2017 Olson Estate Vineyard 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

Our estate vineyard, planted in 1972 brings us wines of complexity and elegance and the 2017 vintage is no different. Winemaker Jacques Tardy blended Dijon, Pommard, and Wadenvil clones from the vineyard and aged the wine for 22 months in 5% new French oak. This complex wine emerges with aromas of violet, cherries and blueberry. Bright on the palate, flavors are sweet with concentrated dark berry notes and rich chocolate, leading to a long and elegant finish of earthiness and a light touch of oak.