| Chardonnay wine is believed to have originated in | | | | with exclusion of artificial chemicals on soil and |
| eastern France in the Burgundy wine region but is | | | | plants.Chardonnay is planted on south, east, and |
| now grown wherever wine is produced. | | | | west-facing slopes on volcanic soils. |
| Chardonnay is one of the most widely-planted | | | | The wines made by Jay Christopher (J. |
| grape varieties, with over 400,000 acres | | | | Christopher Wines) are some of the most |
| worldwide, second only to Airén among | | | | complex in the Willamette Valley. Their beautifully |
| white wine grapes, planted extremely heavily in | | | | handcrafted Chardonnay wine comes from 25 |
| Spain and in more wine regions than any other | | | | year old vines. It shows a wonderfully fresh and |
| grape. | | | | vibrant style that comes across the palate as |
| Modern DNA research at University of California, | | | | being elegant. Medium-bodied and well-balanced, |
| Davis, suggests that Chardonnay is the result of a | | | | rich and ripe, with a substantial overlay of oak, it |
| cross between the Pinot and Gouais Blanc | | | | has lots of showy vanilla and smoke notes |
| (Heunisch) grape varieties. Chardonnay is a | | | | working in concert with juicy fruit, showing crisp |
| green-skinned grape variety used to make white | | | | green apple, hazelnut and creamy complexity. It is |
| wine. | | | | a break from the pineapple tropical fruit style of |
| Oregon is a likely locale for excellent Chardonnay | | | | Chardonnay with more peach and apple, with |
| wine. | | | | some acidity, and quite easy to enjoy. |
| Dundee Hills started 15-17 million years ago, when | | | | Oregon Chardonnay wines are often lower in |
| lava from Eastern Washington flowed west into | | | | alcohol with less overt sweetness than bottlings |
| the Northern Willamette Valley. Then the | | | | from California, |
| Willamette Valley was a large body of water. | | | | Today's Oregon Chardonnay wines are a bit |
| Earth plate movement caused the land mass to | | | | richer, broader in texture, deeper in flavor, and |
| move again, and a land mass rose from above | | | | more complex in aroma. Today, working with |
| the Willamette Valley floor. The story is not | | | | riper, more flavorful grapes, with less overt |
| complete until catastrophic Missoula Floods | | | | sweetness, has the pleasant consequence of a |
| receded, and a small layer of sediment was laid | | | | Chardonnay wine that seems more refreshing and |
| down over the Willamette Valley covering all | | | | versatile with food. |
| elevations below 300 feet. The soil above this | | | | Serve the Chardonnay cool at around 55F. When |
| point remained the now famous red Jory soil. The | | | | Chardonnay wine is served too cold, it tends to |
| soil gets its reddish hue from oxidation and high | | | | lose its fruity flavors. Pairing Chardonnay wine |
| amounts of iron. The depth and quality of the soils | | | | with Provolone, Gruyere and mild cheddar |
| lend themselves ideally to the viticulture. | | | | cheeses as well as crab cakes, olives, oysters, |
| Holloran Vineyard makes small quantities of | | | | stuffed clams, low and higher fat fish, and |
| handcrafted wines in the Willamette Valley. | | | | smoked salmon are all complimentary food |
| Located in the Dundee Hills AVA (American | | | | choices. Chardonnay wine compliments chicken, |
| Viticultural Area) on classic Jory soil, the Holloran | | | | pork and shrimp with cream sauces |
| Vineyard is over 30 years old. The soils are not | | | | Oregon's Holloran Vineyard Chardonnay has both |
| overly fertile, but provide excellent drainage for | | | | the weight to stand up to rich dishes and enough |
| wine grapes and produce consistently excellent | | | | acidity to cut through the cream. Lamb and mildly |
| wines, and have been farmed organically since | | | | spicy and low sweetness foods will all match well. |
| 1999. | | | | Avoid tomato based dishes - the sharp acidity of |
| Since 2005, the Jory soil has been farmed | | | | the tomato doesn't go well. Meats like steaks and |
| biodynamically, which is organic farming that treats | | | | game will overwhelm the flavor. |
| farms and vineyards as unified and individual | | | | The real key to the pleasure of wine and food is |
| organisms, emphasizing the balancing of holistic | | | | simply relaxing and enjoying conviviality with |
| development and interrelationship of the soil and | | | | friends. Now that you know the best Chardonnay |
| plants as a closed, self-nourishing system. | | | | wine and food pairings, dinner anyone? |
| Emphasis is placed on manures and composts | | | | |