Vintage

VINTAGE 2017 was a classic Oregon vintage with plenty of sunny days and refreshingly cool nights. It was also the first year since our wines were 100% estate grown, created entirely from grapes we own and farm. We now have full control as we care for our vineyards and soils for generations to come. “Estate Grown” is now proudly displayed on each of our labels.
After three early harvests in a row, 2017 brought us back to what many consider “classic Oregon weather.” A wet, cool spring led to a late start to the growing season with an early June bloom. Dry, hot weather in July and August meant great ripening as we thinned clusters to protect quality. Worries of smoke taint during the Columbia Gorge fires proved unfounded in our area, but hazy skies slowed September ripening slightly.
We began bringing in fruit in mid-September but were interrupted by rain a few times in late September and mid-October. With 40+ vintages under our belts and hillside vineyards at diverse elevations, we were able to choose the right windows to pick beautifully ripe fruit from each block. Sometimes this meant pulling long hours: in fact, October 9th was our biggest day on record, with 110 tons landing on the crush-pad. Expect ripe tannins, fully developed flavors and classic cool climate freshness in these 2017 vintage wines.

Vineyard

Oregon has a wild geology shaped by volcanoes and floods, winds and time. This varied geology is one reason why the Northern Willamette Valley is an excellent area for growing grapevines. Today, the three dominant soil types for growing Pinot Noir in our region are Willakenzie, Laurelwood and Jory. It took us decades, but we now grow Estate Vineyards on each of these three soil types:

Willakenzie/marine sediment – Our Winery Estate (La Bohème, Roosevelt), Mount Richmond & Goodrich Vineyards
Laurelwood/windblown silt – Our Five Mountain & Windhill Vineyards
Jory/volcanic clay – Our Clay Court Vineyard

Our Soil Trilogy is a great way to experience three wines made with the same varietal, by the same winemaker from grapes grown on each of the three primary soil types here in the Willamette Valley.