The Drouhin family, the famed Burgundy producer, is doing what comes naturally to Burgundy producers, focusing on the uniqueness of vineyards. They’ve purchased an additional vineyard in another part of the Willamette Valley and are making distinctive wines there that are different from the ones they produce in the Dundee Hills, showing that terroir is alive and well in Oregon. Their 2016 Roserock Chardonnay has an immediately appealing plumpness without being fat or heavy. Expansive in the mouth, it has the Drouhin sense of refinement. Given the prices of domestic Chardonnay, this one’s a bargain.
Drouhin Oregon, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley (Oregon) Chardonnay 2016
By Michael Apstein