Pale gold color; yellow apple, lemon, pear, mango, orange, minerality, white flowers on the nose and palate.
Dry; no tannins, good acidity (3.24 pH). Medium body. Blend of Dijon chardonnay clones from across the Willamette Valley. The 2023 vintage blessed the Willamette with abundance. Casual evolution to spring delayed bud break into late May. The weather shifted to moderately warm and dry, excellent conditions for fruit set. Yields were above expectations without sacrificing quality, according to the winemakers. Grapes fermented and aged in 82% stainless steel, 9% concrete, and 9% neutral oak, allowing the fruit to dominate. Lees stirred twice a month for some complexity and depth. 12.5% ABV
Owner Bill Stoller is the founder and CEO of The Stoller Group, also the president and vice-chairman of Express Employment Professionals, and founder and CEO at Xenium HR & Employer Services. A native Oregonian, Stoller holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Pacific University and an MBA from Portland State University. His considerable successes in employment services allowed him to pursue his passion for wine.
Stoller founded Stoller Vineyards in 2001. The winery opened in 2006 as Oregon’s first and only LEED-certified, solar-powered, gravity-flow operation. Its drive for sustainability earned the winery the world’s first LEED gold certification. The winery is dedicated to producing pinot noir and chardonnay.
Vice president of winemaking Melissa Burr has been at Stoller since 2003. Burr says the challenge at Stoller is to control the vigor of the site in order to concentrate flavors. She strongly believes acidity plays a key role in balance and flavor, and this effort reflects that. The Dundee Hills are located southwest of Portland, OR, beside the Willamette River. Stoller has the largest contiguous vineyard in the Dundee Hills and the fruit for their wines is 100% estate grown. Lovely country, ecologically responsible winemaker, very nice wines.
Today, the Stoller Wine Group brands include Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem, Chemistry, History, and Canned Oregon. The link below will lead you to more information about their various offerings. Stoller is a solid, easy choice as a go-to wine maker.
Stoller Family Estate Chardonnay, Willamette Valley 2023 easy, relaxed drinker presents Willamette Valley fruit without complications of oak or excessive malolactic fermentation/conversion. Simple, clean, pure. Bright acidity makes this a versatile food wine. Some complexity and depth from extended time on the lees. Nice effort from a quality maker. Pair with seafood—grilled salmon, crab, shrimp scampi. Roast chicken, lemon herb chicken, chicken piccata, turkey. Spicy foods, Asian cuisine, Thai green curry or sushi. Light pork dishes, not barbecue. Vegetarian fare, mushroom risotto, creamy pasta dishes. Cheese—fresh goat cheese, humboldt fog, Pennyroyal laychee; tripple-cream cheeses, Cowgirl Creamery Mt. Tan; semi-hard cheeses; soft cheeses, brie, camembert. $19-25
