The Austin family is royalty in the North Willamette Valley, and Ken Austin III and his wife, Celia, established their first vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains in 2009. During the 2015 harvest, they made news with their recent acquisition of renowned Nicholas Vineyard near Newberg. That fruit, combined with the stellar winemaking by Bryan Weil of Alexana, led to this remarkable work from a ripe vintage. Dijon clones 115, 667 and 777 drive this blend, and the inclusion of Pommard (15%) plays a role from the Oct. 7-8 harvest. A third of the barrels were new French oak, which cultivates aromas of toasted almond, vanilla and cocoa powder with black cherry and blueberry jam. It’s round and rich with black cherry and plum, backed by boysenberry acidity and a touch of caramel for a long and juicy finish.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 220 cases
Alcohol: 14.3%
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