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Twill Cellars 2016 Chardonnay
No more Christmas trees, she said.
With a twinkle in his eye, Darrel Roby said he got into the wine business because “I’m just a little bit crazy!”
When Darrel and Molly bought the land that would become known as Molly’s Vineyard, it was a Christmas tree farm. After one season tending trees (and the insane rush that is the holiday harvest), they decided to plant something a little more compelling – grapes.
They had a good program selling grapes to local winemakers until disaster struck – and a buyer dropped out at the last minute. Scrambling, and calling on a few friends for help, Darrel and Molly learned how to make wine themselves. And they haven’t looked back.
They combine Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from their estate with grapes sourced throughout the region. There’s a professional winemaker on board now, and they’ve converted Darrel’s old workshop into a gorgeous, intimate tasting room. It’s the perfect spot in the suburbs, much closer than driving down into wine country, but just far enough to feel out of the bustle of the city.
And hey, pro tip: Their neighbor still sells Christmas trees – so plan a twofer next month!
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Twill Cellars, West Linn, Oregon
2016 Chardonnay
For Thanksgiving, you want wines with strong acid that will cut through the richness and creaminess of gravy and butter.
But you’re also going to want well-balanced wines that everyone at the table will enjoy, from that wine snob third cousin to your elderly aunt that doesn’t like surprises.
This lovely Chardonnay from Twill fits the bill perfectly.
There’s a hint of oak on the very first taste, which will satisfy anyone that expects that in a Chardonnay – but it quickly steps aside for a robust and complex acid that will stand up to a flaky biscuit liberally covered in butter and dipped in gravy. Aromas of tangerine and peach join flavors of Meyer lemon and passion fruit, finished with a minerality and creaminess that just lingers.
A Cellar 503 selection in November 2018, Thanksgiving Wines Willamette Valley | Chardonnay
