Morgen Long Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2021

Robert ParkerAlthough the 2021 Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard is still in tank, it's shaping up to be one of the best iterations of this single-vineyard wine. Matchstick nuances open to perfumed peach, lemon peel, acacia, almonds and allspice on the nose, unfurling continuously as it spends time in the glass. The medium-bodied palate offers slow waves of pure, gently honeyed fruit. It's concentrated yet weightless, and its combination of generous fruit and mouthwatering acidity creates a haunting finish that calls you back to the glass.

Jeb DunnuckThe 2021 Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard brings forward stunning aromatics of balanced flinty reduction, toasty earth, lime candy, and pristine green apple. The palate is medium-bodied, with pithy citrus, long fruit on the palate, and an arch of concentration and great, clean lift. It has a distilled feel to its gorgeous purity and transparency, with well-integrated oak.

Seth Morgen Long began making his wines in 2014 and is exclusively dedicated to the production of Willamette Valley Chardonnay. Originally from North Carolina, his family relocated to the Willamette Valley when he was nine. Having worked for Domaine de Montille in 2012 and 2013, he took their model for winemaking and returned to the Willamette Valley. Seth had been making his wines in the Lingua Franca facilities until 2022, when they sold to Constellation. He is currently operating out of Michael Etzel’s space down the road from Beaux Freres, where the wines for this report were tasted in their new tasting room. His style continues to evolve, although the wines are still about purity and focus and are well worth seeking out. I continue believe these are some of the best examples of Chardonnay you can find.