Winemaker Notes
The 2015 Estate Pinot Noir is an immediate charmer. The nose is abundant and lively with red and purple fruit, a bit of classic oak spice and earth, and cola. The first sip is juicy and bright, with complexity developing into a layered, and lovely palate. The balance between fine tannin, fruit, acidity and quiet power is compelling. Even, nuanced, and yet surprisingly forward, this is a wine that will suit both the impatient and the thrifty.
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.