Category: Vineyard Info

By: Gerald Dlubala

Bryce and Julia Flaherty appear to be typically busy parents, with Julia recently leaving her job to be a stay-at-home mom for their three children, all under the age of four, and Bryce holding down a physically and mentally demanding job as a full-time firefighter/paramedic. Now add everything that comes with owning, maintaining, and operating a family vineyard and winery to the mix, and you can see that the word busy, when describing Flaherty’s lifestyle, is quite the understatement. They purchased a 13-acre plot on a former golf course in LeClaire, Iowa, intending to start a vineyard and winery using Iowa grapes while honoring the region’s history. That was the birth of Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery.

  “The property was an original 9-hole golf course for 30 years, with ownership plans to expand it to an 18-hole range,” said Bryce. “That plan never materialized due to health reasons of one of the owners. The course eventually closed permanently for about five years. When the property became too much to maintain, the owner sold it in lots. We took the opportunity to purchase a 13-acre plot to begin our dream of planting a vineyard and opening a winery here in LeClaire.”

  Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery is named in reference to the property’s history. The former golf course was named Olathea Golf Course. Additionally, the property was once the campsite for the Sauk and Fox tribes. The word “olethe” is the Fox term for beautiful, which perfectly describes the vineyard and winery’s pleasing country setting and picturesque creek that serenely sits along the Mississippi River.

Hobbyist to Winemaker

  The Flaherty’s jumped right in with no previous vineyard, winery, retail, or service industry experience between them.

  “It was a huge learning curve for us,” added Bryce. “The Kirkwood classes and programs helped us out tremendously. They were heavy into hands-on training and experience, aimed at those who wanted to open wineries or were heavy home producers and growers, generally, those who produced at least 50 gallons annually for home use. There were four wineries that opened just from our class alone, so everyone was willing to share and bounce resources and ideas off each other. We shared good and bad recipes, contacts, and resources, and discussed problems winemakers ran into and how to fix them. It was a great group, and we continue to network and use these folks for any questions or resources we need.”

  “Additionally,” said Julia, “We learn, and continue to learn, through other winemakers and grape growers in our region through the Iowa Wine Growers’ Association. It is a very connected network open to sharing ideas and helping each other.

First Plantings

  The Flaherty’s planted their first grapevines in 2019. The first production was in the Fall of 2020, and by their third harvest, Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery production came in at 5000 pounds.

  “I was ecstatic with that production,” said Bryce. “Currently, our two-acre vineyard contains about 75% Petite Pearl vines and 25% L’Acadie Blanc vines. The Petite Pearl is a red wine grape that we use for our darker, bolder selections, and is probably the closest we can get to a true cabernet within our climate. The L’Acadie Blanc is a white grape from Nova Scotia that we use for our dry white selections and a recent sparkling wine we’re making. We’re excited to be one of only two growers in Iowa making wine with L’Acadie Blanc grapes right now, and we’re one of only a few to make wine using both varietals.”

  The Flaherty’s were concerned that because the ground was a golf course for 30 years, it could be over-fertilized and exceed the desired nutrient thresholds. However, numerous core sampling results showed optimal ranges for the soil, eliminating those concerns. Because the course was closed for five years before planting, the excess nitrogen had burned off. The vineyard had excellent, farmable soil in a rivershed landscape, only needing micronutrients due to normal wear and time.

  “All of our winemaking focuses on using Midwest grape varietals,” added Bryce. “Everything currently on our menu here is an Iowa-specific grape, and we work with other Iowa grape growers for use in the selections we don’t specifically grow here.”

  Bryce told The Grapevine Magazine that all production and processing are done on-site. For the first 3-4 years, everything was hand bottled, corked, foiled, and labeled. The Flaherty’s received a “Choose Iowa” grant for value-added agriculture and were able to purchase a bottling line to make their life a little easier.

  “We updated to a ViMeg 500 bottling line that fills and corks four bottles at a time,” said Bryce. “We still manually shrink wrap and label the bottles, doing 10-15000 bottles annually.”

