Hello and welcome to my weekly dig through the pile of wine samples that show up on my doorstep asking to be tasted. I’m pleased to bring you the latest installment of Vinography Unboxed, where I highlight some of the better bottles that have arrived recently.

This past week included a couple of nice Chardonnays from the ambitious Abbot Claim Vineyard in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Founded and owned by Antony Beck, whose South African estate Graham Beck makes some of the country’s best sparkling wines. In addition to fruit from the 32 acres of estate vineyard, Abbot Claim purchases fruit from various other sites around the valley. The two Chardonnays I’m recommending this week are from purchased fruit from single vineyards. The first, X-Omni, is planted on volcanic soils and has a very nice reductive character. The second, from the famed Temperance Hill Vineyard, shows a bit more oak than I would like, but also has a lean flinty character that I admire.

Next, I’ve got three Zinfandels and a Sangiovese from Acorn Winery in the Russian River Valley. The Alegría Vineyard provides fruit for one of the Zinfandels and the Sangiovese, both of which are actually field blends with several other grape varieties included. Two other single-vineyard Zinfandels join the lineup. I really like all of these wines, and think they are the strongest of the Acorn portfolio, with a really nice balance of ripeness and brilliant acidity. Since the brand is newly owned by Ancient Oak Cellars, it’s not 100% clear how to purchase them or their prices, but hopefully they will sort that out soon.

To close things out this week, I’ve got the remainder of the Weathereye Vineyard’s new releases. These include their Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cabernet Sauvignon, and a proprietary red blend called The Raven’s Share. All the wines express the power of the extremely exposed, rocky site at the top of Washington’s Red Mountain AVA. These are big, powerful wines, that will benefit from some bottle age, but are generally balanced, and with enough acidity to keep from feeling too heavy.

Notes on all these below.

Tasting Notes

2023 Abbot Claim “X Omni” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of struck match, white flowers, and lemon pith. In the mouth, lemon pith, lemon oil, and lemon peel mix with white flowers and a touch of buttered sourdough toast. Crushed nuts and sweet oak linger in the finish. Great acidity. Whole-cluster pressed, the recycled free-run juice is put back in the press for some more skin contact. Barrel fermented with ambient yeasts on gross lees. Aged for 12 months in barrel and then another six in a steel tank before bottling unfiltered. 13.5% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $135. click to buy.

2022 Abbot Claim “Temperance Hill Vineyard” Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Light gold in the glass, this wine smells of wet pavement, struck flint, crushed nuts, and toasted oak. In the mouth, toasted oak flavors mix with saline lemon peel and lemon pith as notes of vanilla and dried herbs linger in the finish with a hint of bitterness. Chalky, stony underbelly. Whole cluster pressed, recycled free-run juice put back in the press for some more skin contact. Barrel fermented on gross lees. 13% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $135. click to buy.

2023 Acorn Winery “Alegría Vineyards” Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
Medium garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberry, bramble, and licorice. In the mouth, juicy blackberry and cherry flavors mix with licorice root, baking spices, and a touch of black pepper. Excellent acidity and faint gauzy tannins round out a wonderfully expressive wine. Sweet oak notes surface in the finish. 14.2% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $42.

2023 Acorn Winery “Battaglini Vineyard” Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
Inky purple in the glass, this wine smells of blackberries and raspberries. In the mouth, electric acidity makes ripe and unripe blackberry flavors burst on the palate as powdery tannins coat the mouth and the blackberries soar on and on. Hard not to love this ripe expression of fruit that manages to stay just this side of excessive. 14.8% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $??

2023 Acorn Winery “Pagnano Vineyard” Zinfandel, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
Very dark, almost opaque garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blackberries and blueberries, wildflowers, and a hint of licorice. In the mouth, intense and ripe flavors of blackberry and blueberry are shot through with sweet oak as fantastic acidity makes the mouth water. Velvety tannins coat the mouth and seem to support the flavors through a very long finish. 14.5% alcohol. Score: between 9 and 9.5. Cost: $??

2023 Acorn Winery “Alegría Vineyards” Sangiovese, Russian River Valley, Sonoma County, California
Medium to dark ruby in the glass, this wine smells of cherries, chopped herbs, and a touch of toasted oak. In the mouth, supple suede-like tannins wrap around a core of cherry and sawdust flavors that have a lovely brightness thanks to juicy acidity. Notes of sweet oak linger in the finish along with the cherry fruit. Pretty. 13.6% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $45.

2023 Weathereye Vineyards “Estate” Syrah, Columbia Valley, Washington
Dark garnet in the glass with purple highlights, this wine smells of blackberries, black cherries, and blueberries. In the mouth, intense, inky flavors of blueberries, blackberries, and licorice root have a juicy concentration as fine-grained tannins coat the mouth and stiffen. Notes of dried herbs linger in the finish. 14.9% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $95. click to buy.

2023 Weathereye Vineyards “Estate” Mourvèdre, Columbia Valley, Washington
Dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of blueberries and black cherries. In the mouth, dark and rich flavors of blueberry, black cherry, chopped green herbs, and licorice root have a fine-grained leathery tannic texture and very good acidity. Intense but with enough acidity and structure to keep from feeling heavy on the palate. 14.9% alcohol. Score: between 8.5 and 9. Cost: $85. click to buy.

2023 Weathereye Vineyards “Estate” Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley, Washington
Very dark garnet in color, this wine smells of black cherry and earth, herbs, and molasses. In the mouth, intense, massive tannins coat the mouth and seem to push outward against all surfaces of the palate, parching them as black cherry, cassis liqueur, earth, and licorice flavors linger. Decent acidity, but the tannins need some serious mellowing before this will be drinkable. 14.9% alcohol. Score: around 8.5. Cost: $125. click to buy.

2023 Weathereye Vineyards “The Raven’s Share” Red Blend, Columbia Valley, Washington
Very dark garnet in the glass, this wine smells of cherry, tobacco, chopped green herbs, and a touch of black plum. In the mouth, powdery tannins coat the mouth, stiffen, and parch the cheeks slightly as juicy flavors of black cherry, plum, herbs, and a hint of mocha and sweet oak linger through a long finish. The tannins are intense enough that this one needs 3-5 years of cellaring to be at its best. A blend of 36% Cabernet Franc, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 29% Merlot. 14.9% alcohol. Score: around 9. Cost: $125. click to buy.