For years I have admired the wines of Big Table Farm, a boutique winery started by Clare Carver and Brian Marcy. Year after year they produce a rocking set of releases. They even did a fantastic job navigating the conditions of 2020. Many of you know that I am crazy for top Oregon Chardonnay. People are stuck in the sand if they do not admire the top Chardonnay bottlings that Oregon offers. These wines at their best show serious tension with beautiful fruit and non-fruit profiles and a lengthy finish.
Winemaker Brian Marcy knows a thing or two about Chardonnay. Prior to his time at Big Table Farm he was making some beautiful Chardonnay wines in Napa for Neyers. These wines showed good balance despite the heat of each vintage. The same is true with his approach to Chardonnay in Oregon. The wines are highly age worthy and show beautiful fruit flavors, with good tension and length. Oregon Chardonnay at its best ages gracefully.
Over the past few months I have had a chance to reach into my cellar and taste through some of the older Chardonnay bottlings by Big Table Farm. These are wines that are aging gracefully and will easily sit for ten plus years. I particularly loved the 2018 Big Table Farm ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay (OB, 94) which is big and bold, showing great weight and good underlying tension, with a near minute-long finish. Without further adieu here are my notes from some cellar selections — beautiful Chardonnays by Big Table Farm. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/
2019 Big Table Farm ‘The Wild Bee’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘The Wild Bee’ is at a really nice spot right now. It is full of verve and comes off very differently than the ’18 bottling. Full of nerve, this shows fantastic underlying acidity and salty tones alongside bright pear, sweetened peach and shades of wet stone with pastry crust notes on the palate. Showing good length this beauty has another eight plus years to go. Drink 2023-2031- 93
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay- I am enamored with where the 2018 ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay is drinking right now. It is big, bold and layered, yet does not come off at all heavy. Showing the richness from this warm vintage, the soft texture really entices, as does the marvelous length of the wine. Baked apple and starfruit notes combine with vanilla cream, nutmeg dusted brioche and shades of flint on the palate. The near minute-long finish is a real show-stopper. Drink 2023-2031- 94
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Chardonnay- Slightly less bold but every bit as delicious as the 2018 ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ bottling, the 2018 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Chardonnay is just a joy to consume now at the five year mark. Once on the nose this takes on juicy nectarine tones alongside baking spices, lime blossom and suggestions of wild mushroom. The palate also shows light earthy notes of white truffle that combine with its rich core citrus and orchard fruits. Enjoy now and over the next five to seven years to come. Drink 2023-2030- 94
2017 Big Table Farm ‘The Wild Bee’ Chardonnay- Lemon rind notes combine with shades of marzipan and nutty accents on the nose to this fantastic 2017 Chardonnay. Softly textured, and showing good nerve, with mouth-watering acidity, this glides throughout the drinking experience delivering stony nuances that mingle well with the smooth mouthfeel. Finishing long with kumquat zest and copious minerals, this beauty is drinking marvelously now and will easily last another eight years. Drink 2023-2031- 93