VINTAGE HIGHLIGHTS
2021 was the 2nd warmest growing season we have ever seen since 2015. We also got to add a new term to the dictionary: "Heat Dome". Three straight days of triple digit temperatures in late June breaking heat records for the Willamette Valley. Bud break started like usual in the middle of April. We had the driest March through May that the Willamette Valley has seen through 128 years of record keeping! Bloom also appeared on time in early/mid June. While late June brought the “Heat Dome”, our grapes made it through thanks to bloom being finished at all our sites and there still being soil moisture, so they grew like crazy over those three days of hellish temperatures. While July and August turned out to be exceedingly hot and dry, September arrived with little rain which that allowed us to fully ripen the grapes. The hot and dry summer made for fruit that was extremely clean, resulting in excellent fermentations. All in all, mother nature gave us something to be grateful for on our 50th anniversary.

WINEMAKING
The grapes from this block were carefully harvested on September 24th and 25th. The clusters were then sorted by hand to remove any flawed bunches and 100% de-stemmed directly into 3 ton stainless steel fermenters. Ambient fermentation was allowed to take place naturally with cap management by punch-downs. Once the fermentation process was finished, the wine was pressed off the skins at dryness and barreled down in 100% French oak barrels with 19% new oak and 18% neutral, and left to age for 16 months before bottling.

WINE PROFILE
Our 2021 Old Vineyard is red fruit forward and wet stone on the nose. You will find red cherry, plum and raspberry on the palate with a hint of clove.

PAIRINGS
Pinot Noir marinated tri-tip grilled and topped with a roasted pepper tapenade.

THE STORY
The Old Vineyard Block Pinot Noir comes from fruit harvested off of the initial section of the vineyard planted by founders Bill and Susan Sokol Blosser in the early 70s. Although replanted in 2007/2009 on rootstock, cuttings from fruiting vines were taken from the original plantings and grafted onto rootstock for the replant.

SCORES
2018 - (92) James Suckling
2017 - (93) James Suckling, (91) Wine Spectator