2022 Founders Donald
A tribute to the founder of our estate vineyard, Donald D. Miller, who planted our first vines in 1968.
Tasting Notes
This small-batch, limited-production Chardonnay displays concentrated aromas of lemon cream and roasted pear with undertones of butterscotch and candied hazelnut. The palate displays a rich texture with evolving layers of poached peaches, honeysuckle, marzipan, and toasted marshmallow. Crafted with balance and elegance, the wine exits the palate with soft acidity and lingering notes of creamy, toasted French oak.
Awards
2022 Vintage
93 Points, Paul Gregutt
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2021 Vintage
90 Points, Paul Gregutt
90 Points, Wine Enthusiast
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2020 Vintage
92 Points, Vinous
Vineyard Designation
100% Estate Grown
Vintage Notes
The 2022 vintage in the Yakima Valley was a bit of a roller coaster. A mild winter extended into spring with early frost periods and winter-like conditions in April. The cool spring delayed bud break by a few weeks and caused delayed growth in the vineyard as we moved into summer. Each vineyard block was meticulously managed to ensure a ripe crop by harvest. We lowered clusters per vine and allowed for more sunlight exposure. By mid-July, temperatures finally started warming up and led to record growth in a short amount of time. Fortunately, warm summer temperatures extended into fall, helping to lengthen the growing season and allowing the grapes to continue to ripen. Harvest ended up being delayed approximately three weeks from a typical year. We gratefully did not experience any fall frost events, so the grapes had extended hang time on the vines to achieve optimal ripeness and excellent flavor development. Overall, the 2022 vintage displays ripe flavors, bountiful fruit aromas, and balanced acidity. The wines can be enjoyed in their youth, or they can cellar for many years to come.
Winemaking Notes
Sourced from the best Chardonnay blocks that our estate vineyard has to offer, the vines were cropped to low yields for added depth and concentration of flavors. Harvested at optimal maturity in early October, the grapes were sent directly to the press as whole clusters for a very gentle pressing. After the juice was cold-settled for 72 hours, it was racked clean and sent directly to very exclusive French oak barrels for fermentation. The juice was inoculated with a special yeast strain and had temperature ranges from 55-64° F, allowing for a lengthy fermentation of about four weeks. During malolactic fermentation, the wine was closely monitored to fully complete the process, yet avoid the “buttery” characteristics. Next, the lees were stirred twice a month for four months to build roundness and richness on the palate. Overall, the wine was aged for a total of 11 months in a mixture of 500L puncheons and 228L barrels, with the final blend being 100% new French oak.
* Produced in a Vegan Manner (No animal by-products were used in the production of this wine)
Food Pairing
Spring Vegetable Risotto
Gnocchi with Brown-Butter and Sage Sauce
Seared Pork Chops & Gremolata
Roast Chicken or Turkey with Herbs
Lobster Tails with Garlic Lemon Butter
Seafood Bisque, Corn Chowder, or Butternut Squash Soup
- Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
- Appellation: Yakima Valley
- Aging / Barrel Program: 11 months in 100% new French oak
- Cases Produced: 108 cases
- Alcohol: 13.2%
- pH: 3.59
- Acidity: 5.8 g/L
- Ageability: Drink now through 2033 with optimal maturity around 2029. (Serve at 50-55° F)