Belle Pente Chardonnay, Willamette Valley '20

Belle Pente is a vineyard and winery located on 70 acres two miles east of the town of Carlton, Oregon, in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Owned and operated by Brian and Jill O’Donnell, Belle Pente means “beautiful slope,” and the couple is inspired by the wines of Burgundy and Alsace, following the principle that great wine is made in the vineyard and nurtured in the winery. 

The vineyard site rises from 240 to 500 feet, with south, southeast, and southwest exposures. The first vineyard was planted in 1994 and now includes over 16 acres of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. The estate vineyard is supplemented with high-quality fruit grown to their specifications, in partnership with carefully selected independent Yamhill County vineyards. 

The 2020 Chardonnay is blended from various blocks of vineyards within Yamhill County, and fermented and aged for 12 months in French and Oregon oak barrels. Bottled without fining.

This is an old-world style of Chardonnay, with beautiful freshness, good minerality, and a long, complex finish. Only 187 cases produced.