Airlie Winery Pinot Noir
WHY WE LOVE IT
- The Airlie winery and their estate vineyard, Dunn Forest, are live certified sustainable and Salmon Safe.
- The vineyard is hand-cultivated, allowing them to respond to individual vine needs.
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Elaboration: The fruit was gently de-stemmed by a Euro Select into 1.5-ton fermenters leaving a very high whole berry content. A three or four day cold soak preceded inoculation done with a variety of yeasts designed to increase complexity and mouth-feel. Fermentations were punched down twice a day for ten days with temperatures peaking around 91 degrees Fahrenheit. The wine was racked via gravity to settling tanks keeping each lot separate and was allowed to settle for two days before being racked to French oak barrels. The skins were shoveled into the press and pressed off to their own settling tank before racking. Keeping the free run and press wines separate allows for more flexibility in summer when we start blending. The wines were inoculated for malo-lactic and allowed to age for 10 months. At the end of August the barrels were racked to tank for blending and crossflow filtering.
Tasting Notes: Our estate Dunn Forest Vineyard and BeckenRidge Vineyard combined to create this lovely food companion. Aromas of black cherry enhance the pomegranate flavors with notes of cocoa. Bright acidity and chewy tannins make this wine enjoyable now and a perfect food companion.
PRESS
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PRODUCER BACKGROUND
Airlie winery and the estate vineyard were purchased by Mary Olson in 1997. She was joined by winemaker, Elizabeth Clark, in in 2005. Susan Simons, marketing and sales, joined the time in 2018. Sebastian (2003) and Gustavo (2012) round out the Willamette Valley’s best vineyard crew. Airlie Winery is nestled in the coastal mountain range on the western edge of the Willamette Valley, the inviting setting, complete with a picnic area and pond, extends any plans for just a brief stop. Located in the Heart of the Willamette Valley, Corvallis, Salem, Albany, Dallas and Monmouth are just a short drive away.
Today they have thirty acres of grapes consisting of nine varietals; Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Müller Thurgau, Gewürztraminer, Maréchal Foch, and Muscat Ottonel. Sixty-five percent of the grapes used in making Airlie Wines come from their own vineyards. BeckenRidge Vineyard, located 20 miles away west of Dallas Oregon, supplies the remaining grapes.