2017 La Cuillere "Members Reserve" Pinot Noir

Vintage 2017 

2017 was a very wet winter with weekly snowfalls that paralyzed the area, giving us 40” in the first 4 months (20” average). Early May the heat was turned on to the low 80s, reaching the 90’s by the end of the month. By late June we were in the 100’s. The summer fires in the Columbia River Gorge and Southern Washington filled the Northern Willamette Valley with thick smoke for weeks at a time; we were lucky to avoid smoke-tainted grapes. Yield was on the high side (5+ tons per acre), forcing the growers to send the crews in the vineyards to drop fruit. 

Winemaker's notes. Tasted in 2019

Winemaker, Jacques Tardy has blended grapes from vineyard across the Willamette Valley to create this lush “Member’s Reserve” wine. It begins with an inviting aroma of boysenberry jam, blackberries and dark chocolate. Upon tasting, flavors of ripe plums and black cherries finish with a savory spice and more dark chocolate. This rich and complex wine is full and lush with incredibly balanced acidity and silky tannins.