From: Yakima Valley, Washington, USA
Varietal: Chardonnay
Tasting Notes: Classic butter and toast meets lime and kiwi, jasmine and orange blossom. Peach and pear coast along granite and Granny Smith apple. Bursting aromas along with a bright, crisp structure make for an elevated and balanced expression of Chardonnay.
Pairing: We recommend pairing this with poultry dishes such as skillet chicken with mushrooms, turkey tetrazzini, or even a classic chicken caesar salad. Other great options include creamy lemon-zucchini pasta, a simple garlic or Cacio e Pepe flatbread, tuna casserole, and shrimp scampi (see recipe below).
Shrimp Scampi With Orzo by Ali Slagle
About. At Vital Wines, 100 percent of their net profits are dedicated to ensuring vineyard and winery workers have access to healthcare and other important resources. Since 2016, Vital’s goal has been to harness the compassion of our industry to cultivate the health, dignity, and inclusion of vineyard and winery workers in local communities.
“Vital came about for a few reasons, namely that I had been making alcohol for years at that point, and one wonders whether that's making the world a better place,” said Vital’s founder and president, Ashley Trout. “I wanted to make sure I was making the world a better place, too.”
“The luxury wine industry is interesting. We come from the restaurant, farming, and hospitality industries, all of which don't provide regular health insurance. Neither do we. When you account for the number of people who only work one day a week in a tasting room or three months of the year in the vineyard, it's no wonder workers in our industry don't expect round-the-year health insurance to be an option. It often isn't.
The "why" that fuels Vital wines is my passion for giving back. It's mission as a non-profit is to improve access to healthcare for vineyard and cellar workers in our local communities. Practically everything is donated: corks, capsules, grapes, etc. All profits go toward open-door, free clinics or other healthcare sources for our local wine workers.”
The 2022 Vital Chardonnay was made by the team at the The Walls (led by Sally Johnson Blum), from fruit donated by the French Creek Vineyard. Low elevations and consistent winds through the Yakima valley combine to cool fruit here, even in the warmest of weather, lending a fresh acidity and crispness to the wines. Yakima Valley was Washington’s first federally-recognized AVA and has had time to spread its wings, in a sense, with more than 40 grape varietals flourishing from the banks of the Yakima River to the hot tops of loamy rises deposited by the Missoula Floods.
“VITAL Wines Guest Winemaker Series benefits vineyard workers in Washington state”
By L.M. Archer for The Drinks Business (April 2023)
