{"product_id":"jacob-martin-chardonnay-willamette-valley-oregon-2023","title":"Jacob Martin, Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2023","description":"\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eI was up in Oregon recently visiting McKinlay Vineyards, and one of the best things I came across was the Chardonnay coming out of Jacob Martin. We sat down for lunch—crab bisque made from crabs they had just caught—and started tasting through the wines. And this Chardonnay just locked in. That moment where everything clicks—the place, the people, the wine—it’s rare. This is not some big production project. Jacob planted a tiny personal parcel inside his family’s estate, working with naturally low yields, old vines, and volcanic soils that give this wine its shape and edge. The result stopped me in my tracks. Mineral, lifted, precise Chardonnay—the kind that immediately pulls your mind to serious Puligny-Montrachet—but it’s coming out of Willamette Valley and landing under $25. That almost doesn’t make sense. And then you realize—there are only about 10 barrels of this made. There’s tension, there’s energy, that clean, piercing line with a perfect kiss of reduction—the kind of detail that immediately tells you this was grown in the right place and handled the right way. It’s the same signal you look for in serious white Burgundy. If you love Burgundy, you need to try this. Trust me.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Willamette Valley has quietly become one of the most important Chardonnay regions in the U.S., even if Pinot Noir still gets most of the attention. What makes it special is the combination of latitude, long growing seasons, and the dominance of volcanic soils—particularly Jory and Nekia—that define much of the Chehalem Mountains. These iron-rich, well-draining soils, combined with elevations around 450 feet and southeast-facing slopes, allow for slow, even ripening while preserving acidity and structure. At McKinlay, farming is thoughtful and restrained—no tilling, organic practices, and a focus on soil health that translates directly into the glass. This is a part of Oregon where Chardonnay is really starting to click—less about imitation, more about clarity of place—and when it’s done right, it hits that same nerve as white Burgundy: tension, minerality, and structure.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe McKinlay story is one of those classic Oregon narratives that doesn’t get told enough. Matt and Holly Kinne founded the winery in the late 1980s, part of that second wave that came after the early pioneers. Before Oregon, Matt cut his teeth at Hanzell in Sonoma—one of the most important estates in American wine history, known for its early pursuit of Burgundian techniques and site-driven Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. That influence shows. When the Kinne family moved north and planted their estate in the Chehalem Mountains, they made a conscious decision to stay small, hands-on, and deeply connected to the land rather than chase growth. The property still feels like a home first, winery second—kids running around, vines planted and tended by the family themselves, a cellar tucked beneath the house. Jacob Martin is their son, raised in it from the beginning. He learned by doing—pruning, farming, fermenting alongside his father—and eventually carved out his own path with Chardonnay. When Matt told him he could make it but not under the McKinlay label, Jacob launched his own project, using the same estate fruit and philosophy but with a bit more creative edge. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eIn the glass, this is everything you want from serious cool-climate Chardonnay. Citrus oil, fresh pear, green apple, white flowers—then that subtle layering of texture, where a light creaminess meets a straight, mineral-driven core. Nothing oaky, nothing heavy—just clarity and energy. It’s that balance of crisp and creamy that keeps pulling you back to the glass. Serve it around 50–55°F in Burgundy stems. Pair it with oysters, grilled halibut, roast chicken with herbs, or—if you can pull it off—crab bisque. Because that’s where this wine really made sense.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Northwest Wines LTD","offers":[{"title":"750ml","offer_id":46618100695196,"sku":"CAUB2603-JM23CHARD-750","price":24.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0694\/6937\/2572\/files\/jacob.png?v=1775579823","url":"https:\/\/thecaubleist.com\/products\/jacob-martin-chardonnay-willamette-valley-oregon-2023","provider":"The Caubleist","version":"1.0","type":"link"}