2012 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Noir Heritage Cuvee Willamette Valley 750 ml

2012 ArborBrook Heritage Cuvee Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains

In November 2010, Wine Spectator published an article that sent collectors scrambling worldwide. That story described the 2008 vintage in Oregon’s Willamette Valley as “perfect” — the first 100-point Pinot Noir vintage in the publication’s history.

As the climate in Willamette Valley is well-known for its capriciousness, few in the Pacific Northwest imagined that Nature would soon treat Oregon’s winegrowers with a vintage that would eclipse 2008. But, as we’d learn after four days at the International Pinot Noir Celebration, the miracle harvest of 2012 would do just that.

If your Pinot Noir palate is geared towards dark color, juiciness, and black-fruit concentration, 2012 is not just a one-of-a-kind vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir, but a vintage that much reminds us of Burgundy’s 1976 and 2003 harvests. These are wines of tremendous natural concentration — with natural sugars so high that finished wines generally exceed 14% in alcohol — yet somehow acids remain sufficiently firm to keep everything in balance. Here’s why.

The spring of 2012 was unusually cold, making for a small and uneven set. In retrospect, it was the “misfortune” of March and April that would later contribute to the harvest celebration. After a mild June, July turned hot, filled with blue-sky days and cool nights. That pattern continued for almost 12 weeks. Barely a drop of rain fell on ArborBrook’s Chehelam Mountains estate vineyards from July 1st to early October, yet the deep-rooted plants showed little sign of hydric stress. At harvest, the crop size was minuscule — just 2 tons of small-berry Pinot Noir per acre. Sugars topped out at 26 Brix (!!), yet those cool nights helped retain excellent acidic vibrancy.

The 2012 ArborBrook Vineyards Pinot Noir Heritage Cuvée Chehalem Mountains was drawn from a mix of Pommard, Dijon 115, and Dijon 77 clones. 100% estate-grown. Vivid ruby in color. Explosive nose of raspberry, mountain blueberry, rose petals, and a dash of white pepper. Rich, lush, and multi-layered, filled with a juicy mix of black cherry, black raspberry, and sweet spice, finishing with superb Chehalem Mountains cut and backbone. Drink now for its primary red-fruit flash or lay down until the early 2020s. Handsome dividends will be paid out to the patient!

$30 on release. The winery’s last 40 cases are now up for grabs at a price too low to put into print. Shipping included on 4.