2018 Bethel Heights Estate Chardonnay (half-bottle)

Responsibly Farmed
Hidden Gem
Classic in Style

Established in 1977 in the Eola Hills northwest of Salem, Bethel Heights has been owned and operated by the same family since the beginning.

Certified organic farming practices, LIVE certified, unfined, and only 210 cases produced.

White
  • Tasting Notes flinty lemon, asian pear, white peach, white tea, baked biscuit, clove
  • Variety Chardonnay
  • Region United States, Oregon, Willamette Valley
  • Volume 375ml
  • Alcohol Volume 13%
  • Table Talk Ted Casteel is one of the founders of LIVE, a comprehensive certification system based on continual reduction of off-farm inputs, energy & water consumption.

$25.00

Out of stock

Forty years ago Ted Casteel and Terry Casteel and their partners, Pat Dudley and Marilyn Webb, abandoned academia and, together with Pat’s sister Barbara Dudley, purchased 75 beautiful acres in the Eola Hills northwest of Salem, where they planted a vineyard and started a new life.

“When we arrived here we found a flourishing ecosystem in place: healthy living soils, a stream running through a shady ravine fed by a pure clean spring, and a rich diversity of wildlife with which we try to live in peace. Above all else we have sought to grow our grapes and make our wine without diminishing the life of this unique place.”

Bethel Heights has farmed without herbicides since 2009, without tilling the soil since 2012, and without any synthetic inputs whatsoever since 2019. They maintain a permanent green cover in the vine rows to build healthy soils, to sequester carbon, to mitigate erosion, to retain moisture, and to promote maximum biodiversity. In the winery they are transitioning to significantly less carbon-intensive packaging, and significantly less water and energy use. Solar panels were installed in 2010 and provide 60% of their energy needs.

CHARDONNAY
As one of the most popular grapes for growing and consuming, Chardonnay can be made in a wide range of styles depending on where it is grown and how it is made. These styles can vary from a sparkling Blanc de Blanc, or fresh fermented in stainless steel, to rich and creamy white wine aged in oak barrels. While Chardonnay can flourish in many environments, in its homeland of Burgundy it can produce some of the most remarkable and longest lived examples. Whereas from California it can produce both oaky, buttery styles as well as leaner, European-inspired wines. A Somm secret: the Burguny subregion of Chablis, while typically using older oak barrels, produces a bright style similar to the unoaked style with high levels of acidity. Most people who do not like oaky/buttery Chardonnay may likely enjoy Chablis. Notable regions for this grape include Burgundy in France, Central Coast, Napa, and Sonoma in California, Oregon and Western Australia. When pairing with meals, consider the characteristics, flavors, and acidity of your food first. You always want to try to match the same characteristics and intensities with your wine. No brainer pairing options include seafood, salads, and white meat.

WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON
The Willamette Valley AVA lies to the west of the Cascade Mountains south of the city, Portland in Oregon. Stretching into Southern Oregon, this region has the largest concentration of wineries and vineyards. With cool breezes from the Pacific Ocean, dry, long sunny days, and cool nights, Willamette Valley is prime territory for growing Burgundian grapes: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. With the first planting’s back in the 1960’s, this region has grown slowly, but significantly, producing top quality and world-renown wines from mostly small wineries.