New World Pinot Noir Flashcards
1
Q
WillaKenzie
Willamette Valley, OR
2016
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- located in Yahmill-Carlton, The two estate vineyards coalesce to create a classic expression of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir:
- WillaKenzie Estate – sedimentary soil, brings dark fruit and savory notes
- Jory Hills Vineyard – volcanic soil,
- located in Yahmill-Carlton, The two estate vineyards coalesce to create a classic expression of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir:
displays lush texture and red fruit
Story:
- Our name also pays tribute to two of the Willamette Valley’s major rivers: the Willamette and McKenzie, which appear as two sets of waves in the top-right and lower-left corners of our crest.These expressive lines evoke the rivers as well as the rolling hills of our Yamhill-Carlton Estate. The fleur-de-lis at the center of our crest pays homage to our founder, Bernard Lacroute’s, French heritage. WillaKenzie Estate produced its first wine in 1995, after Bernard Lacroute left a career in high tech. He grew up in the Burgundy region of France, famous for pinot noir, so he chose Oregon as did many other winemakers – the soil and climate that best mimic Burgundy’s. The company is centered around single-vineyard pinot noir and pinot gris.
- Now owned by Jackson Family Wines (Kendall Jackson)
Viticulture:
- Hand Harvested
Vinification:
- Fully destemmed and cold-soaked for 4-6 days prior to inoculation with selected yeast strains.
- The grapes fermented on their skins for approximately three weeks with daily punch downs before being transferred to French Oak barrels.
- The wine aged for 13 months in 30% new French Oak prior to bottling.
- 14.4% alcohol
Taste:
- Willakenzie’s new estate-focused blend, the 2016 Estate Pinot Noir is pale ruby-purple in color with a lovely spicy nose of red licorice, dried rose petals and potpourri over a core of bright red fruits—raspberry, strawberry, rhubarb and red cherry with cinnamon stick accents. Light to medium-bodied, it features bright red fruits framed with oodles of savory/spicy notes in the mouth. It has firm, grainy tannins and wonderful juicy acidity, finishing long with spicy layers.
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $18
- Cost: $90
2
Q
Penner-Ash
Willamette Valley
2017
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
Story:
- Lynn’s interest in winemaking grew out of an early passion for the sciences. After a summer working for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., she studied Botany at the University of California, Davis, the birthplace of the American wine industry. In her junior year she changed her major to Viticulture. Then, after working the graveyard shift during crush at Domaine Chandon, she changed her degree again,from Viticulture to Enology. After graduation, Lynn worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Chandon, and Chateau St. Jean. Intrigued by the emerging wine industry, Lynn and her husband Ron moved to Oregon in 1988 where Lynn became winemaker at Rex Hill Vineyards, becoming the first female winemaker hired in Oregon. Consistently producing award-winning wines, she became Rex Hill’s President and Chief Operating Officer in 1993 and continued on with Rex Hill until March 2002. In 1998, Lynn started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars with husband Ron, carefully crafting small amounts of Pinot Noir and Syrah, while she was still at Rex Hill. Their early success with the label caused them to dream of what they could create and in 2001 Lynn focused full time on building Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. In 2005, Lynn and Ron designed and built their sustainable, gravity-flow estate winery surrounded by estate vineyards, a building that seems to spring from the land itself and is a reflection of the values, spirit and winemaking philosophy of Lynn and Ron.
Viticulture:
Vinification:
- 10 mo. in oak
- 34% NFO
- 29% 1yr/o oak
- 24% 2yr/o oak
- 13% neutral oak
- 2,450 cases produced
Taste:
- Boysenberry jam and blueberry pie mix with a dusting of cocoa powder, dried cherry and black pepper.
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $31
- Cost: $105
3
Q
Penner-Ash
“Shea-Vineyard”
Yamhill-Carlton, Willamette Valley, OR
2017
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Yamhill-Carlton
- “Shea Vineyard”
- Yamhill-Carlton
Story:
- Lynn’s interest in winemaking grew out of an early passion for the sciences. After a summer working for the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., she studied Botany at the University of California, Davis, the birthplace of the American wine industry. In her junior year she changed her major to Viticulture. Then, after working the graveyard shift during crush at Domaine Chandon, she changed her degree again,from Viticulture to Enology. After graduation, Lynn worked at Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars, Domaine Chandon, and Chateau St. Jean. Intrigued by the emerging wine industry, Lynn and her husband Ron moved to Oregon in 1988 where Lynn became winemaker at Rex Hill Vineyards, becoming the first female winemaker hired in Oregon. Consistently producing award-winning wines, she became Rex Hill’s President and Chief Operating Officer in 1993 and continued on with Rex Hill until March 2002. In 1998, Lynn started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars with husband Ron, carefully crafting small amounts of Pinot Noir and Syrah, while she was still at Rex Hill. Their early success with the label caused them to dream of what they could create and in 2001 Lynn focused full time on building Penner-Ash Wine Cellars. In 2005, Lynn and Ron designed and built their sustainable, gravity-flow estate winery surrounded by estate vineyards, a building that seems to spring from the land itself and is a reflection of the values, spirit and winemaking philosophy of Lynn and Ron.
- Shea vineyard has been called by many the “Grand Cru Vineyard of Oregon”.
