Winemaker Notes
Pinot to me: beautiful, soft, feminine, and obviously pleasurable. The color is classic
ruby red, and the wine has the medium body I look for. On the nose, the ‘04 is all
cherries and crushed berries. On the palate, the wine is luscious and concentrated,
leading to a long finish. I wouldn't hesitate to drink the wine now, but I would be very
happy to save several bottles to enjoy over the next 10+ years.
Professional Ratings
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.