2003 Roosevelt
The 2003 Roosevelt shows classic richness along with an earthy backbone to give it substantial length.
Vintage
2003 was an incredibly warm year in Oregon, which meant great physiological ripeness for the grapes. (This was particularly true for our higher elevation, own-rooted sites.) A very long growing season also gave balance and acidity to the sweetness seen in the grapes at harvest. All of Elk Cove Vineyards’ 2003 Pinot Noirs will be full, juicy, balanced wines for drinking upon their release but further cellaring time will bring out additional nuances not to be missed with a little patience.
Vineyard
Roosevelt vineyard was planted in 1993 and has quickly become Elk Cove’s most prized vineyard site. A four-acre high-density (2100 vines per acre) planting situated just south of the winery on Willakenzie soils, Roosevelt’s south-facing hillside slopes to a steep precipice overlooking the magnificent Williams Canyon.
Roosevelt undergoes extensive pruning and cluster thinning to limit yields and maximize ripening to concentrate the fruit and is managed using completely organic practices. All of these elements combine to consistently produce one of Oregon’s finest Pinot Noirs.
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.
This reserve level pinot noir is produced exclusively from grapes from our Roosevelt Vineyard. The wine is fermented in 70% new oak and only the best barrels are selected to create what many consider Elk Cove’s finest Pinot Noir.
Viticultural & Enological Data
- Vine Age 11 years
- Yield 1.4 tons/acre
- Harvest Sugars 25.8 Brix
- pH 3.75
- Vatting Fermentation in small open top steel fermenters. 10 months in French oak.
- Cases Produced 208