Viticulture:
- Planted 1989
- Elevation 350-620’
- southern aspect
- Willakenzie and Melbourne soils
Vinification:
- 10 months in
- 36% new French oak
- 32% one year-old French oak
- 15% two year-old French oak
- 17% neutral French oak
Taste:
- Aromas of tea leaf, violets and spiced cranberry. A fresh attack of raspberry and red cherry give way to a structured mid-palate of tobacco, sweet umami and dark fruit.
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $41
- Cost: $153
4
Q
Shea Wine Cellars “Shea”
Yamhill-Carlton
Willamette Valley, OR
2015
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Yamhill-Carlton Sub AVA: Shea vineyard sits on sedimentary soil over fractured sandstone. Vine spacing is 5×7 yielding 1,245 plants per acre. Shea was one of the early vineyards in this area of Yamhill County and on this soil type. Today, the vineyard is surrounded by some of the premiere wineries making Pinot noir in the “New World.”
- We get a bit of a cooling impact from the way the weather travels through the Wapato Valley watershed. You can see the fog rolling through and piling up in the wintertime; and in the summer months, you see a dramatic cooling impact. It’s warmer in the daytime, but in the nighttime there is dramatic cooling that takes place.” This dramatic diurnal cooling is necessary because Shea Vineyard, which is unirrigated, gets quite warm.
Story:
- Dick Shea grew grapes for more than ten years on a 200-acre estate in Yamhill County, supplying some of the best winemakers with fruit, including Ken Wright Cellars, Beaux Freres, Patricia Green Cellars, Westrey Wine Company, Panther Creek Cellars, Raptor Ridge and St. Innocent. About 140 acres produce grapes, although 50 acres are young vines.
- In 1996, Shea decided to start his own winery, and more than a decade later, Drew Voit is now making the wine to much acclaim. Voit was consulting with Domaine Serene before working at Shea. Now he has multiple clones (Pommard, Dijon and Wäidenswil) and multiple vineyard sites to work with. Dick Shea’s vineyard is really two separated vineyards, and they have most clones planted. They use different blocks to blend into their main wine, the Estate Pinot, and then they have single block wines as well.
- Today the Shea roster is a dream team of 20 (or so) Oregon and California winemakers
- the Sheas produce approximately 6,500 cases of wine through their own Shea Wine Cellars label and clients make an additional 22,000 cases annually.
Viticulture:
- Vines planted 1989 = 31
- Sustainable, practicing organic
- All Wädenswil clone, were hand-picked to create this wine. (Pinot Noir)
Vinification:
- 9% whole cluster fermentation, the rest destemmed.
- 14.5% alcohol
- 49% NFO
- 4,447 cases
Taste:
- “Marzipan, strawberry candy – very ripe and generous, then surprisingly firm on the palate. The tannin is rounded but insistent, and there’s a touch of bitterness on the finish.” - Jancis
- “As always, our Estate Pinot noir is the best representation of the vineyard as a whole in each vintage. For 2015, that means a wine full of rich, dark flavors. A powerful bouquet of black cherry, blackberry, subtle spice notes and hints of floral aromatics lead to a rich palate with plum, black tea and well integrated tannins that will continue to soften with time.” - Shea
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $32
- Cost: $125
If/Then:
- Try doing Antica Terra’s Corriolis instead. Maggie, the winemaker, is really focused on sustainability, and 100% of the proceeds of this particular wine go to charity.
- OR, moving to Eyrie. David Lett was the first person to plant Pinot Noir in the Willamette valley, and he’s responsible for bringing it acclaim.
5
Q
Antica Terra “Coriolis”
Willamette Valley
2017
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Eola-Amity Hills
Story:
- Antica Terra (“old earth” in Latin) was started by a pair of New Yorkers in 1989 who made small amounts of Pinot Noir for several years. The vineyard and label was purchased in June of 2005 by three friends and partners along with talented winemaker Maggie Harrison, a long-time former assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non in Ventura, CA. The 11-acre estate vineyard is located on a prehistoric seabed in the Eola-Amity Hills appellation. Planting and updating of 5 acres of the vineyard involved moving 3,600 tons of rock, a very labor and cost-intensive project. Farming was converted to organic in 2006. Some additional potential vineyard land remains. Annual case production has risen from 1,500 cases to 2,500 cases as young vines come into production. The inaugural release was vinified by Maggie Harrison from the 2006 vintage. Master Sommelier Nate Ready has also become involved in the project as Harrison’s junior partner.
- The Willamette Valley bottling is a blend of grapes from the Eola-Amity hills property (52%) as well as Amity Hills Vineyard, Shea Vineyard, and Croft Vineyard. A second, more limited, release called Botanica, is only made in superior vintages and is primarily from an 8-acre block of Shea Vineyard. An Antica Terra Estate Pinot Noir was added in 2009.
- Didnt’ initially want to live or work here. Had a nice life making wine for Sinequa Non, side project of Syrah “Lillian”, and her friends asked her to come look at the property. Twenty-six seconds after arriving among the oaks, fossils, and stunted vines, she found herself hunched beneath one of the trees, phone in hand, explaining to her husband that they would be moving to Oregon.
