Winemaker Kate Payne Brown and vineyard manager Daniel Barajas during the Chardonnay harvest. Credit: Andréa Johnson for Ambar Estate.
‘While the 2021 vintage Chardonnays showed an immediacy of brilliant character, the elegance and precision imbued in these white wines from the long, cool, and at times, tumultuous 2022 vintage should prove to be even better over time.’
The difficulties that beset the early part of the 2022 growing season had the most significant impact on Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley.
A significant freeze event occurred early on the morning of 15 April, and owing to its ripening early, the Chardonnay buds were further along and bore the brunt of the damage. The early prognostications were grim. However, things were nowhere near as dire as they were initially reported – anywhere from 50% to a total loss for the vintage.
Perhaps winemaker Kate Payne Brown put it best.
‘Chardonnay from the 2022 vintage tells a story of unexpected resilience,’ she says.
Scroll down for top-scoring Willamette Valley Chardonnays of the 2022…
Source : https://www.decanter.com.master.public.keystone-prod-eks-euw1.futureplc.engineering/premium/oregons-willamette-valley-2022-chardonnay-report-and-20-wines-to-try-535901/