Visitors Enjoy Great Wines, A Modern Farmhouse Vibe, And Country Scenic Views

  “We like to keep an open attitude towards wines because many people are nervous about trying new wines,” said Julia. “Visitors can have tasting flights upon entering our tasting room. Our wine tenders are truly knowledgeable in helping our guests choose tasting flights based on their likes and dislikes. We offer wine and chocolate pairings as well. But once you decide, you’re welcome to take your flight, glass, or bottle out back to enjoy while you take in our serene country setting and river views. We have a variety of indoor and outdoor seating, including a gazebo and a large patio and lawn area for outside seating.”

  “It’s a modern farmhouse vibe,” said Bryce. “We have the front six acres that includes everything now, with the open room in the back for future expansion. We’re close to town but still secluded outside. We encourage guests to wander the vineyard and enjoy all the property offers, including views of the Mississippi River, only about 100 feet from the property. Guests can come to hang out, or they can enjoy our scheduled special events or weekend live music events.”

  Located in the Midwest, sweeter fruit wines are the most popular, including Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery’s raspberry and blackberry wines. Other, unique seasonal offerings include jalapeno-flavored and hibiscus-flavored wines. Olathea Creek Vineyard and Winery also have a returning core of dry wine drinkers who come specifically for their Petite Pearl and “The O.C.,” a premium dry white wine that mimics a quality chardonnay made from Iowa grapes.

Parties, Events, And Advice for Future Winemakers

  Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery offers several outdoor areas to hold that special event, party, or wedding reception, including the gazebo overlooking the vineyard, an arbor wedding in the vines, or under an elegant chandelier on a white bridge with outdoor spaces located near the tasting room.

  “Our max capacity inside right now is around 99 guests,” said Bryce. “We have a small party room with a sweet spot of about 40-60 people, so we regularly host showers, family gatherings, and similar-style events. We can manage between 150-250 guests outside for larger weddings. Of course, there’s always anxiety over the weather for outdoor weddings, but those who have done it and rented tents have loved our facility and surroundings.”

  “It’s always been in our extended plans to build a wedding venue barn to be able to host larger weddings on a year-round basis,” said Julia. “For right now, we are in a smaller event niche. We do have live music and food trucks every other Sunday, yoga in the vineyard, wine and chocolate pairings, and this July 19th, we are partnering with Mississippi Bend Trykes to sponsor a 5k run to support children with disabilities and help provide specially made bicycles for those who cannot ride traditional bikes.”

  “We also offer winemaker series classes for those that want to learn more about winemaking in a little more detail,” said Bryce. “We offer those classes in things like sugaring, oak sampling, and more to pull the curtain back a little to allow interested guests a way to come in and learn the ropes of certain tasks and get an insider’s view of winemaking.”

  Bryce advised future vineyard and winery owners to develop a trusted network consisting of those who they feel comfortable leaning on for help, questions, contacts, and advice.

  “Here in Iowa, everyone is so helpful,” said Bryce. “It’s a Napa-style attitude that no visitor comes to the area for just one winery, but they will come for a group of wineries. When we help each other individually, we’re helping to support the entire Iowa wine industry, and that’s good for everyone. Everyone here was more than willing to open their books, share contacts and resources, and share how we can all save money in our industry. No one may make the trip to visit just one winery, but they will make the trip to visit three or four and have a wonderful day of visiting and touring the area.”

  Another money-saving tip Bryce added was that many wineries are willing to take on help and use those people who are looking to gain valuable winery experience. Customers and interested people can fit into an apprentice role in many areas and help get tasks done quicker than if they had to do it all themselves. It’s a great idea for new or young, family-owned businesses.

  Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery is open from 12-7 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and 12-6 pm on Sundays. For more information on their wines and upcoming events, or to contact the Flaherty’s, head to their website or call:

Olathea Creek Vineyard & Winery

23456 Great River Road

LeClaire, Iowa 52753-9141

(563) 726-1892

www.olatheacreekwinery.com

julia@olatheacreekwinery.com

By: Becky Garrison

Pét-nat is short for pétillant-naturel, which means “naturally sparkling” in French. It refers to sparkling wines that complete fermentation in the bottle. Patrick Rawn, Vineyard Operations for Two Mountain Winery (Zillah, WA) describes the process in producing pét-nat versus sparkling wines made using the traditional method (also known as méthode traditionnelle or méthode champenoise). “Unlike traditional sparkling wine production where you bottle the base wine with a bit of additional juice for a secondary fermentation in the bottle, pét-nat is bottled partway through the primary fermentation process.”

