2016 McAndrew

THE STORY BEHIND THE NAME 

“Doc” McAndrew was a highly educated and respected surgeon in Seattle. He was also “a dreamer and a doer” who brought to life the first planting of Chardonnay in the Columbia Gorge region of southwest Washington in 1972. Doc’s pioneering foresight gave birth to vineyards that are the perfect pairing of site and varietal -- few will deny his was among the best fruit in the country. This Chardonnay comes from cuttings from Doc’s original plants and is made in a crisp, fresh style using the finest concrete tanks we imported from Burgundy. We offer it both in his memory and with his “if you can dream it, do it” spirit.

2016 VINTAGE NOTES

A hot vintage left its mark on this wine. “It’s kind of a dream come true,” says our winemaker Ali. Of course she was referring to the “deliciousness factor” but she also meant that the high temperatures helped to coax some very clean, round flavors from these Chardonnay berries. Ali added a little Dijon clone from White Salmon Vineyard for a little oak to counter the crispness of this straightforward season, crafting a low pH, low alcohol, easy drinker. The team agreed the lemony flavors would go well with summer indulgences such as oysters, buttery seared scallops, and Dungeness crab. It left us hungry for more: more wine, more food, more friends.