Idaho-born Shane Moore graduated form Washington State University’s wine program in 2008 and worked around the world before love led him to Northern California, where he landed at Jackson Family Wines’ renowned La Crema Pinot Noir project. The Sonoma giant’s impressive investments in Oregon’s Willamette Valley began with its 2013 purchase of Zena Crown Vineyard west of Salem, and it brought Moore back to the Pacific Northwest to spearhead the new brand featuring this acclaimed vineyard, which now stands at 115 acres. This marks the debut of the label, and Slope is one of four bottlings from the inaugural vintage. It hails from clone 667 off Zena East blocks 5 and 6, and the harvest on Oct. 5 at 22.7 Brix spent 17 months in 85% new French oak barrels of medium to medium-plus toast. That leads to an engaging notes of Marionberry, black cherry, mild chocolate and lightly toasted almond with plum spice. Its balance and structure is elegant, a bit Burgundian and remarkably low in alcohol, featuring cherries and mountain berries with a pinch of fresh thyme and lingering cranberry acidity.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 348 cases
Alcohol: 12.7%
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