Aroma: Dark cherry, cinnamon, earth, umami
Palate: Plum, currant, baked dark fruit, cinnamon, licorice root
Mouthfeel: Robust, juicy, textural, velvety tannins
Region(s): Yamhill-Carlton AVA, Chehalem Mountains AVA
Vintage: After already difficult year to overcome the many challenges that COVID-19 presented the winery, we dealt with the worst wildfire season on record in Oregon. The 2020 vintage was destined to be a small vintage with projected yields below average with tight, small clusters. The daytime temperatures during the growing season were hot and we were anticipating a highly concentrated and intense vintage. What we didn’t expect were wildfires and smoke to delay and make for an evermore difficult harvest. All whites and sparkling wines were harvested before our air conditions became hazardous. After waiting out the smoke, and after a lot of analysis and consideration we went ahead and produced our entire 2020 vintage with fantastic results. Our 2020 Pinot noirs are deep, intense and unique wines that we are loving getting to know.
Legacy: Our Barrel Select Process is a process unique to our vineyard that was created by our founder, David Teppola, back in the 1980's. As the barrels age, they are closely monitored by our Winemaker for one or two (or both) qualities - first, a barrel of exceptionally delicious quality, or a second, a barrel that is showing immense promise as it ages. The very top barrels are selected and blended together to create a unique blending that reflects the Teppola family's interpretation as to what aromas and flavors exemplify that vintage, and set it apart from other years.