House of Bones - 2018 Chardonnay

Review Tasting Notes:

Spice, Meyer lemon and mineral aromas are out front, leading to a textured, full palate with exquisite depth, layering, and intensity.

Other Notes:

Sourced from one of the most prestigious vineyards in Washington State, Celilo Vineyard. Barrel fermented with native yeast and sent through partial Malolactic Fermentation. Aged sur lie in French Oak Barriques, 20% new.

About HOB:

House of Bones came to being through co-winemakers Sean Boyd and Kevin Masterman shared passion for Burgundy wines, specifically the region’s Chardonnay. Kevin has had incredible opportunities to learn white wine making from top new world producers such as David Ramey, and Walla Walla’s own Griffin Frey and John Abbott. He spent many harvests gaining practical knowledge on the cellar floor and tasting Premier Crus while playing ping pong with John after a long day at the winery. Sean and Kevin’s talent meet some of the best fruit in the Columbia Gorge, resulting in a beautifully balanced homage to white Burgundies. In the not so distant future, there will be a Pinot Noir to complement the Chardonnay.

AVA | Columbia Gorge

Designated: 2004
Vineyards: Total vineyard acreage: 950 (384 Hectares);

Washington acreage: 381 (154 Hectares)
Top Varieties: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling
Average Annual Precipitation: 10-36 inches

Established in 2004, the Columbia Gorge AVA is the state’s westernmost appellation east of the Cascade Mountains. A shared appellation with Oregon, the 40-mile long Columbia Gorge is notable for its diversity, with very dry regions to the east as well as areas to the west that receive so much rain they are able to dry farm – an extreme rarity in eastern Washington.

About Celilo Vineyard

Celilo Vineyards was planted on Underwood Mountain in 1972, most vines are 40 years old. The deep-rooted vines bring a mineral characteristic to Celilo's wines along with higher acidity. At an elevation 800 to 1100 feet, the vineyard is considered sub-alpine, sitting on a cusp of wetter maritime weather to the west and the desert to the east. Annual rainfall of 50 inches percolates into the vineyard's grainy "buckshot" sized volcanic loam. Soils from the extinct volcano cone of Underwood Mountain can be as deep as 45 feet and retain moisture well, allowing Celilo Vineyards to survive without irrigation. Due to the soil, the flavors that come through the grapes is "minerally" and intense. Today Celilo Vineyards encompasses 74 acres of wine grapes, growing: Gewurztraminer, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, Gruner Veltliner, Lemberger, Muller-Thurgau.