This is a pre-arrival offering that is expected in spring of 2026
Our tasting impressions
The nose of this Chardonnay is remarkably focused and penetrating. Then, you get a mouthful of light, zippy citrus and saline goodness. Methinks it didn't get the memo that this is intended as an entry-level Chardonnay. Like most of Saul's wines, it way over delivers on its price.
About this wine
A new offering of 100% Chardonnay from two sites, both in the (windy) Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Most of it (85%ish) comes from the promising, young (Clive) Newell Vineyard (this would have been the first or second crop) which is on the same gravel road as the winery. It's at 600'+ and mostly west-facing, with volcanic soils. The rest of it comes from the top-shelf Royer Vineyard , which sits farther south and was planted in 2016 (solely to white grapes). The rows are in the upper block, which is pushing 700' in elevation, west-facing, and is the coolest part of the vineyard.
The elevage, is about 12 months in barrel and then another six months on its lees in stainless steel. 99 cases produced.
About the grape
Chardonnay, the most popular wine variety in the US, is believed to have originated in Burgundy. Winemakers love the green-skinned grape because it’s so easy to grow and adaptive to many different production techniques. Grown everywhere,
About the vintage
Saul reports: 2023 was an easy vintage (relative to 2022) that was warm basically from start to finish. After the frosts in '22, vines seemed to have plenty of energy in reserve. I don't remember seeing canopies that healthy and lush. In general, I think the key was making sure you didn't wait too long to pick--it's one of the shorter bloom-to-picking timeframes I've dealt with here, but at the same time the flavors were fully developed and the acids were mature even though we picked at moderate brix. In general, fermentations were easy and clean, and the wines are really exciting to me: There's fruit, but still good vibrancy and plenty of acidity. I think the '23s are one of the most immediately rewarding set of wines we've made, but also should age really nicely.
Music Reference
The title of a 1984 R&B tune by Champaign.
In a VDLT portfolio of small producers, Championship Bottle is the micro-est. Owner/winemaker Saul Mutchnick crafts about 600 cases of wine from grapes he acquires from some of the top vineyards in Willamette Valley. He seeks out some of the Valley’s finest growers, who already farm in concert with his priorities. He visits the plots regularly, insists on 100% control over the date to hand pick and participates in the harvest.
Based in Portland, Saul and his wife Sonya rent space at a winery in Amity. The winery name is based on Championship Vinyl from the film "High Fidelity." Saul is a huge music fan and most of his wine names have a music connection.
His wine influence is definitively the Italian region Friuli, which he considers to have much in common with the Willamette Valley - all the vineyards are dry farmed and sustainably farmed. They also share many grape varieties in common (he will not work with varieties that are not grown in Friuli).
Saul worked in wine shops early in his career. That combined with his love of the complex but transparent white wines of Friuli, inspired him to make his own wine. He is quick to point out that his goal is to make Oregon wines that reflect Friuli - not the other way around.
The first evidence that he is up to something uncommon: most of his wines clock in below 13% alcohol. Plus, try to find a new oak barrel in his arsenal. His focus is on clarity, purity, terroir and food-frienliness. He likes native yeast fermentation for its complexity, and long elevage to promote age-worthiness.
Championship Bottle is truly a labor of love and artisanship. They produce beautiful wines that have so much to say about the vineyards and the winemaker.
