The Eyrie Vineyards
Original Vines Reserve Dundee Hills Chardonnay
Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Started off too cold, but once it came up to room temp is was beautiful.
Started off too cold, but once it came up to room temp is was beautiful.
Nov 5th, 2016
Fly high. Taut, mineral and elegant. Great wine.
Fly high. Taut, mineral and elegant. Great wine.
May 15th, 2016The nose of the 2010 Eyrie Original Vines Reserve Chardonnay throws me a bit, hence only 8.9 points. Opens with pitched notes of coffee grounds, an aroma I strongly associate with some malolactic strains, roasted nuts, toast and a touch of lemon zest. It feels somewhat closed, there isn’t a lot of fruit here, one has to dig to unearth subtle notes of Valencia orange and unripened pear. To its credit, there is nice texture and dimension, improved by minerally wet shell notes, and acidic lilt on the finish.
The nose of the 2010 Eyrie Original Vines Reserve Chardonnay throws me a bit, hence only 8.9 points. Opens with pitched notes of coffee grounds, an aroma I strongly associate with some malolactic strains, roasted nuts, toast and a touch of lemon zest. It feels somewhat closed, there isn’t a lot of fruit here, one has to dig to unearth subtle notes of Valencia orange and unripened pear. To its credit, there is nice texture and dimension, improved by minerally wet shell notes, and acidic lilt on the finish.
May 13th, 2015Soft nose with only the slightest hints of oak. Very light on the palate with a slight tastiness on the palate. This is a creamy chard.
Soft nose with only the slightest hints of oak. Very light on the palate with a slight tastiness on the palate. This is a creamy chard.
Mar 18th, 2015
Tech panel at OR Chard symposium. This one spoke volumes about the finesse that is old vine. Lovely, delicate.
Tech panel at OR Chard symposium. This one spoke volumes about the finesse that is old vine. Lovely, delicate.
Mar 15th, 2015Power and finesse. Delicacy and complexity. Strong, deeply rooted old vine mineralic terroir.
Power and finesse. Delicacy and complexity. Strong, deeply rooted old vine mineralic terroir.
Mar 25th, 2014
Pure apple and pear with a touch of vanilla. Good acidity and balance. Just lacks complexity. But at nine years, it is not likely to add complexity in years to come. Drink now!
Pure apple and pear with a touch of vanilla. Good acidity and balance. Just lacks complexity. But at nine years, it is not likely to add complexity in years to come. Drink now!
Jan 29th, 2017
Lime and pear. Weird malo going on. Med plus acid. Perhaps more bottle time is needed.
Lime and pear. Weird malo going on. Med plus acid. Perhaps more bottle time is needed.
Nov 26th, 2016Fantastic. At least as great as any grand cru white Burgundy I've had in recent memory. The only reason it's not a dead ringer for something super-fancy in the Puligny environs is that it is, if anything, even more finessed (and not premoxed). It has all the crystalline purity but the material is so gentle it's not only seamless but edgeless, a real zen garden of a wine. It is bright and instantly cleansing but isn't depending on screeching acidity for that effect, instead it's as calm and serene as still water. But gentle does not mean light or lean. It is very expressive of the fruit, very typical chardonnay flavors here with just a touch of flint though with the mineral element getting much, much stronger in the leftovers a few days later, at which point the grand cru Puligny personality is positively uncanny.
Fantastic. At least as great as any grand cru white Burgundy I've had in recent memory. The only reason it's not a dead ringer for something super-fancy in the Puligny environs is that it is, if anything, even more finessed (and not premoxed). It has all the crystalline purity but the material is so gentle it's not only seamless but edgeless, a real zen garden of a wine. It is bright and instantly cleansing but isn't depending on screeching acidity for that effect, instead it's as calm and serene as still water. But gentle does not mean light or lean. It is very expressive of the fruit, very typical chardonnay flavors here with just a touch of flint though with the mineral element getting much, much stronger in the leftovers a few days later, at which point the grand cru Puligny personality is positively uncanny.
Apr 13th, 2016