2014 Denison Cellars Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

The growing season arrived early, as budbreak was 2 weeks ahead of schedule. Summer temperatures were much warmer than average, with 30 days during which the maximum reached or exceeded 90o F. Precipitation was lower than average, and nights remained relatively warm. Fruit set was perfect, and the resulting clusters were relatively large in size. The quality of the incoming fruit was extremely high and it arrived at the winery in pristine condition. The resulting wines have very soft ripe tannins, and wonderful mouthfeel and flavors. They are very approachable in their youth, and should age gracefully over the next decade.

The Wine

The 2014 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a blend of 667/777 (70%) and pommard (30%) clones, and the fruit is sourced from Kiff Vineyard (65%) and Johnson Ridge Vineyard (35%). Each clone and vineyard contributes unique characteristics: 777 adds red raspberry and Bing cherry, pommard adds rose petal, sweet plum and structure, and 667 provides flavors of blackberry. The Johnson Ridge fruit contributes a hint of earth and forest floor. The resulting wine has rich mid-palate volume, velvety tannins, and flavors of Bing cherry, raspberry, sweet Italian plum and cinnamon that lead into a long, seamless finish.

The Johnson Ridge Vineyard fruit was harvested on September 21st, as was the Kiff Vineyard 667/777 clones. The Kiff Vineyard Pommard was subsequently harvested on October 5tht. All of the fruit spent three days in a cold-soak to extract color. Fermentation was completed in small, one-ton bins, and took sixteen days to complete. French oak barrels were used for aging, 20% of which were new, and the blend was created in April, after spending 11 months in barrel and 6 months in tank. Bottling was completed in June; 131 cases were produced.

The 2014 Denison Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is unfined, and to prevent any incidence of cork taint, is bottled under a twist-off closure.