2023 Soléna Chardonnay

The Soléna estate was created by winemakers and co-owners Laurent Montalieu and Danielle Andrus who purchased an 80-acre vineyard (the Domaine Danielle Laurent vineyard) as a wedding gift to each other. Their daughter is named Soléna, a name derived by combining Solana (meaning sunshine in Spanish) and Soleil (meaning sun in French). Their mission with the Soléna estate, named for their daughter, is to showcase the beautiful terroir of the Yamhill district located in the heart of the Willamette Valley.

Soléna Estate began as a way to explore winemaking with other varietals grown in neighboring appellations while the family’s young Domaine Danielle Laurent vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton District matured. In May 2007, Danielle and Laurent added the spectacular 100-acre Hyland Vineyard in the McMinnville AVA to their estate vineyard holdings. Today, Laurent and Danielle are producing Pinot Noir from their estate vineyards as well as Pinot Gris, Merlot, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Late Harvest Riesling from select sites throughout Oregon and Washington.

In 2023 the weather in Willamette Valley was near-perfect. Following a moderate winter the summer months had ideal sunny days with the temperatures mostly in the mid-eighties. The grapes grew quickly and harvest started as early as August.

The 2023 Chardonnay is a 100% Chardonnay that is aged for 9 months in French oak with 22% being new wood. Winemaker’s notes describe this wine: “On the nose, this wine leaps out with notes of yogurt-covered almonds and golden apples. Beautiful fruit notes of dried mango, lemon-frosted cheerios, and minerality mesh with a touch of nutty oak aging to provide a silky body and a refreshing palate.”

This is a classic example of Willamette Valley Chardonnay that sits between Burgundy and cool-climate California Chardonnay in style.

Enjoy this wine by itself or pair this with soft cheeses, seafood and shellfish.