Green Eggs and Ham…and Chardonnay?

August 15, 2025

By Brian Zawada

Ever read Dr. Suess’ iconic children’s book, Green Eggs and Ham as a child (or to a child)? As a refresher or for those that haven’t:

  • The Quote:
    “I do not like green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-Am.”
    (But in the end…)
    “I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-Am!”

The important premise within the book centers on 

  • Sam-I-Am persistently encouraged another character to try green eggs and ham, despite repeated refusals.
  • After finally trying it, the character discovers he actually likes it.

It hit me that I am a lot like Sam-I-Am in our tasting room in Carlton when out-of-town visitors stop in for a tasting. One of our tasting flights always has one of our Oregon-grown Chardonnay’s on it (sometimes more than one).  It’s not infrequent when one of those guests asks to substitute out a Chardonnay for something else. When I get this request, I turn into Sam-I-Am!

Here’s my response to that request…

“I’ll tell you what.  Would you mind trying the Chardonnay and whether you like it or not, I’ll still pour you something else of your choice?”

Just about no one turns me down.

The funny thing is that the VAST majority often leave with a bottle to take home, shocked they magically like Chardonnay again! But the only magic is our wine-growing region, and our region’s wine-making style. Admittedly, about nine years ago, I didn’t like Chardonnay either… I “grew up” being exposed to one region’s very buttery, often over-oaked Chardonnay. I’m not suggesting all non-Oregon Chardonnays are butter bombs or over-oaked.  Nor am I suggesting everyone hates that flavor profile. But many don’t know there are alternatives out there and when they experience Oregon Chard, they return to this amazing varietal rather than look elsewhere.

So, what’s the Oregon Chardonnay “style”? Well, there isn’t just one, but I’ll share a few characteristics:

1. Fruit first

2. Lightly oaked or framed with a smaller percentage of New French oak

3. Fresh, crisp, with nice levels of acid.  The Willamette Valley has a cooler climate than many other growing regions and thus allows us to harvest the grapes with a longer hang time without getting over ripe by extreme heat.

4. No diacetyl (butter flavor) because we either do not complete malolactic fermentation or we use yeast that doesn’t produce that compound during secondary fermentation.

PS. Ya know that person that exposed me to buttery Chards in my early 20’s and 30’s… often out of a jug or box? Well, she’s a convert and it’s not because we named one of our estate Chardonnay blocks with her maiden name… :) 

Green Eggs and Ham Chard Blog image
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