  Brian Rudin, Winemaker / General Manager at Echolands Winery (Walla Walla, WA) describes pét-nat as a fun diversion from the traditional architecture of “champagne-methode” due to its lighter carbonation and more creative license on style, along with an embrace of the “farmhouse” aesthetic. “While there is huge diversity in styles across pét-nats, what they share in common is divergence from the mold cast in champagne – they can be delightfully sparkling and full of personality without pretense or adherence to an established style. It is an enclave of avant-garde winemaking, for sure.”

  Matt Austin, Owner/Winemaker at Grosgrain Vineyards (Walla Walla, WA), concurs, adding that “with less control over the winemaking process, they can be a bit wild compared to other styles of sparkling wine, but therein lies the charm.” As a wine producer who works in a low-intervention style in general, Austin likes that pét-nat can be made with very little or no additives involved in the winemaking process. “While this can be more challenging than the production of other methods, the reward is a product that is more unique, and that fully expresses our terroir.”

  Jay Anderson along with his sister Lisa established Foundry Vineyards + Pét Project in Walla Walla, WA with the intention of focusing solely on pét-nats. According to Anderson, Winemaker and Creative Director, “Pét-nats can vary widely depending on the grape variety and the winemaker’s approach—they can be clean or a little cloudy, fresh and juicy or more rustic and wild. Overall, you can expect a pét-nat to be a unique, energetic, and lively sparkling wine.”

  At Foundry Vineyards + Pét Project, Anderson makes several styles that highlight different grape varieties and vineyard sites. These include the fresh, acid-forward Sunlight Cuvée (Chenin Blanc & Chardonnay), the aromatic Orange Cuvée (Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Muscat Ottonel), a savory red pét-nat made from Syrah, and our Perpetual Cuvée (Pinot Noir & Chardonnay), which is a multi-vintage pét-nat inspired by grower Champagnes and solera systems or aging. Their pét nats are sealed with a crown cap, which is common for the style, and reflects the fun, casual nature of these wines, which need not be reserved for celebratory moments like Champagne often is.  These don’t require long aging and are best enjoyed in their vibrant youth.  These are great apertif wines, but are also quite versatile for food pairing due to the freshness, acidity, and low alcohol levels. While many pét-nats contain yeast in the bottle they riddle and disgorge to remove the yeast and produce a more approachable style. 

  In crafting his pét-nats, Rudin relishes the opportunity to rethink the creative process to make something fun and unexpected in a world filled with boring cliches. “You can use any variety, make it any style, and make a completely irreverent wine, as long as it tastes great and delivers joy,” he opines.

  Also, pét-nats afford Rudin the opportunity to embrace the uncontrollable side of winemaking.

  While winemakers normally want to control the process, with pét-nat, you are decidedly never in control. So you relinquish your ability to make clear, polished wines in favor of letting nature take its course inside each bottle. And the result is that each bottle is slightly different, but all bubbling forth with personality and unrestrained expression. No filtration, no cold or heat stability, no guarantee on final residual sugar or bottle pressure. You just have the natural fermentation processes inside each bottle determining how each will taste. If you get the base wine right, you’ll end up with thousands of fun bottles of fizz that are each a little different, in a charming way..

Challenges of Producing Pét-nats

  In Rudin’s estimation, the biggest challenge is bottling the wine during harvest, as it is approaching dryness in tank. “You want to bottle it somewhere between 1.2% and 2.0% residual sugar, so that it ferments to the right bottle pressure (half to two-thirds of traditional method Champagne) and so you need to be able to do it right away once it reaches that point.” As he notes, since this happens during the busiest time of year: the second month of harvest, it becomes a labor of love.

  The second challenge is the need to disgorge the bottles by hand. With traditional method champagne, disgorgement can be automated since there is very little bottle variation. But with Pét-nat, bottle variation is the norm, so it can be disgorged better by getting human eyes and hands on each bottle, and doing it by feel. Since this process takes a long time, Rudin assembles a big crew and makes a week of it, dusting off their best stories and jokes for the long days.

