2018 Olson Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir

Vintage 2018 

The summer was hot and dry, eclipsing previous years out of the record books with 31 days over 90° most in the upper 90’s without reaching the century mark, including a stretch of 10 days over 90° in July. Summer fires in the Southern Washington and Southern Oregon/ Northern California filled the Northern Willamette Valley with smoke, for weeks at a time. We were lucky to avoid smoke-taint in the grapes. The grape yields were on the high side, forcing growers to send the crews in the vineyards to drop fruit to a reasonable level. 

Winemaker's notes. Tasted in 2020

Our estate vineyard, planted in 1972, brings us wines of complexity and elegance with every vintage. The 2018 is no exception. This wine was fermented in large wood tanks and then aged for 10 months in 33% new French oak, racked into neutral barrels and then bottled un-fined and un-filtered. This beauty has a vibrant aroma of floral notes, berries and a sweet vanilla and tobacco note. The forward fruit on the palate carries through the velvety texture and extends into the long, juicy finish. Beautiful now, but cellaring another 5 years will show more complexity.

Production: 226