Freddy R. Troya

9.4

Winderlea Vineyard & Winery – Chardonnay 2018
Willamette Valley, Oregon – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
This isn’t just any Willamette Chardonnay — it’s a benchmark. Crafted from a mosaic of top vineyards: Carabella (35%) in Chehalem Mountains, Hyland (33%) & Meredith Mitchell (23%) in McMinnville, and Winderlea Estate (9%) in Dundee Hills. Together, they deliver harmony and terroir depth that rivals fine Burgundy, while staying true to Oregon character.

Aromas & Flavors
Rich layers of peach, apricot, and crisp apple glide seamlessly into notes of citrus zest and a subtle kiss of toasted oak. The aromatic lift is both elegant and generous, hinting at orchard blossoms with a faint mineral streak.

Mouthfeel
Succulent and textured, yet framed with precision. Bright acidity keeps it vibrant, while a creamy mid-palate offers weight and length. Still radiant in 2018, showing both freshness and polish.

Winemaking Notes
Fermented and aged in French oak barrels with a Burgundian sensibility, highlighting texture over heaviness. A balance of fruit purity and oak finesse.

Food Pairing
Perfect with butter-poached lobster, seared scallops, roast chicken with herbs, or creamy risotto with chanterelles. Its lively acidity also makes it a stellar partner for soft cheeses.

Verdict
A standout Chardonnay from Oregon, balancing Burgundian elegance with Willamette soul. Priced above regional peers, but every sip justifies it. Truly one of the finest examples of Oregon Chardonnay in recent years. Cheers! — a month ago

Jeff Orlowski

9.4

Lovely. Has aged well. Balanced, great fruit. — 4 years ago

with Michael and Joe

Erik Longabardi

9.4

2010. Still a baby but hits big on all the sensory buttons. Tops — 6 years ago

Gladys Xiques

9.2

Wow. Some fruit but it has ripened into an elegant and refined Pinot. Notes of earth mixing with ripened red fruit. — 3 months ago

Doug Powers

9.6

Still quite dark purple-red color, nose is quite closed, some mineral, iodine and black pepper aromas, red and black fruits which taste quite primary and youthful, great acid balance, structure shows in the long, lingering finish, I’d guess 10-15 more years of further aging on this to maturity, but awfully great tonight!! — 5 months ago

with Jim

Joe Roth

9.3

A real gem! — 5 years ago

with Jeff and Michael

Robert Gates

9.8

2016 Sawtooth Tempranillo, Snake River Valley, Classic Fly Series. I have to say that Meredith Smith, the winemaker, did good on this one. It has all of the classic aromas of a Spanish Tempranillo. Besides the dark red fruit, it has smoke, leather, tobacco, full body, medium tannins, and is spicy on the finish, especially with food. Two thumbs up! — 6 years ago

Doug Powers

9.4

Purchased at the winery on my single visit there, had gone to pick up the Syrah, and was very taken with this tiny production Mondeuse. Rich, but not heavy, rustic in some ways, but amazing “mountain fruit” depth and great acidity which largely hides the structure and tannins, long, lingering finish, needs a fair amount of cellaring, though beautiful tonight!! — 4 months ago

with Jim

Kelley Raymond

8.9

Drier than expected. Not a ton of tannin, but otherwise good — 9 months ago

Joe Roth

9.0

Nice red Zinfandel! — 6 years ago

with Michael and Jeff