  Austin adds that with the traditional method of sparkling wine production, you add a precise amount of sugar to determine the amount of pressure in the bottle, whereas with pét nat you have to bottle at the stage of the initial fermentation where there is the desired level of sugar remaining in the grape must. In addition, they can’t stabilize the wine with fining and filtration as is done with most other styles, so great care is needed to produce a wine that will not gush when opened. Also, the lack of protective sulfites requires great care with winery sanitation to avoid producing a wine with overt flaws.

Marketing and Educating Consumers About Pét-Nat

  Anderson markets their wine through the Foundry Vineyards’ tasting room, retail and restaurant placements, along with educational content on their website and Instagram. Press coverage and storytelling help introduce pét-nat to new audiences. Also, they traveled to France to participate in a pét-nat-only wine fair, thus deepening their connection to the global pét-nat community.

  At Ecolands Winery, they release their pét-nat made from a rose of Cabernet Franc on Bastille Day every year in the middle of July. This release ensures that people can have some cold ones on hand for the hot summer months. Most of it is sold right at the winery, so they can give a little explanation for the uninitiated.

  Since Two Mountain Winery has no aspirations to be a sparkling wine house, pét-nat enables them to play around without purchasing the specialized equipment needed to produce a traditional sparkling wine. Hence, they can experiment on a small scale by making a couple of pallets that they sell direct to consumer. They feature their pét-nats at wine club events while holding some back for holidays like New Years when people are in a sparkling wine mood.

  In Grosgrain Vineyard’s tasting room, the preface these wines with a discussion of how they are produced and why they are different from Champagne or Prosecco. Austin finds that customers across the spectrum enjoy learning about pét nat, adding that these wines tend to be amongst their fastest sellers.

  As consumers are becoming more aware of the additives that are used in the production of the food and beverages that they consume, Austin thinks they would likely be surprised at the long list of unappetizing products that go into some mass-produced wines. Hence the appeal of pét-nat wines since they can be made with one ingredient: grapes, and preferably ones that are organically grown.

By: Aude Watrelot, PhD – Department of Food Science & Human Nutrition, Iowa State University

Temperature plays a critical role in winemaking, influencing everything from fruit cleanliness to fermentation smoothness and wine stability. Proper temperature management helps reduce microbial spoilage risks, extract phenolic compounds, and preserve aroma and color, all of which contribute to the overall quality of the wine. Cold temperatures can be strategically used in several pre-fermentation techniques, such as cold soaking (or cold maceration), cryomaceration, and freezing grapes, to optimize these outcomes.

Cold Maceration: Enhancing Color and Flavor

  Cold soaking, particularly common for red grapes, involves storing harvested grapes in a tank or bin, where they remain in contact with the must at low temperatures (typically between 10°C and 15°C) for a few days (3-5 days). This process reduces the risk of oxidation and microbial spoilage while preventing the onset of alcoholic fermentation. During this period, sulfur dioxide is often added to further minimize microbial activity.

  The primary goal of cold maceration is to extract phenolic compounds—such as anthocyanins and tannins—from the grape skins, seeds, and flesh. These compounds significantly impact the color, flavor, and overall quality of the wine. Anthocyanins, the red pigments in grape skins (and sometimes flesh, in “teinturier” varieties), are water-soluble and easily extracted into the must. Condensed tannins, which are chains of flavanols found in grape skins and seeds, play a key role in wine structure. They not only help create stable color pigments by interacting with anthocyanins, but they also contribute to astringency, serve as antioxidants, and improve the wine’s aging potential.

  Although cold soaking is widely used, the impact on the final wine quality can vary depending on grape variety, soaking duration, and temperature. The degree of tannin and anthocyanin extraction differs based on these factors, so it’s important to tailor the technique to the specific needs of the grape variety.

Cryomaceration: Freezing Grapes to Maximize Phenolic Extraction

  Cryomaceration takes cold soaking a step further by freezing grapes at temperatures between 0°C and 10°C. This freezing process disrupts grape cells, breaking open their vacuoles and facilitating the release of phenolic compounds. Freezing below 0°C, as seen in ice wine production, enhances this effect by further breaking down cellular structures and making the extraction more efficient.

