2019 Pinot Noir bottled!
We are so excited! The 2019 vintage of our flagship wine went into bottle on March 24, 2021. Besides harvest, bottling day is the most rewarding and highly anticipated day of the year. The culmination of all the hard work and decisions that goes into producing an outstanding bottle of wine is realized on this day. In reality, the journey continues. We are continuing to monitor the evolution of the wine as it settles into its new home in the bottle. Even a month or two of patience will be rewarded. Our goal right now is to release the wine in May, 2021. Please stay tuned.
What was the 2019 vintage like?
The 2019 vintage overall was a cooler vintage than we have seen recently. It was also characterized by early rains in September and rapid cool down into October. This was a nostalgic year for Oregon wines, harkening back to the times before climate change began to create warmer vintages. The 2019 vintage looks to offer special wines that will reward wine drinkers for years to come.
So, how long should you wait to open our Pinot Noir?
The evolution of this ethereal liquid does not end with insertion of the cork. Wine is a living thing. Red wines, including Pinot Noir, benefit from time in the bottle. Whenever you purchase a bottle of wine, you will be tempted to open it right away. Even I fall victim to this temptation! Opening a young wine can be fun and educational. Experiencing a wine over time by opening bottles at different stages in its development is one of the most interesting ways to explore this phenomenon. I always buy at least 3 bottles of a red wine in order to have this experience. Drink one now, drink another in a year or two, and in the case of Pinot Noir save one for drinking in 5-10 years. You will be rewarded for your patience!
What if I can’t wait?
We understand! In fact, I have already opened a bottle to celebrate! If you must drink one now, I would highly recommend you pour the wine into a decanter and let it sit for at least an hour. If you don’t have a dedicated decanter, then any large glass vessel will do (think vase, glass jug or even a fish bowl!). The benefits of decanting can also be achieved using a wine aerator.
Special introductory pricing through April!
One of our overarching goals is to make our Willamette Valley wines accessible. Pinot Noir is expensive to produce, but we believe you can still produce high-quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir at an affordable price. Our farming practices are dedicated to low-yield Pinot Noir (less than 2.5 tons per acre). This results in less fruit available for producing wine, but the benefit is seen in quality. We will not compromise on this value. That being said, we want everyone to be able to afford our wines. The price of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir has increased, and it is not uncommon to pay well north of $50 per bottle for small batch, hand-crafted Pinot Noir. We don’t want price to be a deterrent to enjoying our wines. That is why we have priced our Pinot Noir at less than $30 per bottle. We know we have not yet won over your palate, so we want to entice you to give us a try by offering pre-orders at a mere $25 per bottle through April. You can also use your wine club and volume discount codes to make it even more affordable! Thank you all for your support!
