2017 Averæn - Chardonnay Willamette Valley (85 pts)

2017 Averæn - Chardonnay Willamette Valley (85 pts) @averaenwines @wvwines · 🙋‍♂️ What is your favorite <$20 white wine❓· ℹ️ Averæn is known for their Pinot Noirs, but 2017 marks their inaugural Chardonnay release. This wine is 💯 Chardonnay that a blend of 3 different single vineyards across 3 sub-AVAs of the Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon. The grapes from the Dundee Hills AVA, Eola-Amity Hills AVA, and Chehalem Mountain AVA, but due to it being a blend it takes on the larger Willamette Valley AVA. Native yeast fermentation. 75% goes through Malolactic Fermentation. Aged for 10 months 70% in neutral oak, 20% in new French oak, and 10% stainless steel· 👁 Pale gold color· 👃 Medium intensity on the nose. Aromas of ripe yellow apple, slight bruised apple, Asian pear, honey, melon, oak, and baking spices· 👄 The wine is dry, medium+ tart acidity, medium+ alcohol, and medium- body. A medium length finish of apple skin, pear, and an earthy bitterness· 🔔 This wine comes it at $20 and this blows away mass market wines at this price. As a reminder 📝, I don't factor price into my reviews and scores. Overall, the acidity is my largest issue with the wine. At first the wine feels a bit flabby, but then kicks in the pack palate to be a bit thin. I am a fan of their Pinot Noirs and would love to see them diversify into single AVA or single vineyard Chardonnay bottlings. That being said, this is a good initial effort in the affordable Chardonnay space.