  While ice wine production typically focuses on white grapes, the freezing technique can also be applied to red grapes. After harvesting, grapes can be frozen and then thawed prior to fermentation. This process is especially useful for red grape varieties that tend to have less color stability, lower tannin content, or a limited aromatic profile. For example, cold-hardy red varieties like ‘Marquette’ and ‘Frontenac’, commonly grown in the US Midwest, Northeast, and Eastern Canada, have specific chemical characteristics that make them suitable candidates for this technique. These varieties tend to have high acidity (from their Vitis riparia genetic background), abundant anthocyanins, and lower tannin levels, which can make phenolic extraction challenging during traditional winemaking.

A Study on Freezing Grapes: Marquette and Frontenac Case Study

  A recent study led by Iowa State University enology assistant professor Aude Watrelot explored the effects of freezing grapes before fermentation on the phenolic and color profiles of wines made from Marquette and Frontenac grape varieties. In the study, three batches of each variety were frozen at -10°C for five months, while control batches were directly destemmed, crushed, and fermented without freezing.

The results showed some interesting insights:

•    Alcoholic fermentation took two days longer to be complete in the frozen grape batches, likely due to the higher availability of sugars released during the freezing process.

•    The pH of musts right before fermentation was significantly higher in Frontenac control (pH of 3.38) than in Frontenac frozen condition (pH of 3.28), while the opposite was observed in Marquette musts (pH of 3.02 in control and pH of 3.05 in frozen condition). These differences were not observed in the wines at bottling.

•    The titratable acidity (TA) was statistically different in musts and wines of Frontenac and Marquette. At bottling, the TA was twice higher in the frozen condition wines than in control wines.

•    The phenolic concentration in the must was the same between the frozen and control batches, but the musts made from Frontenac grapes had higher phenolic concentrations overall compared to the musts made from Marquette grapes.

•    The concentration of phenolics in the Frontenac wines was lower at pressing and bottling in the frozen samples compared to the control, likely due to phenolics being adsorbed onto broken cell wall material during freezing.

•    Tannin concentrations were low in the must of both treatments, as a result of the low solubility of tannins in aqueous solutions. However, Frontenac control wines contained 50% more tannins at bottling than the Frontenac frozen samples. No significant difference in tannin levels was observed for Marquette wines.

•    Color intensity was noticeably higher in the frozen must compared to the control, but this difference was not maintained in the final Frontenac wines at bottling. In contrast, Marquette wines at bottling still retained higher color intensity in the frozen samples.

  These results indicate that freezing grapes can enhance color intensity early in the process, but the long-term impact on wine quality may be less promising without additional steps to balance tannin and anthocyanin interactions.

Conclusion: A Valuable Tool for Certain Varieties

  Freezing grapes as a pre-fermentation technique can be beneficial in extracting phenolic compounds and enhancing color intensity in musts, particularly for cold-hardy red grape varieties like Marquette and Frontenac. However, its long-term effectiveness on the finished wine’s color and structure may not be as pronounced without additional treatments, such as the addition of tannins from other sources, to ensure stable pigment formation.

  Winemakers could consider freezing as part of an integrated strategy for improving wine color and phenolic content, especially when working with varieties known for having less color stability or lower tannin content. It’s essential to tailor this technique to specific grape varieties and wine goals to achieve the best results.

About the Author:

Dr. Aude Watrelot is an Assistant Professor of Enology in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition at Iowa State University. Dr. Watrelot’s research area is fruit, grape and wine tannin and polysaccharide chemistry and their relationship with wine quality. Dr. Watrelot graduated with a PhD degree in Food Science from the French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA) and the University of Avignon in France. Following graduation, Dr. Watrelot moved to California both at CSU Fresno and UC Davis to keep conducting research into polyphenol-macromolecular interactions on red wine chemistry.

  At ISU, she is currently conducting research and developing Extension programs on understanding viticultural and winemaking practices that could maximize phenolics extraction and improve wine quality. She has developed extension programs such as webinars, workshops, field days, articles to answer the growing wine industry in Iowa and in the Midwest.  She is currently serving as the chair for the American Society of Enology and Viticulture – Eastern Section (ASEV-ES) and as the vice-president for the Groupe Polyphenols.

