Winemaker Notes
The storied vines of the Croft family are located in the southern aspect of the northern Willamette Valley and nestled in the coastal foothills. Organically-farmed for 30 years and certified Salmon Safe since 2008, three generations of the Croft family continue to carry on a legacy of responsible growing and management that dates back to its earliest days. This bottle is about black cherry, and raspberry preserves and extends a firm grip to the finish. Wonderful.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
There’s an array of rich, spicy fruit here with earthy notes and ripe dark cherries on offer. The palate has a very fleshy feel with such supple, open-knit tannins carrying fresh dark cherries. From organically grown grapes.
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Wine Enthusiast
The use of new French oak is kept to a minimum (just 10%), the yeasts are wild, and the vineyard is certified organic. Cool climate flavors incorporate gentle suggestions of herb, leaf and stem around black cherry fruit. There's a lightly smoky, charred scent and grippy tannins with a streak of coffee running through the finish.
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.