Morgen Long Willamette Valley Eyrie Vineyard Chardonnay 2019 (750ML)

96 Points, John Gilman, View from the Cellar: "This is Seth Long’s oldest vine bottling, as this block of ungrafted chardonnay vines was planted by David Lett in 1968. The grapes were picked on September 28th this year, with the wine coming in at an even thirteen percent. As is customary, it started fermentation in stainless, was racked to a once-filled French cask to finish fermentation and age on its fine lees for one year. This was followed by six months of finishing elevage in tank prior to bottling. The bouquet is pure and youthful, with a gently reductive personality eventually revealing scents of lemon, pear, a complex base of salty soil tones, citrus zest, fresh almond, a dollop of iodine, fruit blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and still quite primary in personality, with great depth at the core, superb soil inflection, zesty acids and a long, vibrant and extremely promising finish. This is still a puppy and needs bottle age to allow its secondary layers to emerge, but it will be flat out brilliant once it is truly ready to drink! 2026-2055." 03/21