Clone 15 Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, Dungeness crab cakes, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
JM Cellars' Clone 15 Chardonnay is a focused exploration of clonal selection in Washington State, frequently sourced from the acclaimed Stillwater Creek Vineyard in the Columbia Valley. Clone 15, highly regarded for its aromatic intensity, bright citrus profile, and structural elegance, thrives in the region's warm days and cool nights. Winemaker John Bigelow carefully coaxes out the clone's distinct personality by utilizing French oak barrel fermentation and aging, balancing its natural, vibrant acidity with a beautifully integrated, creamy texture and subtle toasted spice notes.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1998 by John and Peggy Bigelow, JM Cellars is a benchmark family-owned artisanal winery centered at Bramble Bump, a wooded sanctuary in Woodinville, Washington. Initially mentored by prominent Washington vintners Mike Januik and Charlie Hoppes, the Bigelows evolved from basement garagistes into leading producers of small-lot, site-expressive Pacific Northwest wines. While production operations are based in Woodinville and Maltby, estate fruit originates from Margaret's Vineyard—a certified sustainable and Salmon-Safe site perched within Walla Walla's acclaimed SeVein development. Complementing their estate plantings, JM Cellars selectively sources from venerated Columbia Valley, Yakima Valley, and Red Mountain vineyards, including Boushey, Stillwater Creek, and Quintessence. Winemaking under John and his son Tommy emphasizes precision and texture, utilizing small-batch fermentations in stainless steel, concrete eggs, and French oak barrels. Benchmark cuvées include their signature Tre Fanciulli red blend, Margaret's Vineyard Bordeaux varietals, and vineyard-designated Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay, consistently distinguished by vibrant fruit purity and structured finesse.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay