“This opens with tart raspberry and blackberry fruit, then seems to lighten up quickly, adding salmonberry and rhubarb. The tannins are astringent and peppery, with a hard shell. More than the other vineyard designates from Elk Cove, the Five Mountain needs decanting.” – Paul Gregutt
– Wine Enthusiast (August, 2020)
“…aromas of red and black berries with touches of earth, charcuterie and spice. The palate is light-bodied with bright, fresh fruits and a long, juicy finish.”
– Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (April 23, 2020))
“Lively, mineral-laced red fruit, floral and cola scents are complemented by vanilla and woodsmoke nuances. Juicy and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and raspberry flavors that deepen and become sweeter as the wine opens up. Shows very good depth as well as energy and closes with solid, red-fruit-driven persistence and fine-grained tannins that add gentle grip.”
– Vinous (August, 2020)
“Medium ruby color, fresh cherry nose; balanced, long and complex…generous and stylish.”
– Anthony Dias Blue (March, 2020)
“Very attractive floral notes with roses and red cherries nicely intertwined. The palate has a very succulent feel, cradled in supple, smooth-honed tannins.”
– James Suckling (Jan, 2020)
VINTAGE 2018’s growing season started hot and dry through spring and summer, but relief was just around the corner. A hearty rain weeks before harvest and cool temperatures in September and October slowed ripening and gave the fruit additional hang-time. Harvest came late with small, intensely flavored berries with a high skin-to-juice ratio. After a slow start, the second half of harvest saw the simultaneous ripening of multiple blocks and a veritable “crush” in the fermentation hall. Once again, we were thankful for the added capacity of our 2013 cellar expansion and a crew of seasoned pros in the vineyard and the cellar.
These are wines of ample flavors and high maturity levels. The Pinot Noirs are bold and fruit-forward with higher than average tannins. In the white wines, expect more tropical fruit aromas in addition to the classic stone-fruit aromas. This is a great vintage for those who appreciate boldness in cool-climate varietals. 2018 wines are highly intriguing, their intense richness balanced by lifted tones, coming from a warm growing season that thankfully concluded in a cool autumn.
Elk Cove Vineyards purchased Five Mountain Vineyard in 2005 after leasing the site for several years. Previously it was exclusively used in our Willamette Valley blend, but after taking full control of the vineyard we have found certain lots worthy of Single Vineyard status.
This historic vineyard was planted in 1978 by the Ponzi family. The original 4.2 acres of old vines are comprised of Pommard clone and the entire vineyard is set on a steep southeast slope in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, overlooking “five mountains” in the Cascade Range most widely seen from the Willamette Valley. This vineyard was an important element in the early Ponzi Reserve Pinots and has also been a Single Vineyard selection from a number of premier Oregon wineries over the years.
Five Mountain is now sustainably farmed by Elk Cove Vineyards and comprises a total of 30 acres including the original old vine Pommard Pinot Noir, younger Dijon Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Gewurztraminer and Riesling.
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.
Fruit from Five Mountain is fermented in small, temperature-controlled steel tanks, hand punched down twice daily, and barreled in French oak barrels. After 10 months of aging, only the barrels that are most representative of the Five Mountain profile are carefully blended to create a rich, earthy Oregon Pinot Noir.
Review Five Mountain.