2022 Chardonnay Freya Hermann Cuvee

Pouring a bright golden yellow color, the 2022 Chardonnay Freya Hermann Cuvee sees two years in barrel. Notes of smoky earth, brûléed lemon, custard, vanilla, and pure green apples all emerge from the glass. Full-bodied, it’s the same wine, but with more aging, and has a rounded feel. It takes things up a notch, with Grand Cru-like richness, a silky texture from this undisclosed site, and a long, lingering finish that lasts for ages. Drink over the coming 15 years. Now in their tenth vintage, 00 Wines has expanded to an annual production of 5,000 cases in Oregon and includes their wines from both Burgundy and Champagne, which are featured in this report. Founded by husband-and-wife duo Katherine and Christopher Hermann, they exclusively produce Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. They derived the name “00” from numerology and say it represents true and absolute potential. Their first vintage was in 2015, and in 2017, they relocated to a shared winemaking facility that they currently operate out of. Katherine takes charge of the creative direction with packaging and communications. Her background in marketing led her to New York City and Boulder, Colorado, where she worked for technology startups before arriving in the Willamette Valley. Before establishing 00 Wines, Christopher served as a legal advisor for nearly 40 years to many of the top names in the wine and spirits industry, specializing in environmental law. They are inspired by the great wines of Burgundy and implement many Burgundian techniques, guided by their consultant, Pierre Millemann, and their winemaker, Wynne Peterson-Nerdry.