Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
The initial impression this dark pinot makes is that of a savory depth, all spice and leather. With air, black cherry and a glint of raspberry emerge, framed by mineral tannins. It needs time to work into its structure, then serve with roast chicken.
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Wine Enthusiast
Generous black-cherry fruit anchors this barrel-aged wine that remains tartly acidic, with pretty accents of toast and mocha. Focused, young and fresh, it should drink optimally 2018–2028. Cellar Selection.
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.