Viticulture:
- In most of the region, vineyards are planted in the relatively deep, geologically young soils left behind by either the Missoula floods or the volcanic events that formed the Cascade Range. In this place, the remains of a far older pre-historic seabed rise to the surface, leaving the vines to struggle, without topsoil, amongst a fractured mixture of sandstone sown with fossilized oyster shells.
- Practicing Organic
- With fewer seeds present per cluster (and these clusters that often hold thicker skins) Antica Terra Pinot can expect still ample tannin presence, but worry less about tannin bitterness.
Vinification:
- 100% Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley
*One hundred percent of the profits from the sale of this wine are donated to charity* - The wine that goes into Coriolis is a “selection of barrels” from the exact same fruit as that goes into the Antica Terra pinot noirs and rosé; from the same winemaker, same winemaking and same time in barrel, we price these wines differently so they may lead a different life out in the world.
- The mathematical expression for the Coriolis force appeared in an 1835 paper by French scientist Gaspard- Gustave Coriolis, in connection with the theory of water wheels. These wines take the name Coriolis and with it the symbol of the water wheel: a manifestation of the conversion of free-flowing energy into useful forms of power. One hundred percent of the profits from the sale of this wine are donated to charity. In this way, this wine supports the conversion of ideas into powerful actions that serve a greater good.
Taste:
- “Dried strawberry, red plum, rose petal, violet, and lavender. Great silky texture with ever lasting finish.”
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $37
- Cost: $135
If/Then:
- Move to Eyrie: David Lett was the first person to plant Pinot Noir in the Willamette valley, and he’s responsible for bringing it acclaim.
- Ken Wright, Freedom Hill: Wright was instrumental in helping organizing the willamette Valley you know and love today. He focuses on sustainable practicies, with minimal intervention, and supports local artists to draw his labels.
- Coriolis is a blend of all Antica’s properties, Freedom Hill is a single Vineyard.
6
Q
Antica Terra “Botanica”
Willamette Valley
2017
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Eola-Amity Hills
Story:
- Antica Terra (“old earth” in Latin) was started by a pair of New Yorkers in 1989 who made small amounts of Pinot Noir for several years. The vineyard and label was purchased in June of 2005 by three friends and partners along with talented winemaker Maggie Harrison, a long-time former assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non in Ventura, CA. The 11-acre estate vineyard is located on a prehistoric seabed in the Eola-Amity Hills appellation. Planting and updating of 5 acres of the vineyard involved moving 3,600 tons of rock, a very labor and cost-intensive project. Farming was converted to organic in 2006. Some additional potential vineyard land remains. Annual case production has risen from 1,500 cases to 2,500 cases as young vines come into production. The inaugural release was vinified by Maggie Harrison from the 2006 vintage. Master Sommelier Nate Ready has also become involved in the project as Harrison’s junior partner.
The Willamette Valley bottling is a blend of grapes from the Eola-Amity hills property (52%) as well as Amity Hills Vineyard, Shea Vineyard, and Croft Vineyard. A second, more limited, release called Botanica, is only made in superior vintages and is primarily from an 8-acre block of Shea Vineyard. An Antica Terra Estate Pinot Noir was added in 2009.
Didnt’ initially want to live or work here. Had a nice life making wine for Sinequa Non, side project of Syrah “Lillian”, and her friends asked her to come look at the property. Twenty-six seconds after arriving among the oaks, fossils, and stunted vines, she found herself hunched beneath one of the trees, phone in hand, explaining to her husband that they would be moving to Oregon.
Viticulture:
- The vines from Antica Terra produce few clusters, all of them small, with lots of hens and chicks throughout. The clusters tend to predominately hold berries without seeds, evidence of the challenged conditions growing in bedrock.
- Practicing Organic
- In most of the region, vineyards are planted in the relatively deep, geologically young soils left behind by either the Missoula floods or the volcanic events that formed the Cascade Range. In this place, the remains of a far older pre-historic seabed rise to the surface, leaving the vines to struggle, without topsoil, amongst a fractured mixture of sandstone sown with fossilized oyster shells.
Vinification:
- With fewer seeds present per cluster (and these clusters that often hold thicker skins) Antica Terra Pinot can expect still ample tannin presence, but worry less about tannin bitterness.
Taste:
- “Botanica is always sappy and sanguine with a taste of wild rose, sour cherries, and blood orange. It is tempting to define it solely by its compelling texture and lush personality but there is a structural element that is equally striking. This balance between extraordinarily concentrated fruit and intense levels of extract is the essence of this wine.” - antica
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $76
- Cost: $230
If/Then:
- Move regions. Rhys?
7
Q
Antica Terra “Ceras”
Willamette Valley
2017
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Emola-Amity Hills
Story:
- Antica Terra (“old earth” in Latin) was started by a pair of New Yorkers in 1989 who made small amounts of Pinot Noir for several years. The vineyard and label was purchased in June of 2005 by three friends and partners along with talented winemaker Maggie Harrison, a long-time former assistant winemaker to Manfred Krankl at Sine Qua Non in Ventura, CA. The 11-acre estate vineyard is located on a prehistoric seabed in the Eola-Amity Hills appellation. Planting and updating of 5 acres of the vineyard involved moving 3,600 tons of rock, a very labor and cost-intensive project. Farming was converted to organic in 2006. Some additional potential vineyard land remains. Annual case production has risen from 1,500 cases to 2,500 cases as young vines come into production. The inaugural release was vinified by Maggie Harrison from the 2006 vintage. Master Sommelier Nate Ready has also become involved in the project as Harrison’s junior partner.
