Winemaker Notes
The 2002 vintage was one of the best vintages we've seen out of a string of strong vintages. The harvest was warm and dry, and we were able to pick at our leisure when the fruit was optimally ripe. This Reserve Pinot Noir is a deep ruby color. It exhibits complex aromas of fresh fruits, wild berries and exotic spices. The flavors are ripe and juicy with hints meat and toasty oak in the background. The mid palate is medium weight with nice juicy acidity and just enough tannin to give the wine a nice long finish. The complexity of this wine should enable it to match with a variety of different foods.
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.