2009
Willamette Valley Pinot noir
Composition:
100% Pinot noir
Alcohol:
13.9% by vol
pH:
3.51
Production:
14,344 cases (750 ml)
1,000 cases
(375 ml)
12 bottles
(1.5 L)
Cellaring:
Under optimum cellar conditions, this wine will
certainly
improve through 2019, and perhaps through 2029.
WINE
BACKGROUND
The first
vintage of this Pinot noir was in 1979.
Our
objective in producing this wine has always been a classic,
intense, and elegant wine that pairs well with the foods we
like to eat.
By blending
the diverse flavors and textures of multiple vineyards, clones,
and elevations, we produce a richly supple and focused wine
that typifies what Pinot noir can achieve each vintage in the
northern Willamette Valley.
With this
wine, our 31st vintage, our experience shows - we've long
been acknowledged as producing a reference standard for the
"Oregon style."
VINEYARDS
Sixty -two
percent of the grapes used in this wine were sourced from
estate vineyards: 59% from our seven vineyards in the Chehalem
Mountains AVA and 3% from the Eola- Amity Hills AVA . The
remaining 38% is derived from fourteen other non-estate
vineyards located in various sub-regions within the Willamette
Valley.
Approximately 75% of the wine comes from several clones brought
into Oregon from Burgundy, 20% is UCD 5 ("Pommard"), and the f
inal 5% either UCD 1A (" Wädenswil") or a clonal-blend.
Soil type,
appellation, vine age, and elevation varied considerably in
these lots, offering many options to create a unified
blend.
"With its
broad array of origins and clones, this
wine
displays red aromas (candied cherry,
pomegranate
and raspberry), on the nose and
the palate.
In addition, one finds a light touch
of brown
spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, all-spice).
True to our
house style, it is elegantly textured
with
seamlessly integrated, silky, polished
tannins.
Pair it with salmon or ahi, veal or
pork,
poultry (think duck) or beef, or hearty
vegetarian
entrees."
Dave Paige,
Winemaker
WINEMAKING
After
hand-harvesting, the grapes were gently de-stemmed into
open-top fermenters, followed by a four to six day cold soakto
achive greater flavor and color extraction.
The grapes
were then inoculated with a commercial yeast and gently punched
down two or three times per day during their 7 day
fermentation.
After
pressing, the wine was transferred into traditional small French
oak barrels (20% new) where it was aged for approximately 10
months.
The final
blend was bottled over a week-long period, August 3 - 11,
2010.
GROWING
SEASON
The 2009
growing season began with three months of above
average temperatures coupled with lower than average
rainfall.
Bud break
occurred around April 20th, giving the 2009 season a one week
head start compared to 2008. Rainfall increased throughout the
pre-bloom period, and temperatures remained higher, resulting
in gorgeous bloom conditions and bountiful fruit set.
Temperatures
spiked into the triple digits in July, but cooled to normal levels
for August as we eased into veraison.
Sugar
accumulation was accelerated at lower elevations leading to a
mid-September pick , which we had not seen since the 2006 Harvest.
Lack of rain around our picking schedule meant grapes could
hang until they reached optimal ripeness.
All of our
Estate fruit was in the winery by the second week of October.
