2018 Rosé of Pinot Noir

VINEYARD

Established in 1983, we are the second oldest vineyard in the McMinnville AVA. The McMinnville AVA is known for having intense, enduring wines. Some of our top soils were brought here over 15,000 years ago in the Missoula floods, which makes this area incredibly unique. We have the perfect climate for growing Pinot grapes because we are located in the rain-shadow of the Coastal Foothills, visited by frequent winds that form from the Van Duzer corridor, and planted on western facing sloped hillsides. All of these come together to result in unique wines of quality and distinction, grown 100% from our Estate.

VINTAGE

No two years are alike, especially in Oregon wine country, this is part of what keeps the winemakers and growers of the Willamette Valley enthralled with the challenge of each unique vintage. The 2018 growing season started strong with one of the warmest and driest springs on record. Summer followed suit, however we didn’t see long periods of heat spikes which can halt ripening; instead we saw the summer taper into a cooler system around late September. This allowed a window to let the fruit hang and develop complex flavor, while still retaining acidity and brightness. 2018 was hands down one of the best Oregon vintages to date.

WINEMAKING

Grapes were hand-picked from the coolest site on our estate, then quickly delivered to the crush pad where they were meticulously hand sorted, de- stemmed and pressed soon after. Juice was settled overnight, and then racked and inoculated. Slow, cool fermentation of Pinot Noir juice encourages a full bouquet to accompany rich texture. The finished wine was kept cold during aging to prevent malo-lactic conversion, which helps to retain a brightness in this delicate yet luscious rosé.