Winemaker Notes
Aromas of black cherry, plum, and toasted cedar. The palate culminates into wild blueberry and bing cherry, followed with mint and an orange zest that finishes taut and supple.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
North Valley refers to the cluster of AVAs that are responsible for the major part of quality pinot production in the Willamette Valley. A very attractive pinot for the depth and volume of rich cherries. The palate has sweet cherry flavor and succulent tannin chew.
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Wine Enthusiast
This earns the ‘Classic' designation with a spot-on mix of blueberry and purple fruit that fill the palate. Those fresh flavors are bounced up with well-matched acids and lightly earthy tannins, along with hints of cedar from aging in 10% new oak.
Editor's Choice
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.