Jill and Brian O’Donnell operate this 70 acre property (16 acres under vine) in Willamette Valley, Oregon (Yamhill-Carlton District). The emphasis is on gentle, natural winemaking. To that end, organic and biodynamic farming practices are used, grapes are hand sorted and winemaking occurs in a three story gravity flow facility. ""Since it's first release in 1997, the Estate Reserve has been our flagship wine, representing ""the best of the best"" of Pinot Noir from our property each year. For the past several years, the same 2 of our 8 ""blocks"" of Pinot Noir vines have formed the backbone of this cuvée. The first is our initial planting from 1994, which is always the most complex wine in the cellar, and seems to gain additional levels of flavors and suppler texture every year. The second is the steeply sloping southwest section that consistently achieves the most even and thorough ripening in the entire vineyard, and contributes an intriguing spiciness to the wines that we don't get elsewhere. Throughout the year, we give these sections of the vineyard special attention, and reserve the optimal harvest days for picking these grapes. We then select the individual barrels from these blocks that display the best characteristics of our site: deep, dark, black fruit flavors and aromas, solid structure with firm ripe tannins, and good acid/tannin balance. T his 2005 version displays not only the best of our vineyard, but also the best characteristics of the vintage. It is complex, structured, and balanced with an underlying sappiness. Very nice today with the right food pairing, and filled with promise for even more enjoyment in the future! 300 cases produced."" Winery Notes
|
