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Matzinger-Davies Wine Company 2017 Chardonnay
A great place to grow kids and wine
Like a lot of moms, Anna Matzinger found herself stretched too thin. Two kids, a full-time job (as winemaker at Archery Summit), and trying to start a winery with her husband, Michael Davies (the winemaker at Rex Hill).
Trying to do it all wasn’t working for her or her family. So, in 2013 she left her day job to focus on her kids, Otto and Elsa, and her passion, family label Matzinger Davies Wines. And it’s working out great – both for Anna and her family; and for all of us, who get to taste the fruits of her labor.
A native of Idaho and an alum of Washington’s Evergreen State, Matzinger has worked harvests in California, France, and Australia. But Oregon is home for her – and for Michael, a native of New Zealand.
Why? Because Anna believes that the collaborative, supportive nature of the Oregon wine community is exactly where she wants to make wine – and raise her kids. Aren’t we lucky?
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Matzinger-Davies Wine Company, McMinnville, Oregon
2017 Chardonnay
There might not be anything more predictable in our tasting room than the sudden cringe I see when I say, “And now, here’s a little Chardonnay!”
Well, except for what happens next… “Oh, this is Chardonnay? I really like this!”
It’s true, I used to also belong to the ABC camp – Anything But Chardonnay – but here’s what you need to know: Oregon’s Chardonnays are a far cry from the over-the-top oaky, buttery Chardonnays that were coming out of California in the 80s and 90s.
This Matzinger Davies Chardonnay is a fabulous example of the new style of Chardonnay Oregon is coming to be known for. Yes, it is aged in oak but in mostly neutral oak barrels. There’s a bare hint of oak on the palate, but it is beautifully integrated and helps with a gorgeous, soft mouthfeel.
This is an energetic and vibrant wine with aromas of honeysuckle, lemongrass, and white peach. On the palate, alongside the hint of oak, you’ll taste crushed rocks, rosemary, and persimmon and the through-line of acidity is a great balance to the richness of the wine.
A Cellar 503 selection in January 2022, Oregon Classics Chehalem Mountains |
