Twill Cellars Chardonnay 2023

Twill Cellars is a small, family-run project based in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, founded by growers Molly and Darrel Roby alongside winemaker Chris Dickson. The Robys planted their own vineyard in 2000 and transitioned from selling fruit into making wine, eventually partnering with Dickson, who brought over a decade of experience working at respected wineries in Oregon and abroad, to lead winemaking and shape the style of the project. 

Dickson’s background is key to understanding the wines: he trained across a wide range of thoughtful, terroir-driven producers and takes a similarly restrained, site-focused approach. Farming leans toward sustainable and dry-farmed vineyards, while in the cellar the goal is precision and transparency: letting vineyard and vintage speak with minimal heavy-handed intervention. 

The 2023 Chardonnay reflects that philosophy well. It’s typically fermented with native yeasts and aged in a mix of mostly neutral oak, avoiding overt richness in favor of clarity and structure. Expect citrus and orchard fruit - lemon, green apple, pear, with subtle notes of almond, lees, and light spice rather than butter or heavy toast.

On the palate, it sits in that modern Oregon/new school chardonnay lane: medium-bodied, bright, and textural, with a fine acid backbone and a gently creamy mid-palate from lees work. The overall impression is balanced and composed. The wine is less about opulence, and more about purity, tension, and a quiet kind of complexity that builds with air.