One of the great Willamette Valley spots to visit in McMinnville, Elizabeth Chambers Cellar is a cozy, historic site that has a large outdoor space perfect for a warm summer day. Elizabeth Chambers started her wine career in 1993, shortly after her mother Carolyn, a well-respected business and civic leader in Oregon, acquired Hinman Vineyards (later renamed Silvan Ridge). At the time there were considerably fewer Oregon wineries and Liz worked hard to establish Silvan Ridge as a powerful wine brand.
In 2005, Liz bought a historic winemaking facility in what was formerly a McMinnville power plant. She acquired this great building first erected in 1926 and created her namesake winery. Finally in 2013 Elizabeth Chambers opened and has been producing high quality wines since that time. I have enjoyed the wines for many years made by Drew Voit, who has been former assistant winemaker at Domaine Serene for four years before joining Elizabeth Chambers.
His new wines for Elizabeth Chambers were delicious as I love the new 2021 Elizabeth Chambers Rose (OB, 91) which is vibrant with a soft texture. Check out the beautiful new 2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) which has really good range and a great sense of tension. Learn more about these great wines at https://elizabethchamberscellar.com Here are the delicious new wines by Elizabeth Chambers.
2021 Elizabeth Chambers Rose- A pale salmon color, the 2021 Elizabeth Chambers Rose delivers a wonderful core of tension and finesse. Salty minerals combine with wild strawberry, salmonberry and shades of Shitakke mushroom on the palate. Nicely textured, enjoy this beauty over the next five years while the bright acidity continues to drive this wine. Drink 2022-2027- 91
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Durant Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Sourced from this great site in the Dundee Hills, the 2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Durant Vineyard’ Chardonnay delivers white peach and honeysuckle water tones alongside wet stone and shades of Meyer lemon rind on the palate. Finishing long with stony minerals and vanilla cream, this is beautiful wine that is already nicely evolved — and should cellar over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Fairsing Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Fairsing Vineyard’ offers a beautiful melange of orange blossom, flint and suggestions of baking spice dusted sourdough bread on the nose. The palate is ripe and soft with loads of tension that runs though the salty undertones and ripe orchard and citrus fruits. Fantastic to savor now, this has another decade of life in front of it. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Showing good verve and softness from this cooler vintage, the 2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir offers ripe guava and strawberry tones on the nose with hints of toasty oak and wet stone. The wine is very linear but nicely textured, with delicate red fruits that mingle well with shades of citrus embers and damp earth. Already nicely evolved, enjoy this excellent value over the next six plus years. Drink 2022-2028- 90
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The excellent 2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir was stored for eleven months in 20% new French oak before bottling in October 2020. Ripe red cherry and pomegranate seed flavors combine with silky tannins and blood orange zest flavors. Finishing long, this is delicious wine to savor over the next decade. Only 125 cases produced. Drink 2022-2032-92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Dupee Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Dupee Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is sourced from the McMinnville AVA, as this wine was stored for eleven months in 25% new French oak before botting. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth mouthfeel. Tart red fruits combine with freshly tilled salty soils and orange rind flavors with hints of menthol on the palate. Generous and well-structured, this outstanding wine will surely cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Lazy River Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located near Yamhill, the Lazy River Vineyard is a slightly cooler and also windy site that borders the Coast Range. Beautifully textured, with tons of finesse, this delivers lighter to medium bodied red raspberry, pomegranate and cranberry flavors alongside lighter wild mushroom tones. Enjoy over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Lazy River Vineyard Block C’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Lazy River Vineyard Block C’ Pinot Noir is loaded with crunchy red fruits with Earl Grey tea, and shades of freshly tilled loamy soils on the nose. This bottling is more earthy than the non block-specific ‘Lazy River’ but is every bit as good. Soft on the mouth and finishing long, enjoy this outstanding Pinot Noir over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2022-2033- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Eola-Amity Hills, the ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ dates back to 1981 and is set on Nekia, Rittner and Jory soils. Showing a deep core considering the coolness of the vintage, this offers a great combination of red and dark fruits with tobacco leaf and citrus rind flavors. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Fairsing Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from this site in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the ‘Fairsing Vineyard’ is mainly planted to Pinot Noir (38 acres) and is set on ancient marine sedimentary soils. The palate is wonderfully salty with pine needles and delicate red fruits that combine with orange zest flavors. Enjoy this beautifully textured, more delicate side of Pinot Noir over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Elizabeth Chambers ‘Durant Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Durant Vineyard’ is set on a high-elevation hilltop in the Dundee Hills AVA. Right away this 2019 Pinot Noir allures with red rose petals and volcanic earth alongside shades of cinnamon and cardamom dusted red fruits. The palate is fresh and lithe, with bright red fruits that parade with citrus embers and damp earthy tones. Highly enjoyable now, enjoy this lighter to medium-bodied Pinot Noir over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 92