2020 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills X Omni

From grapes picked on the 20th of September and aged in 60% new wood, the 2020 Chardonnay X Omni is more generous with ripe tropical fruit aromas, while still being focused and pure, with hints of white flowers and sweet pear. The palate is fresh with green apple, lemon-lime citrus, baking spice, and a chalky texture on the finish. Drink 2022-2030. Seth Morgen Long began making his wines in 2014 and is exclusively dedicated to the production of Willamette Valley Chardonnay. Originally from North Carolina, his family relocated to the Willamette Valley when he was nine. Having worked for Domaine de Montille in 2012 and 2013, he took their model for winemaking and returned to the Willamette Valley. Seth had been making his wines in the Lingua Franca facilities until this year, when they sold to Constellation. He is currently operating out of Michael Etzel’s space down the road from Beaux Freres. His style continues to evolve, although the wines remain about purity and focus, and they are well worth seeking out.

LIVE certified. Picked 20 September and 1 October. X Omni is in the south of the Eola-Amity Hills. To plant this vineyard more than 70 tons of rocks were pulled out in 2012. The dense plantings are cordon-pruned and feature 15 clones of Chardonnay. Three-quarters of the vineyard is planted to Chardonnay. Morgen Long sources from two blocks planted in 2014 and 2016, and gets a bit of Aligoté, which is pressed and vinified with the Chardonnay (0.1% Aligoté). The vines are on rootstock, the vineyard is fully cultivated, and has drip irrigation installed. The mixed volcanic basalt soils are primarily Nekia and Gelderman with some Jory. Farming is LIVE-certified. From Morgen Long's website, 'Whole cluster pressed, the juice was allowed to brown for 12 hours before being sulfured. One press cut was made, and the hard press settled separate with no sulfur. After 24 hours of cold settling on organic yeast hulls, the heart was racked off all solids into warming stainless tank with a pied de cuve. Once ambient yeast fermentation started, the must was racked into oak. It was bone dry in 2–3 weeks and malolactic engaged, completing between early November and early January. X Omni Block 5 aged for 11.5 months in 60% new French oak from a 500-litre Damy Exclusive puncheon and 40% second-fill oak from a 350-litre Damy Exclusive puncheon before being racked off lees into steel for a second winter. Cold stabilised and polish filtered before bottling in February 2022. Closed with 49 x 25 mm “Extra” and 54 x 25 mm “Flor” Aquitaine Liege punch cork.’ TA 7.29 g/l, pH 3.28, 50 ppm SO 2 . Drink now (smoke taint can develop in bottle). In many ways, I like the Morgen Long 2020s but they are SO DIFFERENT than the usual style – winemaking changed to compensate for 2020 fires. There is no reduction. Ripe yellow apples, pear, pear blossom, white florals, toasty well-integrated oak, and a very present SO 2 character (it was sulfured and bottled last week). I'm going to give this wine the benefit of the doubt as it mostly blew off after an hour in my glass but I'd certainly decant it as I don't recommend you age it. Once open the palate is zesty and linear with some yeasty bread-dough character and rolling waves of acid. Peaches, salt and lime blossom and a nearly imperceptible lick of smoke on the back palate (it doesn't linger and it's not unpleasant but I do recommend you drink this soon). (SCJ)