Antica Terra Aequorin 2017
Antica Terra Aequorin 2017
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Antica Terra Aequorin 2017

Antica Terra
$340.00

Grape: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2017
Type: White

Produced in the cool Eola-Amity Hills of the Willamette Valley, this white wine represents a selective blending process conducted by winemaker Maggie Harrison. The Chardonnay grapes are hand-picked from rows rooted in thin, rocky soils composed of volcanic basalt and marine sedimentary wash. In the cellar, the juice undergoes a spontaneous native fermentation before aging for more than a year in neutral and low-toast French oak barriques. This process favors texture and mineral retention over the standard fruity presentation typical of the region.

It displays a luminous straw hue, releasing expressive aromatics of white peach, orange zest, fresh brioche, and wildflower honey. A medium-to-full body shows a lovely tension, balancing a rich, oil-slicked mouthfeel with a sharp beam of coastal acidity. A fine-grained phenolic grip frames the back end, ensuring the wine feels over broad or heavy. It finishes bone-dry, leaving a clean mineral trace.

Maggie Harrison is a first-generation winemaker, having grown up in the Midwest. With an educational background in International Relations and Conflict Resolution, she fell in love with wine while working in restaurants and set out to follow that passion and create wine. She went on to land the position of assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non, where she remained for eight years. She is currently the co-owner and winemaker for Antica Terra, producing Pinot Noir and Chardonnay since 2005, and is also responsible for the Syrah at Lillian Winery in Santa Barbara. Initially, it had been her goal to only produce a singular wine, but during blind tastings for blending, she felt the various components would not necessarily complement one another and would overpower or detract from the other. Rather than force them to homogenize, each of the wines bottled today chases the individual and opposing personalities each possesses. Her wines are impeccably expressive and worth seeking out if you can get your hands on them.

I have always found with these wines that I am never compelled to overly coax the wine in tasting. They are distinctive, singular wines that, when given the time to allow the wine to come to you, make the transcendence to art.

- Audrey Frick (9/17/2023) © 2024 Jeb Dunnuck