2017 Voix de la Vigne Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 750 ml

When Laurent Montalieu calls, we pick up. 

The man behind Soléna, our top-selling Oregon wine, Laurent is our direct line to some of the most overachieving Pinot Noirs made in Willamette Valley. A year and a half ago, he called to introduce us to Voix de la Vigne—which promptly became one of the biggest hits of 2020.

It has taken us this long to get our hands on a much-awaited second allocation of this exceptional Burgundy-style bottling, which shows exactly why we come running when Laurent calls. Grown in what Vinous' Josh Raynolds called "a truly remarkable vintage," crafted by Laurent’s right-hand man Bruno Corneaux, it’s nearly impossible to find.

Laurent has unrivaled access to some of the best grapes in the region, so he, Bruno, and their partners decided to channel that fruit into Voix de la Vigne, an unapologetically Burgundian Pinot from that region’s New-World equivalent. Take a look at the grape sources and you’ll see names familiar to anyone who knows Laurent’s Willamette Valley empire: Domaine Danielle Laurent, Hyland, and Domaine Loubejac all contribute fruit to this stellar bottling. 

When he overnighted us samples of the 2017, we couldn’t wait to open the box—and boy, were we rewarded for our impatience. The aromatics are textbook Oregon Pinot Noir, bursting with sweet red fruit, violet pastille, and citrus rind. Juicy on the palate, it shows cherry cola and raspberry notes plus hints of dried morels, licorice, and orange pekoe tea—a perfect balance of high-toned fruit and earth-driven elements.

Once you take a sip, you’ll see why we always pick up the phone when we see Laurent’s name.