2024 Chardonnay Estate

96 pts - Northwest Wine Guide, Paul Gregutt

The estate Royer vineyard is on volcanic basalt and planted to multiple Dijon clones. Chardonnay is the specialty at this winery, with several different versions on occasion. This is the first of the ‘24s to be released. It’s a well-defined wine, cut like a chef’s knife, with citrus and stone, flesh and rind, crisp acids and streaks of vanilla. Royer’s wines challenge my commitment to spitting; I want to experience the full, down-the-throat flavor on all of them. As this warms and airs a bit it gains volume and added plushness. On the second day the yum factor is as good as ever. 130 cases; 12.6%.

2024 Riesling Estate

93 pts - Northwest Wine Guide, Paul Gregutt

Deep, dense, juicy citrus fruit, tangy flavors of lemon and lime and orange powered by juicy acids. There’s just enough sugar to offset the acids, but make no mistake this is quite dry. It’s nicely balanced between the fruit and the acid, clean and forward, fruit-driven and delicious. 24 cases; 12.8%.

2023 Chardonnay “548”

97 pts - Decanter, Clive Pursehouse

An incredible example of Chardonnay from the Eola-Amity Hills, all from a single Dijon clone, 548, grown on the Royer Vineyard at a windy, 650-foot elevation. This wine spent two years in a single DAMY barrel. Intoxicating white floral aromatics, honeyed peaches, and sweet lemon curd. The palate shows richness with Meyer lemon, salt, and chamomile, and chopped herbs and white pepper add complexity and edge that brace the citrus richness. This wine shows the complexity and brilliance of Chardonnays from the Eola-Amity Hills.

97 pts - Northwest Wine Guide, Paul Gregutt

The 548 refers to a particular Dijon clone. Just one barrel was produced. It’s a study in focus – one barrel, one clone, one vintage. Making that into a complete wine which lacks nothing and delivers such depth and detail is nothing short of miraculous. It’s filigreed with threads of spice, layered with Meyer lemon and blood orange, Asian pear and green pineapple fruit, then rolls along with multiple barrel highlights. Lightly toasty with a hint of caramel. A pleasure start to finish. 24 cases; 13.2%.

2023 Chardonnay Reserve

97 pts - Decanter, Clive Pursehouse

This is a gorgeous bottle of wine from the Royer Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, from south and west-facing slopes. It is comprised of three Dijon clones, 76, 95 and 548. This Reserve bottling is a barrel selection, made by the team at Division Winemaking Co., Tom Monroe and Kate Norris. Elegant aromatics, of honey, apricot and preserved lemon, with a faint touch of white florals. On the palate sapid lemon cream and lemon drop candies move towards gorgeous oceanic brine. An exemplary Chardonnay, a top class Willamette Valley bottle.

95 pts - Northwest Wine Guide, Paul Gregutt

The reserve is a two puncheon selection. It spent 18 months in barrel and an extra year in bottle, softening the edges and giving it an overall silky mouthfeel. It’s a deceptively subtle wine, whose accents and assets seem to arrive in waves as you sit still and focus on the flavors. A weave of citrus and orchard fruits is gently highlighted with barrel notes of coconut and coffee. The finish lingers gracefully, and tails out with suggestions of anise and cocoa. Decant this for maximum enjoyment. 110 cases; 12.6%.

2022 Chardonnay Witzel & Wind

96 pts - Decanter, Clive Pursehouse

Beguiling and confident, Chardonnay may be the future of the Willamette Valley, with the Eola-Amity Hills continuing to show Witzel & Wind comes from a so-named, mixed clonal block containing seven heritage clones of Chardonnay, planted on seven rootstocks. This wine is made using the ‘Black Chardonnay’ method, and its reductive nature shows a briny oyster shell mineral tone, smoky chipped flint, and sleek salted lemon wedge. The palate is exquisite, saline, and stony, with taut lemon oil, verbena, white pepper, and ample brine. Exquisite and classic.

96 pts - Northwest Wine Guide, Paul Gregutt

Witzel is a type of soil, the wind in the name is presumably referring to the impact of the Van Duzer Corridor breezes blowing through. This wine was made by 00 (Double Zero) – a cult producer whose wines I have greatly admired. This is a high impact style, packed with orchard fruits and showing touches of mint and charred toast after spending 18 months in year-old puncheons. An exceptionally long finish that will develop more and more nuance over time suggests that more bottle age is in order, or decant it aggressively.

95 pts - Wine Spectator, Michael Alberty

This wine made me question my policy of resisting the temptation to compare Willamette Valley wines to Burgundy. I was geographically disoriented as I took in the wine’s toasted filbert, white-peach and crab apple flower aromas. Witzel & Wind strikes with a heady mix of lemon, tangerine and white grapefruit, with flecks of rosemary and saline. I will have this wine chilled and ready when Dungeness crab season hits. Editor’s Choice. —M.A.

95 pts - Owen Bargreen

The world-class 2022 Royer ‘Royer Vineyard Witzel & Wind Block’ Chardonnay come from this very windy side of the Royer Vineyard, set on Witzel soils. This is marvelously complex stuff, offering peach and rocky soil character on the palate, with a smooth texture and beautiful push-pull of concentration and underlying tension. Full-bodied and complex, enjoy now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040.

2022 Riesling Estate

95 pts - Northwest Wine Guide, Paul Gregutt

Made with native yeast, finished dry, aged on its lees in neutral puncheons for 10 months and bottled in September 2023. Chris Butler (Cristom) was the consulting winemaker. This wine’s strength is its finish, which sneaks up on you through the palate’s back door. Intended to emulate an Alsatian style, it gathers strength and focus and depth, with deep, juicy citrus fruit expanding gorgeously as it breathes. Texture, detail and depth – this wine has it all. 12.8%.

94 pts - Decanter, Clive Pursehouse

From the windy southwest slopes of Royer Vineyard, at 200 metres in the Eola-Amity Hills, comes a gorgeous Riesling evocative of the Old World owing to its texture and depth. The aromatics are beguiling and complex. Layered citrus cream and cardamom spice with beeswax and clover honey. Honeyed apricot on the palate with dashes of classic petrol and fleshy, macerated peaches. A minerality and spice and a beautifully paired acidity finish this wine gorgeously. Out of sight.

93 pts - Owen Bargreen

The 2022 ‘Royer Vineyard’ Riesling comes from vines set on Witzel, Ritner and Nekia soils. This is beautifully-textured stuff that is done in the Kabinett style. Juicy pear and cashew nut fill the palate alongside green papaya, mango and stony minerals. Refined and elegant, with good tension, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033.