Few winemakers in Oregon’s Willamette Valley explore as many growing regions, vineyards and varieties at Byron Dooley from his McMinnville facility. He’s focused on the Yamhill-Carlton American Viticultural Area for his own Luminous Hills Vineyard and label, but here he pulls from Armstrong Vineyard in the Northwest’s smallest AVA — Ribbon Ridge — for this bright Pinot Noir. The foundaton begins with a four-barrel lot of Wadenswil (50%), Pommard (25%) and 114 clonal fruit, along with a whole-cluster fermentation of 25 percent and 25 percent new French oak program of Tonnellerie Rousseau’s Video project. There’s a touch of milk chocolate to the aromas, but the focus is on fruity tones of Bing cherry, blueberry and orange zest, along with a touch of crushed basalt. On the palate, high-toned red fruit of raspberry and cranberry lead into a midpalate of loganberry syrup. A squeeze of clementine makes for an elegant finish.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 99 cases
Alcohol: 13.8%
Subscribe to our Wine of the Week newsletter
Leave a Reply