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| Drinking Windows and Values |
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| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 9 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by FLI on 5/6/2011 & rated 90 points: Needs an hour to open up, but at that point, it shows a great blend of varietally correct pinot fruit, depth and structure. 12% alcohol is another huge plus. Wish I had more. (3570 views) | | | Tasted by Dr_Bob on 8/15/2010: agree with previous tasters in retrospect, acidity is present, but fruit has faded a bit; my previous bottle 4 yrs ago was more enjoyable
if you have any left, drink with food
....
mild cherry/leather after a bit of air (3665 views) | | | Tasted by jrf on 11/20/2009 & rated 87 points: The fruit seems to have faded a fair amount (3763 views) | | | Tasted by johnwine on 5/31/2008 & rated 91 points: I agree with Parker in every respect on this wine. I think it was approaching a peak but still can improve. (3710 views) | | | Tasted by golfhawk on 12/16/2007 & rated 88 points: Earthy nose with a variety of flavors in the midpalate. Still a little rough on the finish. i don't think it will get any better. (4211 views) | | | Tasted by jeff nowak on 6/12/2007 & rated 91 points: i have been very pleased with the portfolio across it's broad spectrum of vineyards in this vintage. unfortunately, this is the end for me, but each has been a treat, consisting of well balanced acidity and fruit, harboring just the right amount of forest floor/ mushroom and both red and black fruits for my palate. if you have any bottles, i believe the 2000's are peaking, and should be consumed over the next year or so. (2343 views) | | | Tasted by vanpe003 on 4/30/2007 & rated 87 points: On opening, an outrageously rich, perfumed pinot nose. On the palate, it falls a bit short, with acidity over the top relative to the fruit. Would do well, appropriately paired, as a food wine. But its out-of-balance state does not bode well for stand-alone drinking. Lacks a sense of structure that would suggest improvement with age. Drink now. (2173 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 3/25/2003 & rated 91 points: Right out of the bottle this showed a gorgeous nose of fresh Pinot, cherry and strawberry with little obvious wood. With time this gains a GREAT deal in intensity and depth, taking on a piercing note of cherry liquer with some spicy wood. The palate is silky with nice acidity, and a very spicy note. The finish is powerful with quite a bit of acidity. The Wine Advocate suggest this won't be ready for three more years, but this is awfully nice right now. I will be curious to see if the remaining half bottle improves or falls off a cliff tomorrow. (+1 day) Well, it didn't really improve a great deal the second night, nor did it fall off a cliff. (8030 views) |
| By Gregory Walter
PinotReport, Issue #1 (4/1/2002)
(Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard Willamette Valley) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, March/April 2002, IWC Issue #101
(Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of PinotReport and Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Ken Wright Producer WebsitePinot Noir Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.
Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.
Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.
The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.
Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.
In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.
Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.Freedom Hill Vineyard2023 Article (From Patricia Green Producer):
Site History: The vineyard was established in 1982 by the people who still own and manage it to this day: Dan and Helen Dusschee. While they may not have realized it at the time, they were settling onto a site destined to be one of the top Pinot Noir vineyards in the state of Oregon. Their rigorous and professional approach to the management of the vineyard has brought about that greatness, and even though the vineyard suffered through a scourge of phylloxera replantings, expansion of the site has shown that there is a distinct and indomitable terroir. Few non-estate vineyards in Oregon can reach as far back in history with regards to being bottled as a single vineyard designated wine as Freedom Hill Vineyard. Panther Creek Winery began designating the site in the late 80s. St. Innocent began doing so in the early 90s. In 2013 their son, Dustin, rejoined the farm and began taking over day-to-day management operations. Even while expanding to slightly over 90 acres over the years, this vineyard remains a family owned, lived upon and operated venture, something that is becoming increasingly rare and, thus, that much more special in Oregon.
Site Characteristics: Freedom Hill Vineyard lies toward the eastern edge of the Coast Range Foothills. While associated geographically with the Eola Hills, the site lies south and west of the border of the Eola-Amity Hill Appellation outside of the town of Monmouth. The vineyard is planted on a marine sedimentary type of soil known as Bellpine. The vineyard is also located just south of the Van Duzer wind corridor which allows for more consistent average temperatures due to a lack of afternoon and evening offshore breezes rolling through. This site is known for powerful or, at least, extremely intense Pinot Noirs. Wines tend to be very dark in color and operate on the blue, purple, black end of the fruit spectrum. Tannin structure can be impressive. This vineyard has the capacity to produce some of the most extraordinary wine made in the state.
Farming Practices: Since 2013 Freedom Hill Vineyard has been moving diligently and consistently from conventional farming practices to organic farming. While not 100% turned to organic practices it is closer to that than it is to so-called “sustainable farming.” Great attention has been paid to specific cover cropping, foliar feeding and cultivation. The result is a healthier vineyard with a greater range of blocks producing single vineyard quality style wines.
2010 Article:
//Freedom Hill Vineyard// is located in the Coast Range just south of Dallas, OR. The soil type is known as Bellpine, which is sedimentary in origin. The fruit from our 2.85 acre block is wholly Pommard clone. The vineyard was planted in 1980. Wines from this site are the firmest and most structured. They have great longevity. Approximately 340 cases are produced. The vineyard is owned and managed by Dan & Helen Dusschee.
//Vineyards of the Coastal Range://
The fruit is sourced from two vineyards located in the foothills of the coastal range. Both tend to be late to ripen due to the cooling influence of maritime air flowing into the valley from the Van Duzer Corridor. These sites also tend to have higher levels of tannin which make them great candidates for extending cellaring but they are unlikely to be as immediately pleasurable as many of our other sites.
USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Oregon Oregon Wine, Oregon Wineries (Oregon Wine Board)Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley (Oregon Wine Board)
On weinlagen-info including some single vineyards
Willamette Valley Vintage Reviews
Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley AVA Wikipedia article
#2012 vintage:
"Broadly speaking, the Willamette Valley's 2012 pinots are fleshy and fruit-dominated, with round tannins and forward personalities. The fruit tends to the darker side of the pinot spectrum--think cherry and blackberry rather than strawberry and raspberry, much less cranberry and redcurrant--and this gives the wines massive crowd appeal. The best wines also have the depth to age, so don't be fooled by their accessible nature in the early going." - Josh Raynolds
#2013 vintage:
"The key to a successful foray into the ‘13s is first to understand that in most instances the wines lean to the red fruit side of Pinot Noir; they tend to be tangy and tightly wound but often lack concentration. While some wines may put on weight and gain sweetness with bottle age, that’s a gamble I’ll personally leave to others. The 2013s also tend to lack the tannic structure for more than mid-term aging although they will likely endure on their acidity, which I suspect will usually outlast the fruit in this vintage" - Josh Raynolds
#2014 vintage:
"The 2014 vintage in Oregon may be remembered as the vintage of a lifetime [for growers] . . . these wines as they will be similar to the 2009 vintage . . . lovely, ripe, rich, deeply concentrated and aromatic" - winebusiness.com
"The conditions made it relatively easy to make good wines, with no worries about achieving ripeness, and the lack of frost risk allowed us to keep grapes on the vine as long as we wished." - Casey McClellan |
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