Morgen Long Black Label Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, USA 2024

A beautifully precise, mineral-driven Chardonnay from Seth Morgen Long, one of Oregon’s most compelling specialists in the variety. The 2024 Black Label blends fruit from five distinguished Willamette Valley vineyards, including Durant, Koosah and X Novo, delivering remarkable complexity at an approachable level. Aromas of green apple, white peach, preserved lemon and fresh herbs mingle with crushed stone, subtle toast and a touch of white smoke. The palate is vibrant and finely textured, balancing generous orchard fruit with bracing acidity, saline minerality and a long, chalky finish. Aged primarily in older French oak and stainless steel to preserve purity, this is a wonderfully expressive Oregon Chardonnay that combines precision, depth and effortless drinkability.

"Looking at the cellar without new wood, the 2024 Chardonnay (Black Label) pours a bright pale yellow hue with savory notes of pineapple rind, saline, toast, and preserved lemon. Medium to full-bodied, it floats effortlessly across the palate while quietly building texture beneath the surface. From third-leaf vines at Novo, it gradually reveals white peach and candle wax with air. The least reductive wine in the range, it combines crystalline purity, a chalky texture, and generous fruit." Jeb Dunnuck 93