Winemaker Notes
Bouquet: orange blossom essence, Rainier cherry, lanolin, ripe pineapple, nectarine Palate: candied lime, Ataulfo mango, bitter orange marmalade, summer peach, watermelon rind, flaked sea salt Perception: elegantly perfumed aromatics and mouthwatering acidity interplaying with soft tannins yielding depth and tension on the palate Drinkability: delightful and expressive now; rewarding further complexity with time in bottle.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Ara refers to a southern constellation known in Greek mythology as “altar of the gods,” and is typically drawn from two older riesling sources: the Brooks estate, planted in 1974, and Yamhill Vineyard, planted in the mid- 1980s. Exotic from the outset, with scents of crushed lime, apple, stones and buckwheat, with just a faint hint of fusil, it’s the texture that nails it: creamy for just an instant, shifting with a tart thrust to a lean, almost herbal finish. Years from its peak, this deserves time in the cellar.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2017 Riesling Ara explodes with intense aromas of grilled peaches, baked pineapple, lime zest and white flowers with a stony undercurrent. The palate is light-bodied, dry, racy and citrus-driven with laser-like acidity and a long, precise, minerally finish.
Riesling possesses a remarkable ability to reflect the character of wherever it is grown while still maintaining its identity. A regal variety of incredible purity and precision, this versatile grape can be just as enjoyable dry or sweet, young or old, still or sparkling and can age longer than nearly any other white variety. Somm Secret—Given how difficult it is to discern the level of sweetness in a Riesling from the label, here are some clues to find the dry ones. First, look for the world “trocken.” (“Halbtrocken” or “feinherb” mean off-dry.) Also a higher abv usually indicates a drier Riesling.
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.