Iris Hill, Chardonnnay, 2006, Oregon

The folks at Iris Winery have opened up a new tasting room in Cottage Grove. Although not the most picturesque setting, the staff there were super nice and informative. For a measly 3 dollar fee, one gets to taste through the current Iris offerings and take home a nice sturdy tasting style glass. What stood out most for me at the time was the 2006 Oregon Chard (partly because it was selling at half price). The nose was dominated by crisp yellow apple, lemon pledge, white chocolate, and a bit of candied banana and funky cork taint. It had a shimmering gold evenly distributed color. This is a fairly round wine with an oily texture on the front end leading to a brief burst of acidity and finally a softer lingering finish. Rich dense syrupy lemon is most present on the flavor profile with hints of butter popcorn jellybelly on the mid-palate. Overall there is a nice balance of acidity and roundness on this simple kinda shrilly wine. I think it is best served on the colder side and within the first few days of being open. After three days and as the wine begins to warm, it quickly becomes disjointed and awkward. I think this chardonnay would pair well with a simple salty fish dish. Fish and Chips anyone?