We hope this finds you well and enjoying the last days
of summer. We have had a fantastic summer here with lots of great
things happening. The weather has been amazing, and we are anticipating
harvest 2013 with great optimism. Thanks to all of you who have made
the trek out our dusty roads to try our wines; it is always great to
meet new people and see old friends alike. In July we participated as a
featured winery in the International Pinot Noir Celebration, a three
day event in McMinnville and had a great time. We met a lot of great
folks, drank and ate amazing wine and food and we look forward to
participating in future years. I would highly recommend attendance.
Timely response to emails and phone messages has never been my long
suit, and Clare is on par or worse. To that end, Tiffany Stevens has
joined us to help with the details of keeping all the wheels on the
wagon. Some of you have already had the chance to meet her, we are
really happy she has the fortitude to put up with us.
Farm news: We continue to raise
animals, we had three calves born this spring and just bought a bull,
Charlie, to service the cows this year. Two steers and an open cow were
slaughtered last week, and we are eagerly awaiting the first taste of
these efforts. This year’s pigs are a new breed for us, American guinea
hog, they are about half the size of most pigs, but do well on pasture
and kitchen scraps and require much less grain, helping us move further
in the direction of pasture based produce. For the first time we have a
predator problem with the laying hens, so sadly our egg supply has
dwindled sharply. The chickens were ranging so well on their own we
became lax about moving their “bus” and somebody figured this out. We
have resumed regular movement but more efforts might be needed. The
garden is booming thanks to the back end output of Clare’s horses. I
still maintain that’s all they are good for.
Vineyards: good news and bad news. The
good news is that our relationship with the owners of the Wirtz
vineyard continues to evolve and we are now leasing the whole 12 acres.
This means we are responsible for the farming and that 2013 will see
the addition of an aromatic white wine to our portfolio, all exciting
stuff! The bad news is Resonance vineyard was recently purchased by
Burgundy producer Maison Louis Jadot who will use all of the fruit for
their own production. Sadly 2012 will be our last vintage working with
fruit from this wonderful site. However, Kevin and Carla Chambers have
purchased another property and are in the planning stages of planting
vineyard so we look forward to working with them again in the future.
The most amazing aspect of summer 2013 is the
establishment of the Founders Circle. Thank you to all who have
contributed to our “barn raising”; it has been a stunning and humbling
experience to know that so many of you believe in what we are doing and
want to be a part of it. I begin blending this coming week to prepare
for bottling so there is still some time to count yourself in. Please
do so quickly so I know how many magnums to bottle next week.
Construction of the barn will commence shortly, and plans for the winery
are complete. Preparations for construction next spring will happen as
soon as the barn is up.
The wines available for fall 2013!
2012 Pinot Gris – Wirtz Vineyard - Made
in the same manner as past years, fermented on the skins briefly and
then finished in barrel to dryness and malolactic complete, bottled
without fining or filtration. 2012 was a beautiful growing season and
has produced some gorgeous wines, the first preview of this was our
Laughing Pig Rose which exhibited lots of fruit, richness and acidity
with exceptional balance. The Pinot Gris is also typical of the vintage
and displays the same great ripeness, coating mouthfeel and wonderful
balance. As in past vintages the tannins are firm and present and the
acidity makes this wine politely ask to be pared with seafood of all
kinds. To be bottled September 12 to approximately 115 cases, label
Thistle from BTF pasture, 32 dollars
2011 Vintage was one of the coolest
springs and summers in memory, however September was also one of the
warmest and driest. October brought us some rain but mostly dry and warm
days to ripen the fruit beautifully. All of our vineyards were picked
at the very end of October, we could hear trick or treaters on Halloween
reveling in the streets of Amity as we sorted and processed the just
picked fruit. The cool summer with a warm finish has produced wines with
fantastic ripeness of fruit and tannin and yet vibrant acidity
throughout. When we open bottles to taste with folks we often find the
wines to be even better the next day and I now recommend decanting
before drinking while still young. My feeling is that while these wines
are showing well now they will be enjoyable for some time into the
future. What follows are four more vineyard designates arranged from
coolest to warmest in terms of microclimate. Since they were all picked
within the same time window I find their differences due to site
fascinating and compelling. They are peers, each with their own
strengths and beauty. All have been bottled without fining or
filtration. All have been reviewed favorably and we are proud to offer
them to you now.
