Red Willow Vineyard Chardonnay
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2027
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Pan-seared halibut, roasted chicken with herbs, creamy mushroom risotto
✨ Technical Specifications
Sourced from one of Washington State's most legendary and historic sites, the Owen Roe Red Willow Vineyard Chardonnay is a testament to the unique terroir of the far western Yakima Valley. Pioneered by the Sauer family, Red Willow Vineyard is famous for its steep slopes, ancient soils, and the iconic stone chapel that crowns its highest hill. While renowned for pioneering Rhône varieties in the state, Red Willow's high elevation and cooler microclimate also yield exceptional Chardonnay. Owen Roe crafts this wine to highlight the vineyard's signature vibrant acidity and mineral undertones, typically employing traditional barrel fermentation and French oak aging to impart a beautifully textured, creamy mouthfeel balanced by bright orchard fruit and subtle spice notes.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1999 by David and Angelica O'Reilly, Owen Roe is named in honor of the 17th-century Irish patriot Owen Roe O'Neill. Operating across the Pacific Northwest, the winery bridges Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley, celebrating cool-climate microclimates, diverse volcanic and windblown loess soils, and dry, high-sunlight ripening conditions. Following a brief period under corporate ownership, the O'Reilly family repurchased the estate in 2024 to reassert their founding independent vision. The viticultural and cellar philosophy prioritizes rigorous low-yield vineyard management, hand harvesting, small-lot fermentations, and judicious use of French oak barrel aging to preserve varietal clarity and site-specific typicity. Sourcing from benchmark terroirs such as Red Willow and DuBrul, Owen Roe produces critically acclaimed single-vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Chardonnay alongside value-driven cuvées under their Sharecropper’s and Corvidae labels, delivering structured, cellar-worthy expressions marked by vibrant acidity and deep concentration.
🍇 Grapes
Chardonnay