- The Willamette Valley bottling is a blend of grapes from the Eola-Amity hills property (52%) as well as Amity Hills Vineyard, Shea Vineyard, and Croft Vineyard.
- A second, more limited, release called Botanica, is only made in superior vintages and is primarily from an 8-acre block of Shea Vineyard. An Antica Terra Estate Pinot Noir was added in 2009.
- Didnt’ initially want to live or work here. Had a nice life making wine for Sinequa Non, side project of Syrah “Lillian”, and her friends asked her to come look at the property. Twenty-six seconds after arriving among the oaks, fossils, and stunted vines, she found herself hunched beneath one of the trees, phone in hand, explaining to her husband that they would be moving to Oregon.
Viticulture:
- The vines from Antica Terra produce few clusters, all of them small, with lots of hens and chicks throughout. The clusters tend to predominately hold berries without seeds, evidence of the challenged conditions growing in bedrock.
- Practicing Organic
- In most of the region, vineyards are planted in the relatively deep, geologically young soils left behind by either the Missoula floods or the volcanic events that formed the Cascade Range. In this place, the remains of a far older pre-historic seabed rise to the surface, leaving the vines to struggle, without topsoil, amongst a fractured mixture of sandstone sown with fossilized oyster shells.
Vinification:
- With fewer seeds present per cluster (and these clusters that often hold thicker skins) Antica Terra Pinot can expect still ample tannin presence, but worry less about tannin bitterness.
Taste:
- “Ceras is Botanica’s counterpoint. Its color is more purple than red. It is more about minerals and herbs than fruit and flowers. It is a focused and elegant distillation of rock rather than an opulent cascade of fruit. It is an expression of the geology that lays beneath our land, the tart blue fruits of the coast range and the tender herbs that one finds amongst the trees and mushrooms of the Northwest forest.” - antica
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $76
- Cost: $230
If/Then:
*
8
Q
Eyrie 2014
Willamette Valley
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Dundee Hills
Story:
- EYRIE FOUNDER DAVID LETT was convinced that the climate of the Willamette Valley was potentially perfect for growing Pinot noir. But exactly where was the best place to put down roots? The Valley holds a wide range of microclimates and soils, and in 1965, David had the whole valley to choose from. In February 1965, David rented a temporary nursery plot near Corvallis, and planted the 3000 vinifera grape cuttings he gathered from UC Davis and selected growers and brought with him to Oregon. This was the first planting of Pinot noir and Chardonnay in the Willamette Valley, and the first “New World” Pinot gris.
- Over the following year, David went looking for his perfect vineyard site. He made an exhaustive review of regional climate and soil, studied historical climate records and soil maps, and criss-crossed the valley from side to side and top to bottom.
- After identifying the right climatic zone, the next challenge was soil. David kept a soil auger in the back of his car, and whenever he saw a likely-looking site for sale, he pulled over and dug a hole. He identified the volcanic Jory and Nekia soils prominent in certain valley hillsides as having the right combination of limited fertility and superior water-holding properties.
These soils were deposited as volcanic flows 15 to 17 million years ago. Over time, the surface of the basalt mother-rock decomposed into a red soil overlaying a deep layer of rounded and eroded basalt cobble. This combination gives Jory and Nekia soils special properties that are ideal for dry-farmed vines. The soil structure allows the constant winter rains of the valley to drain readily. However, in Oregon’s very dry summers, the underground cobbles retain enough water in their cracks and crevices to support the vines without the need for irrigation. - David kept returning to the Dundee Hills.
- In 1966, David finally found what he was looking for – a gentle 20-acre south-facing slope at the south end of the Dundee Hills. That fall, David and his new bride Diana began the process of pulling out the old trees in the derelict orchard, preparing the ground, and moving the young grape plants up from their temporary nursery site.
- Inspired by a pair of red-tailed hawks who made their nest (eyrie) in the fir trees at the top of the vineyard site, David and Diana christened their fledgling endeavor The Eyrie Vineyard. This original planting was the first of our five estate vineyards.
Viticulture:
- Certified Organic
- Our vineyards have never used herbicides, pesticides, tillage or irrigation
- It is a blend of 72% estate grown Pinot, with 10% Cattrall Brothers, 8% Thistle Vineyard, and 10% Tukwilla Vineyard - all of which are also organically certified or organic.
- Hand harvested
Vinification:
- Native Yeast
- Minimal intervention
- minimal racking, extended lees contact, complete and spontaneous malolactic fermentation, no fining, and minimal filtration.
- They don’t love oak - out of every 25 barrels in our cellar, only 1 is new.
- Making wine in 12 of the first barrels we purchased almost 50 years ago. They are some of the oldest barrels in use in the New World, and most of the barrels in our cellar date from the 70s through the 90s.
- 11% NFO.
