2016 as a vintage, is extraordinarily pretty, balanced, and delicious. These wines had tremendous early appeal, and that charm continues to make pulling the cork on a 2016 an easy thing to do. But…I actually feel these wines are going through a little bit of a dumb phase. They want a little more air, show a bit more restriction on the succulence of the fruit, and just seem ever so slightly cranky. They’re showing a little bit of the flatness that comes as fruit subsides while tannins are working through their phases still.
The Heritage wines: #7 from Whistling Ridge is reminiscent at times of Piemontese wines. Layered dusty red fruits, fresh kitchen herbs, tea notes. If you have to open this, it needs a day or two to open. I would hold off for now, but The #8 from Durant vineyard has rounded out into a superb Dundee Hills wine, it is in just a hint of a quiet mood. I would recommend holding these for now. The vineyard designates are also all still showing their quality but without showing off, and I would recommend holding them for now.
In the opposite direction, I really recommend drinking the Willamette Valley and Ribbon Ridge bottlings if you have more than one. These will continue to age, but boy are they in a great spot now.
The 2016 Chardonnays are clean, complex, elegant, and world class. The Durant is a tranquil bath of yellow gold fruits, leaning into subtle touches of subois, and clean, creamy acidity. The Richard’s blossomed into a lovely wine with bright ripe fruit, yet superb balance, I seem to keep finishing bottles off…. Look to 2022-2030 for this wine. But to be fair, it’s in a delicious spot now, if you don’t want to wait, then go for it.
2016 Whistling Ridge Blanc is drinking very well. Vibrant complex, hitting all of the marks for a wine of this nature, complex aromatically, with lychee, mixed fruits, citrus peel, and flowers, perhaps a touch of smoke. The palate is textural but energetic and it drinks vibrantly but in a refined way.