North America | Oregon | Eyrie Vineyards | Estate Pinot Noir

Estate Pinot Noir

VARIETAL
Pinot Noir

NOTES
VINEYARD: The Estate blend combines Pinot Noir from Eyrie's five certified organic estate vineyards.

VINIFICATION: Farming is certified organic but Jason and his team take this only as a starting point. Viticulture at all of the Estate vineyards follows the precepts of regenerative no-till farming, with strict attention paid not just to the vines but to the healthy networks of soil organisms that support them. Not only does this approach avoid the need for artificial irrigation, it also nourishes the vines without the need for additional fertilizer, and captures atmospheric carbon.

Picked by hand, the Pinot Noir is de-stemmed and put into a variety of fermenters, from small one-ton bins to a five-ton wooden cuve, to undergo native primary fermentation. Barrels were mostly neutral: for this vintage: only 8% were new. Having undergone native malolactic fermentation and aged for almost 2 years, the 2017 Pinot Noir was blended after 19 months, racked once without filtration, and then bottled and sealed under Diam cork to eliminate the possibility of off/corked spoilage. 2435 cases produced

TASTING NOTES: Record-breaking precipitation fell in February followed by heavier than normal rain through the spring. The summer was dry and quite warm; fortunately, the deeply rooted vines weathered it well, drawing on the spring rains soaked deep in the soil. Of some worry was late summer smoke from forest fires in the Columbia Gorge many miles away, but a burst of rain two weeks before harvest washed the vines and refreshed them, and put out the fires in the Gorge. At the end of September, harvest began as moderate temperatures moved in. This vintage was closest to "normal" of the last five years, starting just before the historical average of October 5th.

This is a bright red beauty with deep, complex fruit notes. Taut and focused on the palate, a hint of red berry reminiscent of fresh strawberry jam is juxtaposed with an underlying spiciness and earth. With super-fine tannins and a satisfyingly long finish, this is a classic representation for the lover of ageworthy Pinot Noir.