Winemaker Notes
The Amity White Pinot Noir was sourced from a mix of vineyards located predominately in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of the Willamette Valley. The fruit was picked in the cool early morning and gently pressed to minimize color and tannin extraction yet provide the subtle layers of tart and juicy fruit. Notes of pear, orange blossom and linen.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A pale-colored rosé with notes of nectarines, dried citrus peel and dried herbs. Light- to medium-bodied with crisp acidity and attractive, floral fragrance. Mineral finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
Light in body but high on acid, this white Pinot Noir opens with a savory fennel sausage aroma that is quite compelling. Additional aromas include red raspberries and ripe cantaloupe. A tart, crisp texture backs flavors of white peach and lemonade. This is a fun sipper that will pair nicely with everything from crab cakes to brats straight from the grill.
Made from red wine grapes, White Pinots are generally richer and more golden than most white wines, with great viscosity and a textured mouthfeel. In production, only a fraction of the juice is pressed out, which avoids releasing tannins and color. Flavors of apple, pear, and melon fruit are common, as well as baking spice and ginger. The idea is old in Champagne, where Blancs de Noirs ("white from black") have long been made from Pinots Noir and Pinot Meunier, but as a still wine, the style is relatively new.
One of Pinot Noir's most successful New World outposts, the Willamette Valley is the largest and most important AVA in Oregon. With a continental climate moderated by the influence of the Pacific Ocean, it is perfect for cool-climate viticulture and the production of elegant wines.
Mountain ranges bordering three sides of the valley, particularly the Chehalem Mountains, provide the option for higher-elevation vineyard sites.
The valley's three prominent soil types (volcanic, sedimentary and silty, loess) make it unique and create significant differences in wine styles among its vineyards and sub-AVAs. The iron-rich, basalt-based, Jory volcanic soils found commonly in the Dundee Hills are rich in clay and hold water well; the chalky, sedimentary soils of Ribbon Ridge, Yamhill-Carlton and McMinnville encourage complex root systems as vines struggle to search for water and minerals. In the most southern stretch of the Willamette, the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA soils are mixed, shallow and well-drained. The Hills' close proximity to the Van Duzer Corridor (which became its own appellation as of 2019) also creates grapes with great concentration and firm acidity, leading to wines that perfectly express both power and grace.
Though Pinot noir enjoys the limelight here, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay also thrive in the Willamette. Increasing curiosity has risen recently in the potential of others like Grüner Veltliner, Chenin Blanc and Gamay.