BACKGROUND The best Chardonnay vineyards in Washington state are those planted in the cooler sites. The grapes ripen mid-to-late season in these situations and this is necessary to preserve the most delicate fruit flavors. Higher elevation vineyards in the cooler Yakima Valley ripen beautiful Chardonnay in early October. In the warmer Columbia Valley, north-facing sites are optimal because they ripen later than south-facing slopes. An excellent location for Chardonnay is also the Columbia River Gorge appellation on the east side of the Cascades near White Salmon, Washington, which benefits from the mixing of cooler marine air that blows through the Gorge in the summer and fall.

WINEMAKING We pick Chardonnay when the tropical fruit flavors are well developed, but before the berries lose their green acidity. For the Winemaker's Collection bottling, we prefer handpicked fruit that is then whole-cluster pressed to make a delicate, limpid juice. We transfer the juice to a blend of 65% French and 35% American oak barrels and barrel ferment the wines. After 6 to 7 months in barrel, we blend and fine the wines and then bottle during the summer.

WINE DESCRIPTION Our Winemaker's Collection Chardonnay is rich and round, yet balanced with enough acidity to bring out the fruit. We consider oak to be a complement to the flavors of the grape, and do not let it dominate the fruit. Mouth-filling flavors of crisp apple, pear and lush melon meld with those of vanilla, hazelnut and toast, leading to a long lingering finish.