Kelley Fox Chardonnay 'Durant Vineyard' Lark Block Dundee Hills 2019

VINTAGE : 2019

COUNTRY : USA

REGION/APPELLATION : Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

VARIETALS : Chardonnay 

This Chardonnay is on the other side of my 2018, which was more on the rich side of the spectrum. Metaphorically, the 2019 is more like a still Blanc de Blanc of a grower Champagne and less like a Meursault. Both taste and drink as 100% Oregon, and I’m using these terms only to help describe their characters to help you decide. The 2019 is pale, lemon-apricot, brilliant, and transparent. The nose begins with powdery minerals and has none of the tropical fruits that my 2018 has, but has lovely, delicate and fine notes of citrus and vanilla bean pods (no new oak-this is from the fruit!). The mouth is smooth and silky, and has racy acidity. I wrote these notes in October 2020, and though the Durant 2019 is presently full of tension and high octave energy (it’s quite young, after all) and would benefit from more time in the bottle, if you like grower Champagne, this could be ready now! I can’t wait to drink this in a few months and also in a few years.