From: Columbia Gorge, Washington, USA
Varietal: Chardonnay
Taste and Critical Acclaim: Floral notes of honeysuckle and pear blossoms blend into juicy tropical fruit. The mouth feels medium in weight with mouth-watering acidity to balance. Creamy vanilla, a hint of lemon zest, and minerals complete the profile.
“This is a high elevation site that is a cool climate for the state. This is loaded with texture and salty minerals on the palate with citrus rind and rich pear and nectarine fruit flavors. Well-constructed, this has the weight and tension to cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2024-2034.” —Owen Bargreen, 93 points
Pairing: This cool-climate Washington Chardonnay is an extremely versatile pairing partner. It has us craving dishes like scallops served in a butter-based sauce, shrimp scampi, butternut squash risotto, creamy lemon-zucchini pasta, or a classic roasted chicken. This following Farro and Mushroom Gratin recipe by Melissa Clark will be a wonderful match.
About. Devona is a boutique winery in the Walla Walla Valley, Washington, founded by John Abbot, a winemaker with over three decades of experience in the Pacific Northwest. Abbott, known for his meticulous attention to detail and dedication to small- lot, handcrafted wines, launched Devona in 2016 after co-founding Abeja, another renowned winery in Walla Walla, where he established his reputation.
The philosophy behind Devona is Abbott's belief in minimal intervention winemaking, allowing the character of the vineyard and the vintage to express themselves fully in the wine. Devona's wines are known for their elegance, balance, and complexity, reflecting the unique terroir of the Columbia Valley and other prime vineyards in the region.
Abbott sources his grapes from some of the best vineyards in Washington, focusing on those that are sustainably farmed and have a track record of producing high-quality fruit. The winery produces a limited range of varietals, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah, among others, with an emphasis on small production lots that showcase the nuances of each grape variety.
Wine Notes. The 2022 Devona Rainmaker Vineyard Chardonnay represents Devona’s first vintage working with fruit from this cool-climate vineyard, which is located in the Columbia Gorge at 960-1200 feet above sea level. They originally planned to use it as a blending component in their Washington Chardonnay, but these five barrels clearly deserved to be bottled on their own. In fact, when they attempted to blend this wine with their White Salmon Vineyard wines, not only did this wine get lost, but it didn’t make the White Salmon better, either.
Varietal Composition: 100% Chardonnay
Vineyard Source: 100% Rainmaker Vineyard
Clone: 100% Dijon 76
Alc. 13.9%, pH 3.23, TA 7.1 g/L
Harvest Date: October 15, 2022
Oak Composition: 100% French; 25% new, 75% one & two-year-old
Barrel Aging: 8 Months
Bottling Date: June 27, 2023
