North America | Oregon | Belle Pente | Pinot Noir Murto Vineyard

Pinot Noir Murto Vineyard

VARIETAL
Pinot Noir (Pommard clone, self rooted)

NOTES
VINEYARD: Murto Vineyard, located in Dundee Hills, at 750ft elevation. This is Belle Pente's 19th consecutive bottling of vineyard-designated wine from Mike and Robin Murto's outstanding old vines (planted in 1978) high in the Dundee Hills. Although this mature vineyard tends to deliver the goods every year, the high elevation makes it a fairly cool site, and in warm vintages like 2015 creates something very special indeed!

VINIFICATION: The 2015 growing season got off to an early start with bud break before the end of March (two weeks early) and flowering in early June. The warm growing season resulted in the earliest harvest ever for this vineyard, beginning on September 19th and wrapping on the 24th. The Murto vineyard generally gets harvested in October, so harvest was completed before it would have even started in a “normal” year! The grapes were vinified with a small fraction of whole cluster that helped to extend macerations to 18-21 days, and then aged in barrel (30% new French oak) for 18 months.
594 cases produced

TASTING NOTES: The signature Murto profile includes red fruit and spice. This 2015 version reflects its warm growing season with ripe raspberry flavors and aromas, complemented by baking and exotic spices wafting above the fruit. This rich, concentrated wine also retains bright freshness that persists through the long finish. It is a thoroughly complete and intriguing wine. Enjoy over the next 10-12 years.

PRESS/RATINGS: Brilliant red. Highly expressive aromas of fresh red/blue fruits, potpourri, baking spices and candied rose. Juicy and seamless in texture, offering penetrating raspberry, cherry liqueur and spicecake flavors that are highlighted by a zesty mineral note. Intensely flavored and sharply delineated, with an impressively long, perfumed finish that delivers firm mineral cut and resonating floral character. -- Josh Raynolds 94 (VINOUS, 6.13.2019)