References:

1.   Aleixandre-Tudo, J.L.; du Toit, W. Cold Maceration Application in Red Wine Production and Its Effects on Phenolic Compounds: A Review. LWT 2018, 95, 200–208, doi:10.1016/j.lwt.2018.04.096.

2.   Cheng, Y.; Wimalasiri, P.M.; Tian, B.; Watrelot, A.A. Influence of Grape Flesh on the Retention and Composition of Polyphenols from Skins and Seeds. J Agric Food Chem 2024, doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00612.

3.   Sperotto, G.; Marçal, E.N.; Campos, F.M.; de Souto, V.O.; Comparin, S.J.; Nogueira, A.; Lazzarotto, M. Cold-Driven Strategies as Pre-Fermentative Techniques on Winemaking: A Review. Food Chemistry 2025, 463, 141504, doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2024.141504.

4.         Watrelot, A.A.; Delchier, N. How Does Extended Maceration Affect Tannin and Color of Red Wines from Cold-Hardy Grape Cultivars? Foods 2025, 14, 1187, doi:10.3390/foods14071187.

By: Becky Garrison

The Oregon Chardonnay Celebration, held this year on February 22, 2025, was founded as an industry event designed to share best practices and insights on how to best elevate Oregon chardonnay and change the narrative that Oregon can’t grow chardonnay. Today, the event is a consumer-focused wine and food festival held during the Dungeness and truffle season in Oregon, two items that pair very well with chardonnay.

  This year’s sold-out celebration, “The Elements of Chardonnay: An Oregon Chardonnay & Culinary Celebration,” was held at The Allison Inn & Spa (Newberg, Oregon). At this event, nearly 400 attendees sampled wines from 61 participating wineries along with chardonnay-friendly savory bites prepared by Allison’s culinary team, including executive chef Jack Strong and featured guest chefs.

  Most reported accounts credit this rise of Willamette Valley chardonnay to the decision made by growers to plant Dijon clones after wine pioneer David Adelsheim did an exchange with the University of Dijon and convinced them to allow the importation of these clones.

  According to Michelle Kaufmann, Oregon Chardonnay Celebration president, this growth is also attributed to vintners’ decision to plant chardonnay grapes with the same intentionality they gave to their pinot noir grapes. For example, in 1995 Stoller Estate Vineyard planted 10 acres of chardonnay using clones Bill Stoller was able to obtain from those Adelsheim imported. She states, “You have the right clone and the right varietal in the right spot to ensure that those grapes are going to thrive and make the world-class wine that Oregon has become known for producing.”

During the 2008 recession, several winemakers, including Stoller’s winemaker, went to Burgundy and studied with their winemakers. While the focus was on Burgundy’s pinot noir grapes, some began asking questions about how to create chardonnay from grape to glass. Kaufmann sees the parallel between Burgundy and the Willamette Valley in that visitors can still meet many winemakers, which gives both regions a down-home feel.

Exploring the Varieties of Willamette Valley Chardonnay

  As evidenced by this curated collection of Willamette Valley chardonnays, each vineyard and winery produce their own representation of this grape that reflects both their particular vineyards and preferred winemaking techniques.

Alloro Vineyards (Sherwood, Oregon): Originally planted in 1999, their LIVE certified 34-acre vineyard devoted to pinot noir, chardonnay, riesling and muscat sweeps across a west-to-east southern aspect of Laurel Ridge in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. An elevation between 450 and 700 feet, replete with deep, wind-blown loess topsoil over decomposed basalt, creates optimal conditions for sustainable, dry farming practices.

  In terms of their chardonnay, they focus on the Dijon clones 76 and 96. Their current releases include a 2023 Estate Chardonnay aged in new oak and a 2023 Primavera Chardonnay, which is their inaugural stainless-steel chardonnay. In addition, their 2020 Blanc de Blancs represents their second vintage of sparkling wine from their estate vineyard made via the traditional ‘Metodo Classico’ using chardonnay from the oldest vineyard blocks on their property.

