There are a handful of what I’d call “heritage” wine producers around the world who have so steadfastly held the line on price it’s incredible. To name a few, there’s the legendary Olga Raffault domaine in France’s Loire Valley, whose finessed, long-aging Chinons still cost shockingly little; the venerable López de Heredia bodega in Rioja, Spain, which releases museum-piece reds for a relative pittance; and Produttori del Barbaresco in Piedmont, Italy, which, well, you know, same. Add Oregon’s Eyrie to that list: This is a legacy producer in a world-class terroir with a stellar track record, but in the words of proprietor/winemaker Jason Lett, one that’s still committed to “making wines I could afford to drink.”
When Jason’s father, David, planted Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Oregon’s Dundee Hills in the mid-1960s, it wasn’t a lark—he knew the region was right for these grapes and that its wines could rival the best of Burgundy, and went on to prove it. Today’s 2018 Chardonnay, a tiny-production bottling rarely (if ever) seen at retail, is classic Eyrie: quotidian price, extraordinary wine. Sourced from three small, organically farmed estate vineyards, including one planted by David Lett in 1965, this wine achieves that thrilling, high-wire balance of texture and tension more often found in Premier Cru white Burgundy. Consider what you’d have to pay for a comparable white Burgundy, look at the price of this, and the decision is a no-brainer. Just 500 cases are made, so grab what you can before our allocation disappears!
Jason Lett describes 2018 as “a year when a hot summer caused some concern, but a cool fall, especially during harvest, came along to save the day.” You’ll notice lush mid-palate texture in Eyrie’s ’18, followed by the kind of freshness and “cut” only true cool-climate Chardonnay can deliver. It was fermented and aged in mostly used French oak barrels, spending 11 months aging on its lees (spent yeast cells) without undergoing any bâtonnage (lees-stirring). The result is that uniquely “Burgundian” tango of richness and citrusy, mineral vivacity: In the glass, it’s a bright yellow-gold with hints of green at the rim, with sumptuous aromas of nectarine, citrus, yellow apple, fresh cream, yellow wildflowers, ginger, and warm spices. It is medium to medium-plus in body, with lots of backbone for aging—10+ years is not out of the question, but it’s all but impossible to keep away from this now, especially considering the price! Decanting is optional, but pour it into larger Burgundy stems and let it come up north of 50 degrees to really show its full range of aromas. For Chardonnay to be simultaneously substantial and refreshing, well, that’s the Holy Grail. Get thee a nice piece of fish, pull the cork, and you’re there. Enjoy!