Taste:
- Distinctive and precise, this well-priced wine should have a place in your cellar. It captures the specific characteristics—terroir if you will—that distinguish the best Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs: highlights of cola and herb, refreshing minerality, a perfect balance of fruit, acid and tannin, and a riveting liveliness in the mouth. All this without any hint of new oak makes this a winemaking tour de force. –Paul Gregutt
- This is a bright red beauty with a subtle smokey aroma and deep, complex fruit notes. Taut and focused on the palate, a hint of red berry reminiscent of fresh strawberry jam is complicated with a lovely underlying spicyness and earth. With super-fine tannins and a satisfyingly long finish, this is a classic representation for the lover of ageworthy Pinot noir.
Cost Vs. Front:
- Front: $28
- Cost: $140
If/Then:
- Move to Ken Wright: He was instrumental in organizing he Willamette Valley regions into what they are today. He was very involved in that legal process. Freedom hill is a single vineyard plot, and really focuses on minimal intervention. Eyrie is a blend from across the estate.
9
Q
Ken Wright “Freedom Hill”
Willamette Valley, OR
2017
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley: This growing region was established in 1983, with the initial vineyard plantings began in 1966. This 100- mile long, 60-mile wide valley stretches between the Columbia River in the north, to just below Eugene in the south and the Oregon Coast Range in the west and the Cascade Mountains on the east. Due to the cooler climate and protection of mountains on eastern and western boundaries, the Willamette Valley experiences a long growing season and excels in the production of high quality Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Story:
- Ken Wright Cellars was founded in 1993 and its first vintage was produced in 1994. Prior to creating Ken Wright Cellars, Ken founded Panther Creek Winery in 1986 and made wines there from 1986 through 1994. In 1993, Panther creek was purchased by Ron and Linda Kaplan, the current owners. Ken Wright Cellars’ first building was an old brick building, a former glove factory, which the winery shared with Domaine Serene Winery. The 1993 through 1996 vintages of Domaine Serene wines were made by Ken Wright Cellars for Domaine Serene. Located in rural Carlton, Oregon, Ken Wright Cellars is devoted to showcasing the inherent quality of selected vineyard sites. With a clarity and breadth that is unequaled by other varieties, the people at Ken Wright cellars believe Pinot noir best expresses the character of these sites. Rather than stamping wine with a varietal trademark, they see Pinot noir as a vehicle for conveying the aroma, flavor and texture of the location in which it is grown.
- Given his appreciation of sense of place, it was a given that Ken would contribute to the locations and industry near and dear to his heart. Instrumental in organizing the six new American Viticultural Area (AVA)’s in the Northern Willamette Valley that define in detail the distinct growing areas within the region, he wrote the proposition for the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and served as the association’s first President.
- Each of Ken Wright Cellars single vineyard Pinot noir, has its own label artwork designed by local artist, David Berkvam. Ken and Karen fell in love with David’s work while touring one of his shows in Portland. David certainly had the talent for creating a lasting impression on people with his unique beeswax based art
Viticulture:
- Age: Original 1982, Replant ‘00-’04
- 450 FT Elevation East Facing Slope
Vinification:
- Minimal handling of wine is essential to preserve what it is: a gift of nature. At Ken Wright Cellars we believe in small batch fermentation. Each vineyard, further separated by clones, is hand sorted, fermented in small 1 1/4 ton open vat fermenters until dryness, then pressed and aged separately. The wine is aged in 100% French oak barrels for about 1 year. Each single vineyard designated Pinot noir is made with the same approach so the consumer can truly taste the place in which it was grown.
Taste:
- “Lovely black-cherry fruit is the highlight here, with aromatics that elevate the fruit with high-toned intensity. The wine is cloaked with chocolate from barrel aging, and detailed with coffee grounds, graphite and loam.” - Wine mag
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $41
- Cost: $155
If/Then:
- Try the Abbot Claim instead. Wright boasts it’s the crown jewel of his winery.
10
Q
Ken Wright “Bryce Vineyards”
Ribbon Ridge, OR
2016
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Ribbon Ridge: Ribbon Ridge was given its name by Colby Carter, an early settler who came from Missouri in 1865. The top of the ridge twists like a ribbon, hence the name. Ribbon Ridge, established in 2005, is a 3.5- mile long by 1.75-mile wide spine that extends from the Chehalem Mountains. It rises 683 feet from the Chehalem Valley floor, and sits 22 miles southwest of Portland, four miles northwest of Dundee and 40 miles east of the Pacific Ocean. The soils of Ribbon Ridge are relatively uniform, all being marine sedimentary based parent material. The entire ridgeline was formed by a geological event known as the Pittsburg formation, as opposed to the Yamhill-Carlton AVA which as formed by the Spencer Formation. The wine of Ribbon Ridge has a darker fruit profile focusing on dark red and blue fruits with a wild bramble quality.
Story:
- Ken Wright Cellars was founded in 1993 and its first vintage was produced in 1994. Prior to creating Ken Wright Cellars, Ken founded Panther Creek Winery in 1986 and made wines there from 1986 through 1994. In 1993, Panther creek was purchased by Ron and Linda Kaplan, the current owners. Ken Wright Cellars’ first building was an old brick building, a former glove factory, which the winery shared with Domaine Serene Winery. The 1993 through 1996 vintages of Domaine Serene wines were made by Ken Wright Cellars for Domaine Serene. Located in rural Carlton, Oregon, Ken Wright Cellars is devoted to showcasing the inherent quality of selected vineyard sites. With a clarity and breadth that is unequaled by other varieties, the people at Ken Wright cellars believe Pinot noir best expresses the character of these sites. Rather than stamping wine with a varietal trademark, they see Pinot noir as a vehicle for conveying the aroma, flavor and texture of the location in which it is grown.
