2020 Pinot Noir

$38.00

Tasting notes and commentary from James Greenwood.

The generous 777 is well balanced with the Pommard to lend the kind of complexity that a north valley, Cornelius loam soil can support. There is both a youthful and old world presence in the body of this wine. Pepper notes are shapely and would pair well with herb-crusted chicken thighs and cambozola cheese on sourdough bread. 

The relatively higher alcohol at 13.6% is evidence of a later harvest and higher brix in a year with heat spikes. With 10 minutes of air after opening, the heat of the alcohol fell into balance very nicely.

Winemaker Chris James Barnes held onto this in neutral oak barrels (17 months) and bottle (8 months), before choosing to release this wine. He held back with wise restraint, well after many of local competitors of the same vintage that, frankly, were released too early. This wine is perhaps the penultimate expression of Pinot Noir from the Tualatin Hills sub AVA.

James Greenwood recommends this to drink now through 2027.

James Greenwood is the on-site Wine Specialist and Wine Educator at the Helvetia Farm Market, Hillsboro, Oregon.

Very limited - Only 73 cases produced.