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2017 Lavinea Chardonnay Elton Vineyard

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2017 Lavinea Chardonnay Elton Vineyard

On Sale: $44.94  (was: $54.94)*

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"[Lavinea's] 2017 Chardonnays are outstanding, showing Old World structure and balance, with the expressive fruit that’s attained in the Willamette Valley. Don’t hesitate to age them, you’ll thank me later." - Vinous

“Powerful yet graceful in style” (Vinous), the 2017 Elton Vineyard from Lavinea is a terrific example of how winemaker Isabelle Meunier has helped to elevate Oregon Chardonnay to new heights, and this particularly good vintage has the power and depth of a 1er cru. Meunier worked in both Burgundy and New Zealand before none other than Dominique Lafon personally recommended her to Evening Land as their founding winemaker, and she spent nine years turning that into one of Oregon’s biggest names.

After only a few vintages, Lavinea are being hailed as a “new name to look out for within the Oregon winemaking scene” (Wine Advocate). Earning 95pts, you won’t find a better price for their 2017 Elton Vineyard Chardonnay.

2017 has turned out to be a dream vintage for fans of old-world Chardonnay as it was a refreshing break from a string of hot vintages in the Willamette Valley. Conditions were ideal to create the sort of structured and layered Chardonnay that can be so impressive and ageworthy. Plus, Lavinea gives them only a touch of new French oak to round things out, without obscuring the bright orchard fruits. Elton Vineyard is one of the older sites in Eola-Amity, and Lavinea’s 2017 is positively explosive, not to mention quite fairly priced. Cheers!

95 points, Vinous: "Brilliant straw-gold. A highly complex, mineral-driven bouquet evokes fresh citrus and orchard fruits, iodine, buttered toast and white flowers. Shows superb depth and fine delineation, offering vibrant orange, Anjou pear, sweet butter and anise flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Powerful yet graceful in style, displaying superb focus and minerally thrust on an impressively long finish that features lingering floral and orange pith flourishes. Isabelle Meunier has been responsible for making some of Oregon’s best Chardonnays since her time at Evening Land. She hasn’t missed a beat at her own project too...Lavinea was established in 2014 and immediately became a Chardonnay (and Pinot Noir) force to be reckoned with..." - Josh Raynolds

*Offer publication date January 18, 2022. Pricing and availability subject to change.