Conner Lee Chardonnay

2022
Conner Lee Chardonnay

This Chardonnay displays a light straw hue, reminiscent of flaxen and chamomile tea. The nose offers delicate powdered flowers, vibrant lemon-lime seltzer, ripe melon, and elegant white tea. On the palate, a flinty minerality provides structure, complementing notes of St. Germain, warm apple crisp, and zesty orange oil. The mouthfeel begins with a broad, lush texture, then transitions to a taut and refreshingly tense mid-palate. The finish is warm, with subtle baking spices, lingering stone fruit, and a hint of sea spray.

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Vintages

Labeled Appellation

Columbia Valley

Varietal(s)

100% Chardonnay

Alcohol

14.8%

Cases Produced

133

Vintage Notes

The 2022 Single Barrel Conner Lee Chardonnay is a single-vineyard wine from the acclaimed Conner Lee Vineyard, located in the Columbia Valley AVA.

Across the Columbia Valley, 2022 proved to be an exceptional vintage for white wines—especially Chardonnay. Working in close collaboration with our vineyard manager, the winemaking team implemented yield restrictions and precise canopy and irrigation strategies to enhance concentration and preserve the unique character of the vintage.

Harvested in the cool early mornings of the first week of October, the fruit was whole-cluster pressed directly into 100% new French oak barrels. A variety of barrel formats was used to build depth and complexity. Fermentation unfolded slowly at low temperatures over several months, followed by full malolactic fermentation to add richness and texture.

The wine aged on its lees for a full year before being racked, then continued aging in barrel for a total of 20 months. Just six barrels were ultimately selected for the final blend, producing only 133 cases.

Bottled unfined and unfiltered, this is a pure, focused expression of 100% Wente clone Chardonnay, planted in 1989 and 1992.

Expert Reviews & Scores

Jeremy Young, International Wine Report

95 / 100

The 2022 Single Barrel Conner Lee Chardonnay from the Wahluke Slope showcases the elegance and depth that come from vines rooted since the late 1980s. The nose opens with layers of golden apple, ripe mango, and toasted hazelnut, intertwined with notes of vanilla bean and delicate clove. On the palate, it unfolds with creamy richness, offering flavors of baked pear, lemon curd, and caramelized pineapple balanced by a subtle thread of minerality. The wine’s texture is broad yet graceful, its acidity perfectly tuned to lift the opulent fruit and lend length to the finish. Pair this with butter-poached lobster served with truffle risotto to highlight its luxurious texture and depth of flavor.

Owen Bargreenowenbargreen.com

95 / 100

Sourced from vines planted all the way back in the late 1980s, the 2022 Single Barrel ‘Conner Lee Vineyard’ Chardonnay delivers serious weight and texture with beautiful flavor density. Rich honeydew melon and Japanese pear combine with baking spice laced shortbread and roasted pineapple on the palate. This is astonishingly good. Drink 2025-2033.

Eric Guido, Vinous

94 / 100

The 2022 Chardonnay Conner Lee is a total pleasure on the nose, with a whiff of white flowers and stone dust giving way to peach sorbet and an air of confectionery spice. It is soothingly round and elegant in feel, wonderfully textural, with ripe orchard fruits and hints of chamomile creating a truly seductive impression on the palate. It leaves the senses salivating for more, tapering off long, gently spicy and with framing structure. The Conner Lee is made from vines planted between 1989 and 1990.