2011 Riesling – Brooks Estate Vineyard -
Again, made in the same manner as 2010, barrel fermented to dryness
with native yeasts and completed malolactic. We recently opened a 2010
and I was impressed with the weight the wine had put on. Of all the
wines I make, the Riesling is the one I am most interested in its
progression as it ages. I have tried several produced in the 70’s in an
off dry style and am curious as to how mine will compare in equal
time. Regardless, the 2011 is very similar to the 2010 in structure,
however aromatically it presents a bit more spice and lemon with great
minerality and toast on the palate. It has already proven to be
wonderful to sip on with snacks on a sunny Sunday afternoon. 91 cases
produced, label Porcini from Big Table Farm, 28 dollars
2011 Cattrall Brothers Vineyard Pinot noir – this
is the highest elevation vineyard that we buy fruit from and
consequently the coolest site. This is evident in the resulting wine’s
petite stature and yet it delivers beautiful aromatics and rich fruit on
the palate that persists through the finish. Its tannins are firm and
present. Fermented with native yeasts and whole cluster give great
character to the wine with only 11.9% alcohol. All the wines from 2011
have low alcohol, but this is noteworthy given everything else that is
presented in the wine. I am always learning and am sometimes surprised
by what happens when wines are gently nudged and allowed to express
what’s there, as opposed to imposing my will over them. 143 cases
produced, label 1941 Ford dump truck, 45 dollars
2011 Wirtz Vineyard Pinot noir -
Planted in the early 70’s by the Wirtz family, this vineyard is old by
Oregon standards, as are the others. Older vineyards tend to produce
wines that have greater depth and character in ways that are perceptible
but indescribable. Their deep roots allow them to produce consistent
wines, reaching water in dry years and uninterested in the first rains
in a wet year. They naturally produce less fruit and so are balanced
without excessive manipulation. We feel honored to be trusted with the
fruit from such pieces of history. I was still wearing diapers as this
vineyard went into the ground. The fruit produces wine with spicy
aromatics even without the inclusion of stems that persist throughout
the palate to the finish. Balance and depth of earth, fruit and acidity
are hallmarks of the Wirtz vineyard.
119 cases produced, label Walnuts from the vineyard, 45 dollars
2011 Sunnyside Vineyard Pinot noir – This
is the first year we have worked with the fruit from this vineyard and I
hope to continue for many years into the future. First off, owners
Lucy and Tom couldn’t be any sweeter or dedicated to growing the best
fruit possible. They are a pleasure to work with. Second, their
vineyard has produced a wine that is complex, layered with all kinds of
flavors and saturated with fruit without being overpowering in any way.
I believe that wine should be an accompaniment to food and think that
this wine is a perfect partner for just about anything, save something
too spicy.
143 cases produced, label Rooster from big table farm, 45 dollars
2011 Resonance Vineyard Pinot noir –
This is the warmest site we buy fruit from and in a cool vintage it is
very apparent, it is slightly darker and its stature is greater, making
the wine almost atypical for the vintage. Rich, ripe fruit and dark
notes bounce off of each other throughout the wine and firm tannins hold
your attention. We have found year in and year out, this wine, while
perfectly acceptable now if given the chance to mature will yield a more
clear picture of what it wants to be. For some reason unknown to me the
2011 exhibits more of this initial opaqueness than past vintages. I
believe with a little more time this wine will be truly exceptional,
however we have held it for a year in barrel and a year in bottle and
now need to turn it over to you, so we can continue to make the next
vintage. 287 cases produced, label Curly the bull, 48 dollars
Thank you again to all for you support and continuing to buy wine. We wouldn’t be here without you.
From our table to yours, cheers! Brian and Clare
