Vinous Obscura Millefiori Old Vine Field Blend
WHY WE LOVE IT
- “Millefiori” comes from the Wirtz Vineyard and was listed on an old vineyard map as “experimental rows.” A few of the vines appear to be Black Muscat, but the bulk of them are Franken Riesling, Chasselas, Perle of Csaba, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, and Gewurztraminer.
- The vine age is 50 years.
- Low intervention farming.
Varietal: Field Blend – Black Muscat, Franken Riesling, Chasselas, Perle of Csaba, Merlot, Pinot Gris, Sylvaner, and Gewurztraminer.
Elaboration: Hand harvested. “Millefiori” was co-fermented on skins for 10 days, then pressed off over Riesling skins. This wine was aged in bottle for 22 months before release.
Tasting Notes: Explosive aromatics, color, and an incredible finish.
PRESS
n/a
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
The Vinous Obscura brand from Golden Cluster is centered around grapes sourced from two experimental nurseries and vineyards. One is on the Oregon side of the Columbia Gorge and the other in Forest Grove in the Northern Willamette Valley.
There are over 200 different grape varietals between both vineyards. In some cases, these are the first ever plantings of these grapes in the USA, others are the first on the West Coast, some are rare clones. This grower has decades of grape growing and winemaking experience in New York state and belongs to a network of growers and academic organizations who work together to establish the viability of certain grapes in different soils, climates, and regions. Golden Cluster is making some of the first commercial wines from these rare grapes.
Golden Cluster, of Willamette Valley, Oregon is the vision of owner/winemaker Jeff Vejr. Established in 2013, all of Vejr’s wines are produced under the Golden Cluster umbrella, but Golden Cluster also represents some individual wineries throughout the area.
Today, Veijr produces his wines at the David Hill Winery, which was originally the Charles Coury Vineyard & Winery, one of the first vineyards planted in Willamette Valley after Prohibition. David Hill provides him with the “uncommon grapes” he sources and most of these were planted between 1966-72. The Golden Cluster name is a nod to the memory of Charles Coury and the Semillon grape variety.