Harvest:
81% Belle Pente Estate Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, marine sedimentary soil, planted 1998 & 1999
– Pommard, Wadenswil and Dijon 113, 114, 115 and 777 selections
13% Aileron Hill Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, transitional diabase soils, planted 2014
– Pommand and Dijon 115 selections
6% Foxy Rock Vineyard, Yamhill-Carlton, marine sedimentary soil, planted 2000 & 2002
– Pommard & Wadenswil clones.
Hand harvested Sep 13th through 22nd , average 23 deg. Brix and 3.6 pH
14% whole cluster, 5-8 day cold soak (42-48F)
Fermentation & Aging:
Fermented with vineyard propagated and ambient yeast strains
1.25 & 2.5 ton fermenters, punched down by hand twice per day
Average total cuvaison 19 days
Free run & light press wine (directly to barrel)
4% New French Oak
36% 1-2 year old
60% 3-5 year old
12 months barrel aging with two rackings (barrel to barrel, and barrel to tank for bottling)
Bottling:
Gravity bottled February 19th, 25th, and 26th 2024 (unfined, unfiltered)
1213 cases produced
13.7% Alcohol
5.1 g/L TA
3.8 pH
Comments:
Our 2023 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir leans heavily on our Belle Pente estate vineyard, supplemented
with several barrels from two other Yamhill-Carlton vineyards: Aileron Hill and Foxy Rock. This
vineyard mix is almost identical to our 2021 version, and is likewise reflective of a warm growing
season with an early, compressed harvest. This young wine is perhaps less juicy but more energetic than
the 2021 rendition, with vibrant fruit and a lingering interplay of acid and tannins on the finish.
Enjoy now and over the next several years.