2017 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Gestalt Block McMinnville

TASTING NOTES In typical fashion, the 2017 Gestalt Block Pinot noir fully expresses the savory side of Brittan Vineyards. Tobacco, pea shoots, five-spice, licorice, gunpowder and flint show up alongside rich black plum, blackberry, dark cherry and black currant. This is a phenolic, tannin-driven wine with a long, complex and savory finish.

VINEYARD NOTES The Brittan Vineyard lies just 12 miles southwest of McMinnville, tucked into the foothills of the Coastal Range. The original 18 acres were planted in 2001, but due to the challenging nature of this site and limited topsoil, only eight acres survived. Since 2004 when Robert and Ellen Brittan purchased the vineyard, it has been an ongoing rehabilitation project: replating, retraining and learning the unique landscape that has become the Brittan Vineyard. The Gestalt Block Pinot noir comes from the part of the vineyard that is more southwest facing and atop younger, more compact intrusion basalts. It takes the brunt of the wind that blows across the vineyard, resulting in a wine with structure and fine acidity. The selections of Pinot noir planted in this block include 777, 667 and 115.

VINTAGE NOTES Akin to the prior three vintages, 2017 provided a consistently warm growing season for the vines at our estate vineyard, resulting in generous (for us) average yields approaching two tons per acre. Springtime flowering and fruit set, while delayed by a cool and wet winter, were even across the blocks and dry conditions at harvest meant little to no pressure from disease. The resulting wines are full bodied yet retain the mineral notes and taut core of acidity that have become the hallmarks of Brittan Vineyards.

PRODUCTION NOTES The fruit for the 2017 vintage was picked in early October. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak, 27% new.

BOTTLED:DECEMBER 2018 CASES PRODUCED:276