97 Points -
The 2022 Warrior Princess Chardonnay jumps from the glass with notes of juicy pears and honeydew melon giving way to an evocative undercurrent of struck flint, grapefruit oil, and allspice. The medium to full-bodied palate delivers jaw-dropping tension juxtaposed with a creamy texture, finishing with an impressively persistent and refreshing steeliness. This is gorgeous! It is sourced from a block within the Zena Crown vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, planted to Dijon clone Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Independent, April 2024
Tasting Notes
The wine has hints of lemongrass, pink grapefruit, quince, and wet stones. The wines flavors follow with citrus, tamarind, exotic fruits and a lively, textural finish.
Vineyard & Vintage Character
The 2022 Warrior Princess Chardonnay is sourced from the Eola-Amity Hills in the Willamette Valley, coming from the renowned Zena Crown Vineyard. The site is situated near the Oregon ghost town of Zena, in the hills between Eola and Amity, Oregon. Our block, planted in 2014 is Dijon Clone 95.
The soils are predominantly basalt-based Nekia series, which is volcanic in origin, mixed with marine sedimentary rocks and alluvial material. This soil tends to produce Chardonnay wines characterized by firm structure and minerality. The Van Duzer corridor enables the grapes to retain great acidity during ripening, as this corridor allows cool afternoon breezes to reach the Eola-Amity Hills from the Pacific Ocean.
Wine Details
Oak: 100% French oak; 29% new
Time in oak: 13 months
Yeast: Native
Clones: Dijon 95
TA: 7.2 g / L
pH: 3.02
Alcohol: 13.4%
Cases produced: 112 cases
Unfined and Unfiltered