2011 Clay Court
The 2011 Clay Court displays juicy red fruit framed by vibrant bright acidity & creamy, custard fullness. Slaty, wet-cement minerality accompanies the lush strawberry & raspberry flavors, followed by herbal notes of thyme and bay-leaf on the finish.
Vintage
This vintage brought the ‘nice weather’ late in the season allowing us to let the fruit hang 15 days longer for fantastic flavors and better pH and acid balance. Winemaker, Adam Campbell, comments, “the late and cool vintage really highlight why we choose to grow grapes on the viticultural edge. Extremely long hang time gave us wines with concentrated ripe fruit flavors, beautiful freshness and lower alcohol. These wines are why we love Oregon!” Reminding Oregon vintners, once again, those who held on patiently will be richly rewarded in the wines.
Vineyard
Clay Court sits atop a picturesque hillside in the Parrot Mountain zone of the Chehalem Mountains AVA. This 15 acre all-Pinot-Noir vineyard was planted in 2001 with the classic Pommard and modern Dijon 115 and 777 clones of Pinot Noir. Clay Court was purchased by Elk Cove in 2009 and is the home of founders Joe and Pat Campbell – and their beloved tennis court! With gentle east-facing slopes, dark red Jory clay soils, and a proven track-record for producing high-quality Pinot Noirs, Clay Court Vineyard was immediately a great addition to Elk Cove’s estate vineyards.
Winemaking
All of Elk Cove’s delicate Pinot Noir fruit undergoes the same gentle handling through our gravity flow system. This allows us to achieve the elegance, texture and luscious quality that are the hallmarks of exquisite Pinot Noir.
Clay Court Pinot Noir fruit is fermented in small, temperature controlled steel tanks, hand punched down twice daily then aged for ten months in 40% new French oak. Our winemaking team then carefully blends the barrels most representative of the spicy flavors and concentrated red cherry fruit that characterizes this vineyard.
Viticultural & Enological Data
- Vine Age 10 years
- Yield 1.75 tons/acre
- Harvest Sugars 23 Brix
- pH 3.36
- Vatting Fermentation in small open top steel fermenters. 10 months in French oak.
- Cases Produced 398
Adam’s Cast Iron Salmon
Here in the Pacific Northwest, our summers are marked by fantastic outdoor celebrations featuring our favorite regional foods and wines. To locals, this often means a glass of Pinot Noir alongside charred salmon, fresh salads and watermelon, a meal that perfectly expresses the bounty of an Oregon summer.
Get Adam’s Recipe
