Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/369547
w w w. v w m m e d i a . c o m S e p t - O c t 2 014 | V I N E YA R D & W I N E RY M A N A G E M E N T 2 9 hile chardonnay has a long his- tory in Oregon, the variety has failed to achieve the same fame as pinot noir, the state's signature grape. After decades of struggle, however, some believe that char- donnay recognition may be closer than ever, as indicated by discus- sions at the 2014 Oregon Char- donnay Symposium and Oregon Wine Symposium. First planted in 1965, char- donnay was at one time the most widely planted white grape in Oregon. However, plantings peaked in 1998 at 1,603 acres and then dropped to nearly half that by 2005. With inconsistent quality, no thanks to issues with clonal material, and the Anything- But-Chardonnay movement gaining traction, pinot gris rose in the marketplace, joining Oregon pinot noir as the two varieties commanding wine- makers' attention. To w i n e m a k e r M i c h a e l Davies of A to Z Winery and Rex Hill, this course of events was ultimately beneficial to Oregon chardonnay: "One of the best things to happen to Oregon chardonnay was its fall from grace and the rise of pinot gris," he said. "What it meant was that the people who were left making Oregon chardon- NORTHWEST WATCH SEAN P. SULLIVAN Oregon's Other White Grape Chardonnay takes baby steps toward quality and respectability nay fell into two camps. They were either the people who were really slow to adapt, or they were the people who were significantly com- mitted to the future of chardonnay. We needed and we do need the believers in Oregon chardonnay." David Adelsheim of Adelsheim + After a drop in acreage in the past 15 years, Oregon chardonnay is experiencing a renaissance. + The re-emergence of char- donnay in Oregon is based on several factors, including better-suited clonal mate- rial and a renewed focus on making a high-quality wine. + The state's winemak- ers are still exploring the proper vineyard locations, clonal material, farming techniques and vinification methods. + Although many ask, "What defines Oregon chardon- nay?" the answer remains elusive. AT A GLANCE Bergström Wines farms its chardonnay to the same qual- ity standards as the winery's pinot noir.