- Given his appreciation of sense of place, it was a given that Ken would contribute to the locations and industry near and dear to his heart. Instrumental in organizing the six new American Viticultural Area (AVA)’s in the Northern Willamette Valley that define in detail the distinct growing areas within the region, he wrote the proposition for the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and served as the association’s first President.
Viticulture:
- Age: 20+
- 5.04 Acres
- 250-350 FT Elevation with S-SE Inclination
Inclination
Vinification:
- NO INFO
Taste:
- “This riveting wine displays the exceptional finesse and precision that fruit from this AVA can deliver. It’s Pinot Noir expressed in the most subtle and demanding way. Beautifully orchestrated red fruits, sappy acids, lush spices, perfect balance and an immaculate mineral-soaked finish are all on display.” - Wine Mag
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $39
- Cost: $160
If/Then:
- Big Jump
- Try moving to Antica Terra’s Ceras. Maggie, the wine maker, had loads of experience at Sinequa Non in CA before her friends started Antica. She didn’t originaly want to go to Oregon, but once she arrived at the property, it took her exactly 26 secconds to fall in love. It certainly won’t take you that long to fall in love with her wines. “It is a focused and elegant distillation of rock rather than an opulent cascade of fruit. It is an expression of the geology that lays beneath our land, the tart blue fruits of the coast range and the tender herbs that one finds amongst the trees and mushrooms of the Northwest forest”.
11
Q
Ken Wright “Abbott Claim”
Yahmill-Carlton, OR
2016
A
AVA:
- Willamette Valley
- Yamhill-Carlton: The vineyards of the Yamhill-Carlton District were planted mostly in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. The primary soil of this area is called Willakenzie, named after the Willamette and McKenzie rivers. It is a sedimentary soil with a sandstone base rock. The sand content is quite high and the soil therefore very well drained. The sites are generally on the lower slopes of a volcanic ridge. Wines of the area possess aromas of red and blue fruits, with added elements of cocoa, leather, anise, clove and fresh-turned earth. Acidity levels are generally lower than other regions, prompting these wines to be lush and agreeable in their youth.
Story:
- Ken Wright Cellars was founded in 1993 and its first vintage was produced in 1994. Prior to creating Ken Wright Cellars, Ken founded Panther Creek Winery in 1986 and made wines there from 1986 through 1994. In 1993, Panther creek was purchased by Ron and Linda Kaplan, the current owners. Ken Wright Cellars’ first building was an old brick building, a former glove factory, which the winery shared with Domaine Serene Winery. The 1993 through 1996 vintages of Domaine Serene wines were made by Ken Wright Cellars for Domaine Serene. Located in rural Carlton, Oregon, Ken Wright Cellars is devoted to showcasing the inherent quality of selected vineyard sites. With a clarity and breadth that is unequaled by other varieties, the people at Ken Wright cellars believe Pinot noir best expresses the character of these sites. Rather than stamping wine with a varietal trademark, they see Pinot noir as a vehicle for conveying the aroma, flavor and texture of the location in which it is grown.
- Given his appreciation of sense of place, it was a given that Ken would contribute to the locations and industry near and dear to his heart. Instrumental in organizing the six new American Viticultural Area (AVA)’s in the Northern Willamette Valley that define in detail the distinct growing areas within the region, he wrote the proposition for the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and served as the association’s first President.
Viticulture:
- Age: 20 years
- 15.77 Acres
- 400 Ft– 475 Ft Elevation on S/SE
Inclination
Vinification:
- NO INFO
Taste:
- “The crown jewel of Wright’s Vineyards Holdings”.
- “Polished and impeccably refined, offering tiers of raspberry, blueberry, savory and dusky spice flavors that glide along the finish, building complexity toward svelte tannins.
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $39
- Cost: $160
If/Then:
- Big Jump to Antica.
- Try Botanica. It’s only made in superior vintages, and it’s a really luscious expression of what the Willamette Valley Does best. Maggie, the wine maker, had loads of experience at Sinequa Non in CA before her friends started Antica. She didn’t originaly want to go to Oregon, but once she arrived at the property, it took her exactly 26 secconds to fall in love. It certainly won’t take you that long to fall in love with her wines.
12
Q
Copain “Tous Ensemble”
Sonoma Coast, CA
2017
A
AVA:
- Sonoma AVA:
- Sonoma Coast: Tous ensemble = Meaning “all together.” Entry level appellation blend from the Sonoma Coast.
Story:
- Founder and winemaker Wells Guthrie’s first work in the wine industry was as a tasting coordinator for Wine Spectator. He later moved to the Rhône Valley to work with Michel Chapoutier and also spent time with Jean Louis Chave while there. Stateside again, Wells had stints at Turley Wine Cellars and Martinelli Winery. In 1999, he established Copain. Its debut style was rich and powerful, but Wells eventually moved to a more restrained style, beginning with the 2006 vintage. Copain was sold to Jackson Family Wines in 2016, with Wells retaining his post as winemaker.
