Mission Codename You will need Mawr
Party people, can you believe June is almost here?!
So, what’s the best way to spend the rest of this Oregon Wine Month while it lasts?
Scoop up a bunch of this super crowd-pleasing Chardonnay! Even our resident Chard hater could not find a fault with it at a recent tasting. This stuff simply shines - even brighter when you toss in a 50% discount and big points for its price!
So… Bryn Mawr you say? Never heard of ‘em. They’re a small winery up in Willamette with a fairytale story. The short version starts with Jon and Kathy Lauer, who got married in San Diego in the 1980s and took a drive up to the Bay Area. That’s where they encountered one of the greatest wines known to man – Newton’s Unfiltered Chardonnay – an ultimate benchmark to strive for.
From that point on, they basically became obsessed with wine. Jon planted a half-acre on his parents’ property in San Diego. The wine was good… but not great. During a visit to the Eola-Amity Hills, Jon and Kathy felt a connection with the appellation, and the rest is history. Almost. All they needed next was a rockstar winemaker to keep up with the high level of quality wines being made in the area.
Enter Rachel Rose. She took over in 2010 and was NOT impressed with the double-wide trailer, incessant rain, or the run-down house/basement winery. But she knew they could only go up from there. And up they went as this wine lays testament to their dedication and skill.
Buttery and ripe on one hand, but also zippy and fresh on the other. This walks a fine line between a richer New World style and Burgundian elegance. Lemon bars and lemon zest, maybe some starfruit, and a little toasty brioche, and yes, some butter, but not tubs of the stuff. Spending a long time in a third new French oak gives it some of that richness you love, and it has some terrific acidity to keep it all flowing.
Our advice? Get a bunch! And keep a bottle on permanent rotation in a safe, cool place for optimum enjoyment during the warm months ahead.
92 Points – Wine Enthusiast
“Scents of flint, toast and cream open the door to a lovely wine centered around ripe and pretty nectarine fruit. Nicely focused and deep, the flavors show spicy wood highlights as well as a lingering finish which resolves in a wash of toasted hazelnuts. Credit 18 months in 30% new French oak.”
Tasting Profile
Tasting Profile
Look | Brilliant gold with amber swirls deeper within and a glimmer of silver on a broad rim |
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Smell | Lemon bars and lemon zest, maybe some starfruit and a little toasty brioche, and just the right touch of butter |
Taste | Buttery and ripe, while zippy and fresh, walking that fine line between a richer style and elegance |
Finish | Spending a long time in French oak gives it some of that richness you love, with terrific acidity to balance it all |
Pairing | Prawns served over a steaming bowl of fresh pasta tossed in a milder Cajun cream sauce |
What the Winery Says
2017 Eola-Amity Hills Estate Chardonnay
- Winemaker
- Rachel Rose
- Varietal
- 100% Chardonnay
- Vintage
- 2017
- Appellation
- Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley
- Vineyard
- Bryn Mawr Estate
- Clones
- 80% 95, 16% Field Blend, 4% 76
- Alcohol
- 13%
- Total acidity
- 5.8 g/L
- pH
- 3.36
- Aging
- 18 months
- Barrels
- 30% new French oak