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The Willamette Valley Crew Cut
For those of you who have been badgering us about the dearth of Oregon Pinot Noir on WineAccess, we finally have something to talk to you about. Since the glorious 2008 harvest, where every top address in the Willamette Valley seemed to turn out beautifully structured, concentrated, Burgundian-styled Pinot, Nature has been dealing plenty of jokers to Oregon's winegrowers. Particularly in the 2009 vintage, one of the hottest growing seasons on record, the less experienced and less rigorous suffered, often bringing in large crops of ultra-ripe Pinot Noir that was short on backbone. But just like the hot vintages in Burgundy -- 1976, 1983 and 2003 -- the most experienced growers first tailored their vines to shelter clusters from the heat, then attacked them like banshees, armed with pruning sheers, dropping crop radically like the greats of Vosne.
In the case of what many believe to be the greatest name in the valley, Tony Soter pulled off a miracle at his manicured Soter Vineyards, harvesting every cluster before most even considered picking, making for an absolutely luscious red berry single vineyard Pinot Noir that somehow captures the best of Russian River and Volnay, still laced with Willamette Valley succulence.
Robert Parker spared no adjectives when The Wine Advocate dropped 91 points on what is, in our view, not only the finest sub-$30 Oregon Pinot Noir of 2009, but one of the very best on America's coastline from that torrid growing season. How did Tony Soter fashion such an electrifyingly high-toned crushed red berry knockout, when so many of his neighbors came up short? It must have been the crew cut.
The hot summer followed a near perfect spring, producing the potential for a crop 2-3 times larger than the norm. Many, particularly growers who were selling fruit by the ton, not bottling themselves or selling by the acre, saw dollar signs. Soter, who first cut his winemaking teeth on Napa Cabernet Sauvignon while consulting for a superstar cast that included Araujo, Spottswoode and Dalla Valle, wasn't nearly so delighted. In July, he and his team took to the vines, dropping more than half the crop load, giving these estate vines not so much as a haircut, but a crew cut. That decision -- one that had neighboring growers rolling their eyes -- proved prescient, concentrating the few clusters that remained while preserving precious acidity.
Still, Soter said, he was 'keenly aware at how close to the edge we were. We had ample acidity, but given the heat, those could dip quickly. The berries were sweet, and while it was tempting to let them hang a bit more, we knew we couldn't wait." Soter and his team harvested quickly, before most of the valley had even assembled a picking crew.
This isn't just a "solid" bottle of Oregon Pinot Noir. Nor is it simply nicely even-keeled and attractively structured. This is an explosively aromatic, lively, high energy Pinot Noir of great complexity, richness and finesse that simply defies vintage expectations, as it trumps every joker Nature dealt.
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Tasting Notes
2009 North Valley Pinot Noir Soter Vineyards Willamette Valley
"In the 2009 vintage, Soter Vineyards handled the conditions as well as anyone. The entry-level bottling, the dark ruby-colored 2009 North Valley Pinot Noir was aged in only 10-20% new oak. Potpourri, incense, and bright red fruits inform the nose of a savory, round, nicely balanced wine that will deliver considerable pleasure over the next 6+ years."
91 points -- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate
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*Important Shipping Information
- Orders will begin shipping the week of May 14, 2012.
- You will be provided with the exact shipment date during checkout.
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