At the behest of industry leaders such as David Adelsheim, Oregon State University brought over several clones from Burgundy in the late 1980s, and 114 was among those that were shipped from France with a return address of “Dijon.” Few producers in the North Willamette Valley have embraced and excelled with 114 as Steve Lutz has at Lenné Estate near Carlton. This work, named for his mother, seems to reflect many of the characteristics associated with Dijon clone 114 — a bold profile featuring boysenberry and black cherry joined by baking spices such as clove, nutmeg and allspice. There’s a charming dash of fresh mint that’s left behind by a mouthwatering finish of red currant, pomegranate and Montmorency cherry.
Rating: Outstanding! — 92 points
Production: 87 cases
Alcohol: 14.1%
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