Benza Vineyards (Hillsboro, Oregon): Paden West, winemaker for Benza Vineyard, discovered chardonnay when he became the assistant winemaker for Lavinea Single Vineyard Wines (Carlton, Oregon). After his first vintage, he quickly realized how incredible, versatile, and flexible chardonnay expressions can be. As he reflects, “In Oregon, we are unburdened by tradition and have nothing but creative opportunities laid before us—all while being in a state that offers many different microclimates, soils, clones and overly curious winemakers.”

  At Benza Vineyards and Approachment Wines, West tries to craft as many varied expressions of this grape as possible. “From vineyard practices, fermentation management, lees selection/contact time, oak usage, etc.—the world is your oyster with chardonnay,” he opines.

Bethel Heights Vineyard (Salem, Oregon): Chardonnay Wente selections were originally planted at Bethel Heights by Vic Winquist in 1977.

  After the Casteel family purchased the property the following year, they added Dijon 76 clones in 1994, along with 95 and 548 clones. According to Ben Casteel, co-owner, director, and winemaker, “Our soils are primarily clay, so we have plenty of water holding capacity for healthy vine growth and abundant nitrogen for aromatic development. It is also a natural swale on our hillside that can be prone to powdery mildew, and as certified organic growers, that’s something we need to monitor.” 

  Also, they planted chardonnay in Justice Vineyard in 1999. Unlike Bethel Heights, these soils are primarily marine sediments and thus do not retain water well. Hence, Casteel finds this soil requires more natural inputs for soil health, so they have been rotating a herd of 150 sheep from Naked Grazing through these blocks for the past two years.

  The Eola-Amity Hills AVA represents a cooler part of the valley, which makes the acidity important to their wines easy to come by due to their cool nights. In Casteel’s estimation, “This grape is well suited to our climate, and I suspect will continue to be even with warming temperatures in the future.”

  Post-harvest, their wines are barrel fermented with full malolactic fermentation, aged on lees in barrels for 12 months, and then again with lees in stainless steel tanks for an additional four to six months. 

Chehalem Estate Vineyard (Sherwood, Oregon):

The mainstay of their chardonnay plantings is the Dijon clones where they’ve planted Dijon 76, 95, 96, 548, Mt. Eden and 809. According to Jason Tosch, vice president of vineyard operations, Dijon clones are proven performers in the various meso- and micro-climates throughout the Willamette Valley. Regardless of differences in vintage, they produce a decent size yield and tend to ripen slower than the lower-yielding (non-Dijon) clones, ensuring consistency. 

  The faster ripening 548, Mt. Eden and 809 have unique olfactory and textural characteristics that could make exciting standalone chardonnay bottlings. When selected as components in the blending phase of winemaking, these clones add a synergy that gives the winemaking team greater creative freedom.

  Winemaker Katie Santora states that the essence of Oregon chardonnay is primarily derived from the natural acidity of the chardonnay fruit grown here. They make two distinctive styles of chardonnay. INOX is their unoaked, stainless-steel fermented chardonnay, which is bottled about four to five months after the vintage. Their Reserve Chardonnay is barrel fermented and aged in French oak barrels for 10 months before being racked in a stainless-steel tank with lees to age for another four to five months, which allows the wine to integrate and deepen.

Left Coast Estate (Rickreall, Oregon): Left Coast Estate’s early years were heavily inspired by the traditions of Burgundy, where chardonnay was the dominant white varietal. As Taylor Pfaff, CEO and family ownership, notes, “Chardonnay is incredibly versatile and expresses a wide range of flavors and aromatics while being perfectly suited to growing in the cool climate of the Willamette Valley.”

  All their chardonnays are Dijon clones originally sourced from Burgundy, and their first block was planted in 2006. Left Coast’s chardonnay is planted in their Truffle Hill, Left Bank and Field of Dreams vineyards. These vineyards are well-drained and sit on ancient marine sedimentary soils. The cool winds of the Van Duzer Corridor slow down ripening and allow them to achieve full phenolic ripeness while keeping sugars relatively low. This allows them to grow balanced chardonnay that maintains tension between bright acidity and ripe, rich flavor profiles.

