2022 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
“I last tasted this cuvée a few vintages ago, and it never fails to please. This 2022 – the current release – is aromatic and savory, light on its feet but powerfully flavorful. Peppery red berries, a hint of watermelon, firm tannins and decent length make this a perfect everyday Pinot Noir Many of the Pinots from the southern Willamette Valley are by any standard underpriced for the quality, and this proves the point."
90 Rating Paul Gregutt
Three vineyards blend all old vines averaging 35 years of age and are dry-farmed. Pinot Noir Clones are mostly Pommard, Wädenswil and Dijon 115.
Location: The vineyards are set in the coastal foothills in Philomath, Oregon. The vines are located near the base of Mary's Peak which is a small mountain in Benton County and is the highest peak in the Oregon Coast range.
Mary's Peak can serve as a rain shadow for these vineyards. Soils: Alluvial and Sedimentary loam. Marine sediment soils were laid down on the valley floor of the Pacifc Ocean . Alluvial Soil is a fine-grained, fertile soil deposited by water flowing over flood plains and riverbeds. Sedimentary soils are dry and brittle, making for deep-rooted vines that produce structured, dark wines. These soils drain quickly establishing a natural deficit-irrigation effect. Pinot Noir wines from marine sedimentary soils usually exhibit voluptuous, dark red berry and blue/black fruit, darker floral and earth tones, and bigger, heavier, chewier tannins.
Each vineyard produced separately in small 1.5 ton fermenters with the use of manual punch downs of the caps two times a day during fermentation. The wines from each vineyard after fermentation was then stored in French oak barrels for a number of months before being blended and bottled. Wines were bottled in Screwcap Closures to retain it great fruit flavors and aromas.
