Crowley Wines "Helen" Chardonnay, Willamette Valley '21

Tyson Crowley of Crowley Wines may be a newer name to many wine drinkers, but he is no upstart. He has worked in the business for many years, including a stint as assistant winemaker at Cameron Winery, in the Dundee area of the Willamette Valley, for five years. It was there, in 2005, that he made his first four barrels of wine. A couple years later, he moved to the August Cellars Studio, and he now makes a total of about 85 barrels of excellent Chardonnay and Pinot Noir annually.

“Draper block selection will define Helen. Picked early and pressed green to match this salty and minerally material, Helen’s fermentation is long and spontaneous. To emphasize immediacy, we remove from barrel after 11 months and store in tank for the remaining 7. Color is vibrant straw and green, clarity shimmers. Nose is austere, dominated by citrus, tangerine, and lemon. Brioche richens things up as does hints of cream. Palate is clean and ripe and a mix of savory spice and oak fill out the body on the way to its supple finish. Meursault came to mind with this wine.”