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: 52% was fermented and aged in stainless steel, while the remaining 48% was fermented and aged in French oak (40% new French oak and 60% 2 to 6-year-old French oak). Harvested in early October at optimal ripeness, the grapes were sent directly to the press as whole clusters and pressed gently to maintain the fresh fruit and varietal characteristics. After settling out for 72 hours, the juice was sent to stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels for fermentation. The stainless portion was fermented cool, with temperatures maxing out at 60 degrees. The barrels were fermented at approximately 60-65 degrees until dry. After fermentation, the barrels were inoculated for malolactic fermentation and closely monitored to ensure completion. Our main goal with malolactic fermentation was to complete the secondary fermentation but allow the wine to maintain its fantastic fruit quality without abstracting it with “buttery tones.” The stainless portion did not undergo any malolactic fermentation. The lees were stirred in barrels and in tank twice a month for three months to help with the mouthfeel and to make the wine rounder and more balanced. After aging in tank and barrel for eight months, the wine was blended and then aged for an additional month in concrete tank before bottling.
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
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.