Championship Bottle 'Gravity's Pull' Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon

The 2021 vintage of Gravity’s Pull Chardonnay captures the Willamette Valley’s cool precision in a wine of remarkable tension and clarity. Sourced from old, ungrafted vines in the Laurelwood District, it balances luminous orchard fruit with a mineral core that speaks directly to its wind-blown loess soils. Crafted with a gentle hand and extended élevage, this small-production Chardonnay (just 73 cases made) is a striking expression of Oregon terroir, offering both immediate vibrancy and the promise of graceful evolution in the cellar.

Product Details

• Grape Variety: 100% Chardonnay (ungrafted, old vines at Dion Vineyard)

• Vineyard & Soils: Wind-blown loess soils in the Laurelwood District, Chehalem Mountains; 30+ year-old ungrafted vines

• Fermentation & Elevage: Native yeast fermentation in older oak barrels and puncheons, followed by undisturbed maturation for 11 months; then transferred on lees into stainless steel for an additional 6 months before bottling

• Production Volume: 73 cases produced

Sensory Description
On the nose, the wine opens with white peach, lemon peel, and green apple aromas. Beneath them lies a stony, flinty backbone and a subtle waft of saline reduction that adds tension and intrigue. On the palate, zesty acidity carries flavors of citrus pith, crisp orchard fruit, and a steely mineral core. The oak influence is very discreet—just enough to add complexity without softening the wine’s electric edge. The texture is lean but energetic, with fine tension and a precise finish that returns to minerality and chalky drive. Over time, tertiary notes of wet stone, oyster shell, and faint white flower may emerge, deepening the wine’s character.

Producer’s Background
Championship Bottle, led by Saul Mutchnick, is a small, white-wine–focused project in the Willamette Valley. Their philosophy leans toward wines of bright minerality, clarity, and ageworthy tension, inspired by the whites of Friuli and Burgundy. “Gravity’s Pull” is their flagship Chardonnay, and 2021 is regarded as one of the finest iterations to date, reflecting both the exceptional fruit source and the producer’s patient, minimalist approach in the cellar.

Serving Suggestions
Serve this Chardonnay at 48–52 °F. It works beautifully alongside scallops with brown butter, briny shellfish (oysters, clams), butter-poached fish, or pastas with lemon cream sauce and fresh herbs. Because of its structure and minerality, it also pairs well with richer dishes like roasted chicken or mild goat cheese. This wine can be cellared for 7–10 years; expect its minerality and complexity to deepen while maintaining its core of freshness.