Winderlea Ewes' View at Worden Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 Red Wine

Winderlea Ewes' View at Worden Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 

Dundee Hills AVA, Willamette Valley, WA

92 pts. Jeb Dunnuck:

"Spicy and taking on some more ripeness, the 2021 Pinot Noir Ewes' View At Worden Hill Vineyard pours a ripe ruby appearance and offers notes of pine, mossy earth, and cherry lozenge. Structured and medium-bodied, with ripe tannins, a crunchy freshness of acidity, and a good, citrus-tinged finish, give it another year and drink it over the coming 5-6 years."

92 pts. Vinous:

"The 2021 Pinot Noir Ewes' View at Worden Hill Vineyard is gorgeous, with enticing autumnal spices and stone dust embellishing wild strawberries. Silk textures combine with wild berry depths and hints of citrus, creating a display of contrasting tension. It leaves a coating of fine-grained tannins and resonating touches of licorice."

My oh my, this Oregon Pinot is a true gem! The grapes are sourced from a special "block" of the organic Worden Hill Vineyard called "Ewes' View" because sheep roam freely throughout. It's one of the highest elevation vineyards in the Dundee Hills AVA, but it's also south-facing, so it gets a lot of sun. The wine is chock-full of flavor thanks to that unique Willamette Valley volcanic soil; nice ripe red fruit, spices, and depth. The winemaker used only neutral oak, so the purity of the fruit shines through. – Wine Factor

FROM THE WINERY

Showcasing abundant aromas of red fruit, our very first vintage of this wine opens with wild strawberry, cranberry and rhubarb alongside a touch of violet and bay leaf. Hazelnut, tarragon, rose petal and cola transition to supple tannins buoyed by a fresh acidity. The palate continues into a lengthy finish, carrying structure, focus and finesse.

VINEYARD

This 50 acre site sits high atop the Dundee Hills and is currently planted to 24 acres of vines, with the oldest vines originally planted in 1977. Current owners David and Christine Vernier are now leasing the site to Winderlea. Winderlea is farming and managing the property and in 2021 earned Demeter Biodynamic® certification for this site. The vineyard faces due south and sits at an average elevation of 650 feet. Primarily volcanic Jory soil, with a narrow strip of volcanic Nekia running through the middle. Mostly Planted to Pinot noir, Worden Hill also has Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay, and Pinot gris.

2021 HARVEST

The 2021 vintage will go down as one of Oregon’s vintages to remember. Warmer and drier weather than usual in March and April woke up the vines and the season was off to an early start. Flowering was clear and dry. Just one rain occurrence happed just before bloom and naturally helped to keep yields in check, ultimately leading to fruit with balance and idea ripeness. Summer was warm with unusually high temperatures in late June. Warm weather continued throughout the rest of the Summer with grape development showing great promise for the vintage. Harvest occurred in September with clean and fruit of impressive quality.

VINEYARD: 100% Worden Hill AVA: Dundee Hills

SELECTIONS: 30% Mix, 30% Pommard, 20% Dijon 777, 20% Dijon 667

HARVEST DATES: 9/8-9, 9/15/21

AGING: 11 months neutral French oak

ALCOHOL 13%

Ph  3.39

TA  6.3

BOTTLE DATE: 9/23/22

CASE PRODUCED: 361