Gilbert Cellars, Unoaked Chardonnay 2021, Horse Heaven Hills, Yakima Valley, WA

This Chardonnay is aged 100% in stainless steel and has notes of lemon zest, cucumber, and grilled pineapple – lush yet refreshing.

COUNTRY: United State of America (USA)

STATE: WA

APPELLATION (AVA): Horse Heaven Hills

REGION: Columbia Valley

SUBREGION: Yakima Valley

VINEYARD: Chukar Vineyard

VINTAGE: 2021

GRAPES: Chardonnay

SOIL: Starbuck loam (stony, shallow layer of silt) over solid basalt

PRACTICE: Sustainable, vegan, gluten free

VINIFICATION: cold fermented, 100% aged in stainless steel

STYLE: Still

COLOR: Pale gold

BODY: Light to Medium (3-4)

TASTE: Dry

PRIMARY AROMAS: Lemon, pear, floral notes, popcorn, butterscotch

FLAVOR: Cucumber, grilled pineapple, lemon zest, balanced acidity, good mouth-coating weight, crisp & clean finish

FORMAT: 750 ml

ALCOHOL: 13.5%

SERVICE AND SUGGESTION: Enjoy with white fish or seafood such as shrimp, clams, mussels, or langostines.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER: 
Gilbert Cellars is a family-run winery in Yakima, Washington, focusing on handcrafted, small batches of authentic Washington wines, with a strong sense of community and hospitality. With a deep, five generations-old connection to the Yakima Valley farming land (and its own 8,200-foot Gilbert Peak!), the Gilbert family and their partners dedicate their energies and skills to create wines that celebrate the terroir and the communities in it. Gloria and Charlie Gilbert, Le Cordon Bleu alumni and world-class hospitality masters, partnered with Justin Neufeld, a Washington winemaking veteran with a deep knowledge of the terroir diversities in Columbia Valley, to bottle the best expressions of Yakima Valley vintage after vintage.

Justin Neufeld, Winemaker
Justin showcases the flavors of the vineyards through each step of the growing and production process. Our resident wine geek, Justin has a degree in molecular biology, but outdoor pursuits (backpacking, climbing)—and a serendipitous introduction to noted Washington winemaker Doug Gore—drove him out of the lab and into the vineyards. He finessed his skills at Chateau St. Michelle, Silver Lake, and Glen Fiona before joining Gilbert Cellars in 2007.

ABOUT THE VINEYARDS: 
CHUKAR VINEYARD
A stone’s throw from the Columbia River, Nine Canyons Vineyard is tucked amid 250 acres of cherry and apple orchards, just south of the thriving city of Kennewick. Curtiss Gilbert planted its deeply terraced hillsides with grapes in 2009. Pinot Noir lines the vineyard’s north-facing slope, while Malbec, Chardonnay, and Carménère fill out its much warmer south-facing slope.

The soil here is Starbuck loam, a stony, shallow layer of silt that covers a solid layer of basalt. Exceptionally well drained and nonfertile, the loam helps minimize vigor in the vines, allowing for a balanced canopy in the production of low-yield wine grapes. Our first Horse Heaven Hills vineyard, this gem should grow in quality and intrigue.
Planted to: Chardonnay, Carménère, Malbec, and Pinot Noir.