VINTAGE NOTES

2017 VINTAGE

The 2017 vintage was very different from the several preceding vintages, and began much more like a “normal” Willamette vintage, whatever that is. We had a cool and wet spring which created conditions for a normal budbreak and a bloom happened in June, setting the stage for a September and October harvest. The vines set a historically huge crop load as bloom happened under ideal conditions. As such, a lot of effort went into dropping an unprecedented amount of fruit during thinning in the vineyard. Once the vines were brought to proper balance, the flavors came on slowly with great freshness and ideal phenolic maturity.

2018 VINTAGE

The 2018 vintage was another in a string of warm, ideal harvests. A long summer drought led to a differentiating phenomenon however when we saw acidities staying higher than we’d expect for prolonged, arid conditions. Conditions for harvest were dry which meant we were able to wait to pick for optimal ripeness, phenolic character, and moderate sugars. The wines are red-fruited with fresh, bright acidities and show like wines from a much cooler year. Underlying floral tones will only develop further with age as well.

2019 VINTAGE

We find these wines to be distinctive in their floral tones and we are particularly engaged in how those floral tones interact with the spice all of our single vineyards tend to imbue. So while Oregon has seen a run of opulent, fruit-driven pinot in the previous years, you’ll find that our 2019’s are expressive in a much different way. 2014-2018 were the Heath Ledger 10 Things I Hate About You wines and the 2019’s are the Health Ledger a la Brokeback Mountain -- all handsome wines but nonetheless divergent.