- Founded in 1999, Copain, meaning ‘friend’ or ‘buddy’ in French, embodies our philosophy that wine enhances life’s most joyous occasions, and is an experience best shared with friends and family. Sourced from cool climate vineyards in Mendocino County, the Anderson Valley and the Sonoma Coast, the Copain portfolio consists of three distinct collections—Tous Ensemble, Les Voisins, and the vineyard designate wines. These wines have been long inspired by France’s Rhone Valley wine region resulting in Copain’s signature style of restrained, and elegant wines.
Viticulture:
- NO INFO
Vinification:
- Guthrie’s style debuted as fruit forward and rich, reflecting his experience at Martinelli and Turley. Lower ripeness levels and elevated acidity became hallmarks beginning with the 2006 vintage.
- NO OTHER INFO
Taste:
- On the nose are screaming aromatics: hints of pomegranate and anise, and, as the wine opens up, strawberry and black tea emerge. This wine is plush on the entry, but given tension by its fine grain tannin and nervy acid.
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $13.50
- Cost: $95
If/Then:
- Try doing Anthill Farms instead. They are extremely small production, and really focused on sustainability. They give you that fabulous Sonoma coast fruit (4 miles from ocean) and I think it tastes like baby Flowers. The name is fun too. The boys who started the winery were told they looked like a bunch of harried ants during harvest - hence, anthill farms. Admittidly, they didn’t know if the name was brilliant, or the dumbest thing they’ve ever heard. They stuck with it, and produce some fabulous wine!
13
Q
Hartford Court
Russian River Valley, Sonoma
Califorina 2018
A
AVA:
- Sonoma
- Russian River:
Story:
- Hartford Family Winery was founded in 1994 as a result of Don and Jennifer Hartford’s appreciation for the wines, the people, and the unique vineyards near their Russian River Valley home. Located in the Sonoma County town of Forestville, the winery is about 15 miles from the cool Pacific Coast.
- Don Hartford grew up on a small strawberry farm in western Massachusetts, and later attended the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. To cover the cost of tuition and expenses, Don worked as a “straw boss” on a cigar wrapper tobacco farm, a degreaser in a bicycle factory, and a lifeguard at Congamond Lakes in Massachusetts. After earning a BA, Don spent a year teaching English as a second language in Spain and later taught Spanish for four years in Massachusetts. Don Hartford met his wife, Jennifer Jackson-Hartford, at Santa Clara University in Northern California in 1979. (Shortly thereafter, Jennifer’s father, Jess, started a modest 16,000 case winery called Kendall-Jackson.) In 1982, he graduated from Santa Clara Law School. Don’s legal career included a Tokyo law firm, a large San Francisco-based firm, Jess Jackson’s practice of constitutional law, and work at the California Supreme Court. He also was a partner in a small country law partnership, and served for a time as a winery general counsel and vice president. For more than twenty-five years, Don has been immersed in winemaking and winery management. In the process, Don has returned to one of his first loves—the land and farming. In addition, he and Jenny personally own and lead the farming of the winery’s vineyards, including a small old vine Zinfandel vineyard behind their home. As president and part-owner of Hartford Family Wines (with Jennifer), Don works “hands on” at all levels of the business, including work in the vineyards, winery, marketing, hospitality and sales.
Viticulture:
- Sustainable
- Practicing organic
- Low yeild, tight spacing
- Dry farming
- Harvest by taste, not by Brix
- Harvested and Sorted by hand
Vinification:
- Partially destemmed, not crushed
- Approximately 75% whole berries are delivered to stainless steel open-top fermentors where they are given a pre-fermentation cold soak and stirred daily for about 5 days
- Native Yeast
- Full Malo
- Punch down
- Only tightly grained French oak barrels are used to age all of the wines.
- Wines are aged from 11 to 15 months.
- New French oak percentages generally range from 30% up to 100%.
- Racked once before bottle
Taste:
- “Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2017 Pinot Noir Russian River Valley bursts with a black and red berry melange—raspberries, black cherries, red plums and warm cranberries—with nuances of black pepper, sassafras and mossy tree bark. Medium to full bodied, the palate delivers mouth-coating red berry flavors along with a soft texture and peppery kick to the finish. 7,000 cases were made” - Robert Parker.
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $23
- Cost: $99
If/Then:
- If you’re not opposed to moving to Sonoma Coast, Try doing Anthill Farms instead. They are extremely small production, and really focused on sustainability. They give you that fabulous Sonoma coast fruit (4 miles from ocean) and I think it tastes like baby Flowers. The name is fun too. The boys who started the winery were told they looked like a bunch of harried ants during harvest - hence, anthill farms. Admittidly, they didn’t know if the name was brilliant, or the dumbest thing they’ve ever heard. They stuck with it, and produce some fabulous wine!
14
Q
Anthill Farms “Peters Vineyard
Sonoma Coast, California
2017
A
AVA:
- Sonoma
- Sonoma Coast: Randy Peters and his father-in-law, Tom Mukaida, farm this vineyard outside of Sebastopol in western Sonoma County. The southern slopes of these hills form the northern edge of the Petaluma Gap, which rushes cool, marine air from the Pacific Ocean inland. The vines, a mix of Pommard and 777 planted over thirty years ago, produce grapes that ripen unusually slow due to the oft-present morning fog.
