91 points - Wine Spectator
95 points & Double Gold - San Francisco International Wine Competition
The 2015 Estate Pinot Noir expresses the terroir of our three vineyards - the original planting by Founder, Jim Bernau at the winery in the Salem Hills, Tualatin Estate planted by Oregon wine pioneer Bill Fuller in the foothills of the Coastal Range and Elton planted by Dick and Betty O'Brien on the east face of the Eola-Amity Hills.
Sourced exclusively from 15 acres of Pinot Noir from the first plantings at the Estate Vineyard, Founder Jim Bernau planted these vines using a Christmas tree planter pulled behind his 33 horsepower tractor. He grafted the French clones 667 and 777 on a portion of the vines when they became available.
Focused notes of florals, including violet and lavender, flow into ripe red fruits of cherry and raspberry accented by nutmeg and cedar aromas. The palate is satin textured over an elegant frame of bright acidity and firm tannins surround mouth-filling flavors of cranberry, earth and savory herbs.
The bouquet opens with notes of mixed red and black fruits, spice, minerality and earth. On the palate, red fruit flavors of raspberry and cherry are accented by barrel-driven characteristics of mocha, white pepper and cedar. The wine features a medium-bodied frame structured by fine tannins and balancing acidity.
Featuring a nose of black cherry, raspberry, florals and baking spices, the wine moves into flavors of red fruits, earth and cedar on the palate. A silky smooth mouthfeel, elegant balancing acidity and a lingering finish round out the profile.
An illustration of the art of blending, the Signature Cuvée is selected from the finest barrels sourced from our Estate, Elton and Tualatin Estate Vineyards. It is a wonderfully complex wine that delivers an array of concentrated fruits, earth, game, floral, spice and rich oak accents. On the palate, this wine shows a harmonious balance of structure, weight, and acidity with ripe tannins and a lingering finish. With site driven diversity, we are able to craft this wine to our precise and quality standards.
