Yamhill Valley Vineyards, Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette, Oregon, 2015

Overview of the Wine
Established in 1983, Yamhill Valley Vineyards is the oldest winery in the McMinnville AVA.

Denis Burger and Elaine McCall were looking for a piece of property plant grapes and learn about winegrowing from the ground up.  On a wet, August weekend, they opened up the classified section of the newspaper and spotted an ad that read “Land For Sale, Good For Grapes,” and they were off.  The rain continued all the way until they turned off Highway 18 onto Oldsville Road.  As they turned the corner approaching the property, a rainbow appeared over the hillside in front of them.  The rain stopped.  They had arrived.  The site was not where they had been looking and was much larger than what was needed for a hobby farm, but as they explored their new patch of Yamhill County, they fell in love with the views, the hillsides, the little stream with its wildflowers on its bank that ran across the track, and they began making plans for a vineyard.

Here at Yamhill Valley Vineyards, we value the health of our ecosystem and Earth.  We are water protectors, we understand and respect our waterways, we amend and develop our farming practices to be in alignment with our greater mission of being on the right side of history when it comes to environmental sustainability.  We are grateful to have planted our vineyard back in 1983, this means that our vines are well established and makes them receptive to dry farming, something we have been practicing since 2019.  Because we don’t irrigate, we save thousands of gallons of water each growing season.  This is not only in line with our values, but it also encourages resiliency and adaptation in our vines, lending to better quality fruit and wine. 

Sustainable.

Grape / Blend
Pinot Noir

Origin
Willamette Valley, Oregon

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
This vintage was a winemaker's dream come true; beautiful, ripe fruit making gorgeous rich, supple, and intense wine. Aromatics of black currant, tobacco, and mushroom lead into notes of fennel, plum, violet, blackberry fruit leather, and earth on the palate. Pair with smoked meats and hard cheeses.

91 Points - James Suckling
Aromas of plum, cherry, mushroom and vanilla with cedar undertones. Medium-bodied with plush tannins and fresh acidity. Spicy and vibrant with juicy, slightly sweet character on the palate. Supple finish. Drink now.

Product size: 750ml