  Currently, they produce three chardonnays: a Truffle Hill Chardonnay that sees a 100 percent French oak fermentation, aging in oversized puncheon barrels and complete malolactic fermentation. In addition, their Suzanne’s Estate Reserve Chardonnay is only produced during exceptional vintages and is crafted for the highest quality and longevity. Occasionally, they produce a wine club-only Beton Reserve Chardonnay that is fermented in Nomblot concrete eggs and then aged in neutral oak.

Nysa Vineyard (Dundee, Oregon):  Michael Mega, owner of Nysa Vineyard, fell in love with Puligny Montrachet from Sauzet, Lafon and Romonet in the 1980s. He knew when he started planting Nysa in 1990 that there would be a place for chardonnay. For 20 years, he searched for the proper clone. Rejecting the Dijon clones due to their lack of finish, he settled on the heritage clone Wente.

  When tracing the history of this clone, Mega recalls how they were originally brought to Oregon in the late 1940s from cuttings through California that were smuggled from France. In the 1970s and 1980s, clones struggled with full ripening in Oregon and were replaced with the earlier ripening Dijon clones. The small “chicks” and bigger “hen” berries in the Wente clusters were perceived as a detriment due to lower crop yields compared to the more robust Dijon clones. Now, with climate changes, these heritage clones are being replanted in Oregon due to their superior mid-palate and finish that the Dijon clones lack.

  Mega saved one acre of the southwest corner of the hottest aspect of Nysa for the slow-ripening Wente clone and another single acre of the fully due west aspect. Since they dry-farm at tight spaces (three feet by six feet), these hot west blocks require several years of nurturing before he allows them to produce a harvest (six to eight years). “No commercially motivated operation would tolerate this patience,” he surmises.

  Their first vintage of chardonnay was in 2015, planted on 2006 rootstock, though because they patiently cellar their wines, this vintage wasn’t released until 2017. Nysa chardonnay is barrel and stainless steel fermented via native yeast, undergoes full malolactic fermentation, is in elevage for 10 to 18 months (estate versus reserve), with zero to 15 percent new French oak and is unfined/unfiltered.  

Soter Vineyards (Carlton, Oregon):  For Tony Soter’s 1997 debut vintage, he used three chardonnay Dijon clones along with another lovely French selection to craft a few hundred cases of Blanc de Blancs sparkling wine. These first Blanc de Blancs stayed on the lees in bottles for a full decade before they had the confidence to release them. Even though it became something of a cult classic, they chose to focus on their sparkling wines given there was a very limited market at the time for Oregon chardonnay.

Having quietly championed chardonnay through their ongoing sparkling wines, they felt it was time to explore this grape further. At Mineral Springs Ranch near Carlton, they planted one Dijon clone (#76), a lesser-known French selection especially suited for sparkling wine. Also, at their Eola-Amity Hills site, they planted a “sélection massale”—a mix of numerous, unspecified clones.

  Currently, they produce three chardonnay-based wines, each with a distinct identity. Their Estates Chardonnay is a barrel-fermented, steel-finished blend of their two primary vineyard sites, while their Mineral Springs Chardonnay is a single-vineyard bottling sourced entirely from mysterious heirloom selections. Also, their Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine is a traditional method of sparkling wine aged six years on the lees and another on cork before release.

The Future of Oregon Chardonnay

  Moving forward, other winemakers continue to enter the scene as they explore the boundaries of what Willamette chardonnay can do. For example, Tracy and Aaron Kendall of Folly of Man (Amity, Oregon) combined their decades of experience as winemakers to embrace biodynamic and regenerative agricultural practices that breathe life back into the soil with Moe Momtazi of Momtazi Vineyard & Maysara Winery (McMinnville, Oregon) serving as Tracy’s long-time mentor. Their first vintages of pinot noir and chardonnay, released in March 2025, are already receiving accolades with their 2023 Estate Chardonnay and 2023 Coleen Chardonnay awarded 95 and 93 points, respectively, from Decanter.

  In reflecting on the future of Oregon wines, Kaufmann proclaims, “Pinot noir is our king. Chardonnay is becoming Oregon’s queen. And right behind them as prince or princess is a sparkling wine with these two grapes coming together to make a beautiful marriage.”