When it comes to the Dundee Hills, few winemakers understand the land quite like Chris Mazepink. Having cut his teeth at iconic producers like Archery Summit and Shea Wine Cellars, Chris gained an insider's mastery of the region's nuance, microclimates, and soil dynamics. With White Walnut Estate-his passion project nestled in the heart of the AVA-he translates that decades-long expertise into Chardonnay of breathtaking precision. It's a stellar example of what happens when a seasoned master gets total freedom on exceptional ground-a release that earned a staggering 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck, who called Chris's work "some of the region's most impressive Chardonnay."
Nestled right alongside legendary neighbors like Domaine Drouhin and Archery Summit, the property was once a forgotten, overgrown walnut orchard when Chris acquired it in 2013. Recognizing its untapped brilliance, Chris and his sons cleared the land by hand, carefully preserving 70-year-old walnut trees that still stand sentinel over the vines today. Planted in 2015 and 2016, this compact 6.3-acre site is farmed with standard-setting intention as a USDA Certified Organic and Demeter Certified Biodynamic estate. That deep commitment to the land pays off immediately in the glass-delivering a Chardonnay packed with electric energy, complex aromatics, and a vivid sense of place.
Oregon has really started to shine on the world stage, establishing itself as a premier destination for world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While the tension and elegance of these varietals often recall top-tier Burgundy, Oregon has forged a distinct identity marked by vibrant acidity, electric tension, and pure fruit vitality. Chris leans directly into this unique regional strength. Rather than trying to mimic Old World styles, he utilizes his decades of local mastery and a polyculture of rare heritage clones to craft the 2024 Chardonnay that celebrates the distinct power and saline minerality of the Dundee Hills.
From hand-clearing overgrown brush alongside his sons to farming living soils under ancient walnut trees, Chris Mazepink has poured decades of mastery into every vine at White Walnut. The result in the glass is nothing short of extraordinary. Quantities are extremely limited due to the vineyard's tiny acreage-claim your bottles today to experience this stellar 98-point Dundee Hills Chardonnay for yourself.
JEB DUNNUCK 98 POINTS - "Coming from the Dundee Hills, Chris Mazepink is producing some of the region’s most impressive Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a property he purchased and planted himself in 2013. Nestled adjacent to Domaine Drouhin and Archery Summit, where he previously served as winemaker, the site was once a walnut orchard. Today, he farms the vineyard organically and biodynamically, with a strong commitment to preserving the land’s natural biodiversity."
"The 2024 Chardonnay Apple Field Vineyard is a bright yellow color and shows greater aromatic depth, with flinty wet stone, petrichor, golden apple, bright acidity, white peach, and lime citrus oils. From a site planted in 2016 from a suitcase selection from Burgundy, the wine holds acidity beautifully and reminds me of Meursault. It has excellent density, richness, and balance. Drink 2026-2040."
Nestled right alongside legendary neighbors like Domaine Drouhin and Archery Summit, the property was once a forgotten, overgrown walnut orchard when Chris acquired it in 2013. Recognizing its untapped brilliance, Chris and his sons cleared the land by hand, carefully preserving 70-year-old walnut trees that still stand sentinel over the vines today. Planted in 2015 and 2016, this compact 6.3-acre site is farmed with standard-setting intention as a USDA Certified Organic and Demeter Certified Biodynamic estate. That deep commitment to the land pays off immediately in the glass-delivering a Chardonnay packed with electric energy, complex aromatics, and a vivid sense of place.
Oregon has really started to shine on the world stage, establishing itself as a premier destination for world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. While the tension and elegance of these varietals often recall top-tier Burgundy, Oregon has forged a distinct identity marked by vibrant acidity, electric tension, and pure fruit vitality. Chris leans directly into this unique regional strength. Rather than trying to mimic Old World styles, he utilizes his decades of local mastery and a polyculture of rare heritage clones to craft the 2024 Chardonnay that celebrates the distinct power and saline minerality of the Dundee Hills.
From hand-clearing overgrown brush alongside his sons to farming living soils under ancient walnut trees, Chris Mazepink has poured decades of mastery into every vine at White Walnut. The result in the glass is nothing short of extraordinary. Quantities are extremely limited due to the vineyard's tiny acreage-claim your bottles today to experience this stellar 98-point Dundee Hills Chardonnay for yourself.
JEB DUNNUCK 98 POINTS - "Coming from the Dundee Hills, Chris Mazepink is producing some of the region’s most impressive Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from a property he purchased and planted himself in 2013. Nestled adjacent to Domaine Drouhin and Archery Summit, where he previously served as winemaker, the site was once a walnut orchard. Today, he farms the vineyard organically and biodynamically, with a strong commitment to preserving the land’s natural biodiversity."
"The 2024 Chardonnay Apple Field Vineyard is a bright yellow color and shows greater aromatic depth, with flinty wet stone, petrichor, golden apple, bright acidity, white peach, and lime citrus oils. From a site planted in 2016 from a suitcase selection from Burgundy, the wine holds acidity beautifully and reminds me of Meursault. It has excellent density, richness, and balance. Drink 2026-2040."
