Airfield Estates Chardonnay
WHY WE LOVE IT
- 100% Estate Grown.
- Vegan friendly.
- This Chardonnay displays ripe flavors, bountiful fruit aromas, and balanced acidity.
- The wine can be enjoyed in its youth, or it can be cellared for many years to come.
Varietal: 100% Chardonnay
Elaboration: Fifty-two percent of the wine was fermented and aged in stainless steel, while forty-eight percent was aged in French oak (40% new, 60% 2 to 6 years old). The grapes were pressed as whole clusters, and fermentation occurred in both stainless steel (cool at 60 degrees) and French oak barrels (60-65 degrees). Malolactic fermentation took place in the barrels, while the stainless portion skipped this step. Lees were stirred monthly for three months. After eight months of aging and one month in concrete, the wine was blended and bottled.
Tasting Notes: This Chardonnay offers a delightful bouquet of poached apples and pears with undertones of butterscotch. On the palate, it is beautifully balanced showcasing a slightly creamy mouthfeel and secondary flavors of cantaloupe, candied apples with caramel, and marzipan. The finish is elegant, revealing subtle notes of toasted oak and a touch of minerality.
PRESS
2020 – 90 Vinous
2023 – 91 Wine Spectator
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Airfield Estates is a fourth-generation family vineyard based in the Yakima Valley, Washington. Today the winery is overseen by brother-sister duo Marcus Miller and Lori Stevens. The siblings prepared themselves for this endeavor. Marcus pursued an MBA in Finance and a degree in Viticulture and Enology, interning at Canoe Ridge in Walla Walla, he also worked as winemaker at Tsilan Cellars in Chelan and harvester at Montana Brancott Winery in Marlborough, New Zealand. Laurie obtained a Master’s in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide in Adelaide, South Australia, with a background in retail distribution management..
Prior to its farming days, Airfield Estates operated as a training base for hundreds of Army Air Corps pilots during World War II. The airbase closed in 1944, and the airplane hangars and other buildings were auctioned off to the Miller family for $1. The ranch produced alfalfa, asparagus, potatoes, onions, and oats, as well as cattle and hogs. Founder H. Lloyd Miller’s entrepreneurial spirit brought him in contact with President Roosevelt to find the funding for the Rosa Canal Project in the Yakima Valley, enabling irrigation water access from the high mountains to the soon-to-be established 830-acre winery. In 1967, Don Miller, the current owner’s grandfather, planted three “test” varietals, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Cabernet Sauvignon, which would lead to more than 20 different varietals being greenhouse-propagated and commercially planted by 1971 as the oldest established AVA in Washington State.