creamy orchard fruit, this is my pick for domestic Chardonnay value of the year! Today’s gem further strengthens my belief that when it comes to an honest expression of world-famous Willamette Valley, Big Table Farm is a bonafide master. There is no artifice or insincerity here, and the only bull-you-know-what you’ll find is used as fertilizer from their own herd of cattle. If you’re after aromatically pure, soul-lifting Chardonnay from the heart of pastoral Oregon, Big Table Farm is it. Just like everything they make, quantities are severely limited.


With previous positions at high-profile Napa wineries like Marcassin and Blankiet Estate, Brian Marcy is no stranger to the spotlight. But, when he Clare wanted to expand their “farm”—which in 2005 consisted of chickens running amok in the backyard of their small home—they jointly agreed to move away from Napa Valley’s exorbitantly priced real estate and try their luck in Oregon. They found solace an hour’s drive from Portland, in the small town of Gaston, ideally wedged between the sub-AVAs of Chehalem Mountain and Yamhill-Carlton District. They realized their dream in short order and now their 70 acres and 1890s-era farmhouse is replete with livestock, crops, beehives, and grapevines. They grow everything, raise everything—truly, this is a full-fledged self-sustaining farm.



But we’re not here to buy meat, honey, or produce (not today, anyway) so let’s get to the wine: Their “Wild Bee” Willamette Valley Chardonnay bottling pulls from each of their six Chardonnay sites stationed in the central and northern sections of the valley. Brian’s philosophy for his regional bottlings is a much-needed breath of fresh air: “It would be arrogant of me to think I could predict which fruit will turn into the best wine,” he says, “so I treat all with equal diligence.” After hand harvesting, the fruit ferments via ambient yeasts in mostly neutral French barrels and, after several months of aging, is transferred into a stainless steel blending tank for a couple of days. Minimal sulfur is used throughout. It is bottled unfined, unfiltered, and each annually rotating, hand-applied label is designed by Clare—except for this one! This special, charcoal drawing was designed by another sensational artistic talent, April Coppini. 



It’s worth reiterating that this is a young wine, without anything stripped away, so if you want to fully enjoy “Wild Bee” right now, plenty of air and a bulbous stem is the trick. After a minimum 30-minute decant and a service temperature around 50-55 degrees, this vivacious Chardonnay comes alive in a Burgundy stem, erupting with high-toned yellow and green apple, juicy pear, apricot, and peach. With each swirl of the glass, new elements reveal themselves in the form of crushed stones and nuts, lees, honeycomb, lemon curd, citrus blossoms, acacia, and baking spice. The multi-textured palate is alive with energy and a supple waxiness that coats your tastebuds, and the mouthwatering finish is driven by crushed minerality. But, above all, its purity rings loud and true, showcasing the essence of sustainably farmed Willamette Valley vines and a deft, unmanipulated touch in the cellar. This is one of the great Chardonnays of the year, domestic or international, and it comes in at a price everyone can afford. Cheers!
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Country
United States
Region
Oregon
Sub-Region
United StatesWillamette Valley
Soil
Volcanic & Sedimentary
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Chardonnay 100%
Alcohol
12.3
OAK
Mostly Neutral French Barrels
TEMP.
50-55
Glassware
Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2025+
Decanting
30+ Minutes
Pairing
Pan-Fried Snapper w/ Butter-Parsnip Purée

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

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