Winemaker Notes
A lively expression of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, this wine bursts with juicy notes of ripe cherry, raspberry, and red plum. Delicate hints of rose petal and a whisper of soft spice add depth and intrigue; the finish is vibrant and fruity, an all together charming young wine.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Fresh aromas of mint, saline, fresh and dark raspberries form a perfume worthy of summer. Tingly acidity then joins forces with integrated tannins and the smoothest texture this side of cashmere. The wine's boysenberry, orange peel and dark chocolate flavors cement the deal. Good value here.
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Wine Spectator
Snappy and fan-friendly, with lively flavors of cherry, pomegranate, and tarragon that end with zesty tannins.
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Vinous
The 2023 Pinot Noir Planet Oregon lifts from the glass with vibrant black cherry and shavings of pine complemented by mentholated herbs. Juicy to the core, it splashes across the palate with ripe wild berry fruit. A flourish of inner florals punctuates the close. Fresh yet a bit short, it tapers off with a pleasantly bitter tinge and berry concentration.
Tony Soter is the founder of Soter Vineyards at Mineral Springs Ranch in Yamhill-Carlton, Oregon. Soter is a Portland, Oregon, native who began his remarkable 40-year winemaking career in the Napa Valley. After graduating from Pomona College in southern California with a degree in philosophy, Soter joined the staff at Stag's Leap Wine Cellars in 1975 to learn the trade. By 1982, he released his own wine under the Etude label, selling the winery almost 20 years later to Treasury Wine Estates. In the meantime, Soter worked as consulting winemaker for such world-famous Napa estates as Araujo (now Eisele), Chappellet, Dalla Valle, Shafer, and Spottswoode, among others. After almost 30 years in California, Soter moved back to Oregon and founded Soter Vineyards in 1997, where he is still making some of the most heralded pinot noirs in the state.
Today, Soter focuses on biodynamic grape growing to create rich flavors and substance. His cellar techniques look to the wisdom of past generations, trusting those natural processes to evoke the voice and character of each vineyard.
There are three distinct labels produced by Soter:
1. SOTER VINEYARDS ... Illustrious estate-grown wines from Eola Amity, Ribbon Ridge, and Yamhill Carlton (where the Mineral Springs vineyard, farm, and winery are).
2. ORIGIN SERIES ... Limited single-appellation bottlings showcasing each AVA's unique microclimate, geographical features, and growing conditions.
3. PLANET OREGON ... affordable, delicious, organically-grown wines from the Willamette Valley, ready to drink tonight.
Home of some of the planet’s most amazingly elegant and expressive Pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is a pastoral, mixed landscape of green, bucolic rolling hills, dramatic forestlands and small, independent, friendly wine growers. As a leader in environmental stewardship, the valley has some of the nation’s most protective land use policies, with two-thirds of its vineyards farmed sustainably and over half, organically. While the valley claims a cool, continental climate, and is heavily influenced by the cold, moist winds of the Pacific Ocean, its warm and dry summers allow for the steady, even ripening of Pinot noir.
The potential of Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to attract the investment of serious growers and winemakers both locally and from abroad, as naturally the finished wines bring accolades from professionals and enthusiasts. With a range of styles from delicate dried cherry, raspberry and hibiscus to stronger notes of truffle, mocha, plum and spice, a fine Willamette Valley Pinot noir is a perfect expression of both character and grace.