Ah, what a terrific wine the Domaine Drouhin 2007 Arthur Chardonnay Dundee Hills (13.9%) is to the eyes, nose, and mouth. It's not often that I would spend $30 on a bottle of white wine, but this Oregon chardonnay is well worth every penny.

A light, golden straw color in the glass, the Arthur was a very aromatic, floral wine, delivering notes of pear, honeysuckle, and pineapple. These scents repeated themselves as flavors, with a fullness to the wine that was not cloying, offering a long, lasting finish. The acidity was very well balanced, making this a delicious food-friendly wine.

I learned from the Domaine Drouhin web site that half of the juice that went into the 2007 Arthur was barrel fermented (10% new French oak), while the other half was placed in stainless steel. I really liked the flavors this approach imparted on this wine. It clearly has a signature taste, one that I first discovered at IPNC 2008 last summer while visiting the DDO winery.

We paired the Arthur with Whole Foods crab cakes that had been pan fried and then placed on a tossed salad of green leaf lettuce, sliced cherry tomatoes and avocado. It was a wonderful pairing of local seafood and wine, with the Arthur really stealing the show.

I am definitely getting more of this wine to enjoy now while setting a few bottles back for later years. This is a terrific Oregon chardonnay, a wine that anyone looking for something special should try for themselves.

Related Links
Domaine Drouhin Arthur Release Note