100 Points: We've done it again
2023 TENOR SOLAKSEN CHARDONNAY
The team at Tenor is elated to share that we have earned a second consecutive 100-point Chardonnay score from Jeb Dunnuck.
Strengthening the Royal Slope’s emergence as a premier site for world-class white wine, this second score was given to the 2023 Solaksen Vineyard Chardonnay.This follows the 100-point recognition of the 2022 La Reyna Blanca Chardonnay, marking the first instance of back-to-back 100-point scores for a Washington State white wine producer.
Further underscoring the strength of the 2023 vintage, the 2023 La Reyna Blanca Chardonnay earned 98 points, while the 2023 Conner Lee Vineyard Chardonnay received 96 points. Together, these scores represent an unprecedented level of critical recognition for Washington State white wines.
While the scores themselves are notable, Tenor views this recognition as a reflection of something deeper: the continued emergence of the Royal Slope AVA, and in particular the farming at Lawrence Vineyards, as one of the most compelling sources for Chardonnay in North America.
“These wines begin long before the cellar,” said Alex Stewart, Director of Winemaking. “They are the product of meticulous farming, distinct and expressive sites, and the collective effort of a team that spans vineyard crews, cellar teams, and many others whose work rarely gets seen. To receive this kind of recognition two years in a row speaks less to any one wine and more to the consistency of that entire system.”
Lawrence Vineyards, farmed with precision and intention on the Royal Slope, has become central to Tenor’s Chardonnay program. The combination of elevation, exposure, and the region’s characteristic tension between warm days and cool nights allows for both ripeness and structure—qualities that continue to define Washington’s top white wines.
Tenor remains focused on site-driven, single-vineyard, single-varietal wines, working closely with growers to highlight the nuance and identity of each place.
“This recognition belongs as much to the people farming these vines as anyone,” said Jen Bell, Vice President of Mercer Wine Estates. “If there’s a story here, it’s that Washington Chardonnay—and the Royal Slope in particular—is capable of something truly special when the right pieces come together.”
The 2023 Solaksen Vineyard Chardonnay is scheduled to be released to members in May 2026.
Read all of the 2023 Jeb Dunnuck scores here.
SOLAKSEN VINEYARD GALLERY, ROYAL SLOPE AVA