Story:
- Anthill Farms was founded by Webster Marquez, Anthony Filiberti, and David Low. The three met while working as cellar hands at Williams-Selyem in 2003. After harvest, they drove north to visit Oregon wineries, inspiring their own venture, which they launched the following year with eight and a half barrels of wine. Focused primarily on single-vineyard Pinot Noir, they also make two appellation Pinot Noir wines as well as Syrah and Chardonnay in most vintages. Anthill Farms does not own or lease vineyards, instead working with a variety of North Coast sites.
- Small Production: really only found from mailing list - a few restaurants and wine shops. Not a large retail presence.
- “We didn’t know whether the name was really great or really dumb,” admits Anthill Farms Winery partner Webster Marquez. “It came about because we’re all winemakers and people would see us all scrambling around trying to grab the same hose at once; they said it was like watching a bunch of ants.”
Viticulture:
- Sebastopol vineyard planted to 30-year-old vines
- South-facing slopes on the northern edge of the Petaluma Gap.
- Anthill Farms aims to express vineyard site and vintage, preferring acidity and freshness to a ripe style.
- While the partners don’t own any of their vineyards, they farm many of the plots themselves and have selected sites where the growers use meticulous farming practices.
Vinification:
- Whole cluster inclusion ranges upwards of 50% for Peters Vineyard
- Wines are aged mostly in neutral French oak and are not racked until bottling.
- It is not uncommon for alcohol percentages to hover around 13%.
Taste:
- “There’s a nicely ripe fruitiness of strawberries and raspberries on the nose, leading into a palate that holds the perfect balance between richness and structure, with a crunchy, spicy mouthfeel.”
- “Pretty and fresh though the fruit is very slighty rhubarby. Dry finish.” - Jancis
Cost vs. Front:
- Front: $35
- Cost: $125
If/Then:
- Try Flowers! They are the origianl Sonoma Coast pinot noir (the first to plant so close to the ocean - you can literally see the ocean fron the vineyard), and they are extremely focused on sustainability. “Extreme Sonoma Coast”.
15
Q
Peay “Ama”
Sonoma Coast, CA
2016
A
AVA:
- Sonoma
- Sonoma Coast: Peay Vineyards is located in the far northwestern corner of Sonoma County approximately 4 miles from the Pacific Ocean near Sea Ranch. The vineyard is situated along the coast, but not on the very first ridge. We have a partially obstructed avenue formed by the Wheatfield Fork of the Gualala River that allows for some fog and copious cool air penetration. The vineyard sits on a hilltop that is not way up in the air, but just at the top of the fog level, low enough to be very cool, but high enough not to be too cool and wet to grow grapes. We think it is the perfect combination of climatological factors.
Story:
- After an extensive coastal California search for the ideal soils and exposure, brothers Andy and Nick Peay and Nick’s wife, Vanessa Wong, founded Peay Vineyards. They planted a south-facing ridge four miles inland from the Pacific Ocean. Vanessa has been winemaker since the inaugural vintage in 2001. She studied enology at the Institute of Bordeaux and has worked at Lafite Rothschild, Jean Gros, Hirsch, and Peter Michael. On the farming side, Nick comes with experience at Schramsberg, La Jota, Newton, Coldstream Hills, and Flowers. Andy oversees sales. The vineyard is operated organically, uses biodiesel fuel and solar power, and holds certifications for integrated pest management and fish-friendly farming.
- Ama = A middle ground between the darker fruit found in Pomarium and the elegance of Scallop Shelf. 350 cases produced.
Viticulture:
- Practicing organic since 2012
- They do not apporach farming as black/white. “If we needed to address something that threatens the vineyard – and there is no organic alternative – we would do it to save the vineyard. But we have not for 8 years.”
- We use bio-diesel in our tractors. This allows us to minimize our reliance on certain fossil fuels at the expense of withstanding the smell of French fries while we work.
- VSP trellis = lots of sunlight, kept cool by pacific breeze
Vinification:
- Peay’s style generally favors lower ripeness levels. Likewise, new French oak is kept to a minimum. Estate bottlings are selected blind from barrel for typicity and style, in lieu of using specific vineyard blocks for each wine.
Taste:
- “Pale ruby-purple. More reticent on the nose than the regular Pinot Noir 2016 from this producer – blue and red fruit, with some violet perfume. More density of bright, blue and red palate fruit, with more tannic finesse. Long and perfumed. Young. (TJ)” - Jancis
- “Ama is a masculine Pinot noir combining the refinement found in the Scallop Shelf with the dark fruited rusticity of the Pomarium. More than any other wine we make, this cuveé hits me squarely in the pleasure zone engaging my brain and my belly. The seductive dark cherry nose has elements of Chinese five spice rubbed smoked duck with a cherry compote. It is medium bodied and round with just enough juiciness in the mid-palate to make me reach for another glass. The finish is held together by our signature forest floor/bark flavors and refreshing acidity” - Peay
Cost Vs. Front:
- Front: $40
- Cost: $130
If/Then:
- Try Hirsch San Andreas Fault. Vanessa Wong actually got her start here. Ama is a bit farther inland, hirsh is only 2 miles from the sea whereas Ama is 4 miles. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but the terroir shifts, as does the microclimate. Hirsch is also organic and biodynmaic, not only organic like Peay.
