Antiquum Farm Chardonnay Niki Lee Willamette Valley 2023 (750ml)

Antiquum Farm Chardonnay Niki Lee Willamette Valley 2023 (750ml)Producer's Notes: The night Niki and Stephen met, they half jokingly agreed to move to Oregon to start a family and farm. Eight weeks later they stood on the upper ridge of, what is now Antiquum Farm, and knew they were home. Nikis trust, bravery, tenacity, and open heart are the seeds of all dreams at Antiquum Farm. This wine is a testament to her brilliance, depth, beauty, and grace. Understated, elegant, and built to age gracefully, this Chardonnay

Producer's Notes: 

The night Niki and Stephen met, they half-jokingly agreed to move to Oregon to start a family and farm. Eight weeks later they stood on the upper ridge of, what is now Antiquum Farm, and knew they were home. Niki’s trust, bravery, tenacity, and open heart are the seeds of all dreams at Antiquum Farm. This wine is a testament to her brilliance, depth, beauty, and grace.

Understated, elegant, and built to age gracefully, this Chardonnay cascades with yellow tea roses, lime zest, and white peach. An underpinning of oyster shell, baking spices, and chamomile flower build minerality, depth, and subtle complexity. The wine builds slowly on the palate, creating a steamlined runway for layered, mouthwatering acidity to drive home the finish. Flavors linger, refreshing and crisp, with a whisper of phenolic grip adding to the textural complexity.  The deft use of a small percentage of french oak offers a texural element rather than intruding on the fruit. 

This fruit was picked at night and whole cluster pressed lightly in the early hours of the morning to preserve acidity and precision. After a day of settling, the juice is drained to barrels and fermented with native yeasts.  This beautifully and classically crafted Chardonnay did not require fining or filtration and was simply racked and bottled after 10 months of undisturbed elevage on the lees.