Luke Wylde of Statera Cellars, which makes only chardonnay. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

As I exited this year’s Oregon Chardonnay Celebration, a man yelled, “Chardonnay is the future of this valley!” into the Newberg night. It may take decades to find out if he’s right, but one thing is certain: Chardonnay is making a major play for its piece of the Willamette Valley stage.

Need proof? Follow the money.

The once-maligned grape now has its own event - the Oregon Chardonnay Celebration - that may rival the International Pinot Noir Celebration one day. People are launching wineries and planting vineyards devoted exclusively to chardonnay. At the recent Willamette Valley Wineries Association fundraising auction, chardonnay bottles sold on average for $192 each versus $158 for pinot noir.

Don't Edit

Tai-Ran Niew is so convinced of the bright future of Oregon chardonnay that he's planted a chardonnay-only vineyard. (Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive

Tai-Ran Niew is a prime example of Oregon's chardonnay gold rush. The former investment banker was inspired by his love of white Burgundy to plant a chardonnay-only vineyard near Sherwood.

“I have tasted more interesting chardonnay here in Oregon, that which hints at future potential, than other varietal wines,” Niew says. “The availability of clay loam soils and, with the right site, a cooler growing season, could potentially lead to nuanced, nervy and age-able whites – the raison d’etre of chardonnay.”

If you would like to see what the fuss is about, here are six chardonnays from the Willamette Valley American Viticultural Area and two of its subsections to get you started.

Don't Edit

Meredith Bell and Luke Wylde, Statera Cellars. (Jocelyn Wylde)

2016 Statera Cellars Eola Springs Vineyard Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills AVA)

Meredith Bell and Luke Wylde make only chardonnay under their Statera Cellars label, and this one is made with grapes from one of the oldest vineyards in the Willamette Valley. It has a hazy gold color reminiscent of the halo that forms around the moon before a storm. Aromas and flavors of white peach, wet pavement, honeysuckle and tart nectarines combine with brisk acidity, 12.9 percent alcohol and a lean mouthfeel.

Suggested retail price: $35.

Statera Cellars; stateracellars.com or info@stateracellars.com.

Don't Edit

(Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

2014 Belle Pente Vineyard & Winery Chardonnay (Yamhill-Carlton AVA)

Brian and Jill O’Donnell may be known for their pinot noir, but their limited-production chardonnay made entirely with estate fruit is one of the best in the valley. Quick sniffs from the glass reveal ripe pineapple, seared pork fat and a saline note that might inspire a trip to the Oregon coast. It’s a fuller-bodied wine at 13.5 percent alcohol with rich flavors of passion fruit, pie crust and lemon drop hard candy.

Suggested retail price: $35.

Belle Pente Vineyard & Winery, 12470 N.E. Rowland Road, Carlton; bellepente.com or 503-852-9500.

Don't Edit

(Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

2016 Day Wines Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay (Yamhill-Carlton AVA)

Brianne Day gets a small amount of Belle Pente’s estate chardonnay because the O’Donnell family knows she will do it justice. The bright moonbeam color casts its glow over scents of talc, beeswax, straw and tropical fruit. The palate is lean and frisky at 12.75 percent alcohol with flavors of thyme, saline, pineapple and the dust found on sticks of Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum surfing a wave of frenzied acidity.

Suggested retail price: $35.

Day Wines, 21160 N. Oregon 99W, Dundee; daywines.com or tastingroom@daywines.com.

Don't Edit

Don't Edit

(Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

2015 Suzor Wines “The Sunflower” Willamette Valley Chardonnay

The winery may be new, but owners Greg McClellan and Melissa Rondeau are both wine industry veterans. Because of this inaugural bottle of chardonnay, the 2016 version is going to be at the top of my “must-buy” list. The Sunflower is appropriately named given its lemon-gold color. Scents of grilled pineapple, honeysuckle and limeade fill the nose while flavors of cantaloupe, toasted filberts and brown spice coat the palate. 12.9 percent alcohol.

Suggested retail: $26.

Suzor Wines; suzorwines.com or 503-593-4999.

2016 Morgen Long Yamhill Vineyards Chardonnay (Yamhill-Carlton AVA)

Because of wines like this, approaching a wine bar to order a glass of chardonnay is no longer a Cersei Lannister-like walk of shame. Because of wines like this, the acronym ABC is now more likely to be associated with George Stephanopoulos than "anything but chardonnay." Seth Morgen Long makes only chardonnay, and he is very, very good at it. If you see his name on a chardonnay bottle, buy with confidence.

Suggested retail price: $49.

Morgen Long Wine; morgenlong.com or wine@morgenlong.com.

Don't Edit

(Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive)

2017 Granville Wines Spirit Hill Vineyard Chardonnay (Eola-Amity Hills AVA)

Jackson Holstein is a young winemaker to keep an eye on. His winery is based in the Dundee Hills, but he reached out to the Eola-Amity Hills for the fruit to make this white gold-colored wine. It is packed with aromas and flavors of lemon, orange pith, marzipan, basil and a flinty minerality I really enjoyed. It says 13.6 percent alcohol on the label but thanks to some zippy acidity, the wine feels lighter than that.

Suggested retail price: $40.

Granville Wine Co.; granvillewines.com or 503-307-9953.

Michael Alberty writes about wine for The Oregonian/OregonLive. He can be reached at malberty0@gmail.com. To read more of his coverage, go to oregonlive.com/wine.