North America | Oregon | Fossil & Fawn | Oregon Rose

Oregon Rose

VARIETALS
60% Pinot Noir, 40% Pinot Gris

NOTES
VINEYARD: Pinot Noir (vine age 43 years - non-irrigated) from BeckenRidge Vineyard in Willamette, and the Pinot Gris (vine age 37 years - non-irrigated) from Rebecca's Vineyard in Umpqua.
BECKENRIDGE: First planted in 1976 by the Hudson family and known as Ellendale Vineyards, Ken and Becky Jacroux have owned and managed the property since the 1990s. Ken manages 16 acres of own-rooted, single-wire-hanging Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Niagara. At just shy of 600’ elevation in the wooded foothills several miles west of Dallas, Oregon, BeckenRidge is a beautiful, wind-swept site with soils transitioning between marine sedimentary and volcanic Jory soils.
REBECCA'S (AKA SOPHIE'S): The site is located in the upper northwestern corner of the Umpqua Valley, nestled into the eastern edge of the Coast Range, which means it behaves climatically much more like the northern Willamette Valley. Depending on who you ask, the vineyard was planted sometime either in the mid-80s or the early-90s, by Sophie Lerro. A native New Yorker, she allegedly fell in love with Oregon during a stint in a traveling circus. A career in the US Merchant Marine earned her enough to retire to Oregon and establish the vineyard. Nobody can say definitively who Rebecca was, or why Sophie named the vineyard for her. With some outside help, Sophie managed the vineyard herself for decades until she passed away in 2018. Her son, Chance, now manages the vineyard and has been in the process of transitioning to organic farming (for formal certification - they've been practicing organic for years). In the spring, herds of sheep graze in between the vines. On steep slopes ranging from 400’ to 890’ in elevation, the Fischers work with Draper selection Chardonnay, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, and Sémillon. Additionally, the vineyard is planted to Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, and a little Riesling.

VINIFICATION: Harvest took place from 9/25-27. The Pinot Noir was picked first for brightness, and the Pinot Gris later for added texture and spice. Pinot Noir was direct press while Pinot Gris was foot-treaded and allowed to soak on skins and stems for 3 days. Both lots were settled and racked to barrel where they fermented spontaneously.
280 cases produced (1 case for MA)

TASTING NOTES: Lovely fruit. Sugars were low with developed flavors and balanced acids.