Two fermenters of fruit were 100% de-stemmed and went through a normal cold soak of 4 to 5 days and then was fermented in 1.75-ton open-top fermenters and was punched down 1x/day before being pressed and allowed to settle for 3 days. Two other fermenters were done with 20% whole clusters, went through a standard cold soak of about 5-6 days, pumped over 1x/day until fermentation began and then was pigeaged 1x/day until dry and then was pressed and allowed to settle for 3 days. The wine spent about 10 months in barrel in 33% new oak. 5 and ½ barrels of the 20% whole cluster fermentation barrels were selected and 3 ½ from the 100% whole cluster fermentations. This combination allows for the forward, supple nature of Dundee Hills fruit to be showcased while in check by the old vine, mineral-driven elements of the 100% whole cluster barrels. This is a wine that has old bones and sensibilities to it while still having the stuffing that Dundee Hill wines are known for.

These now monster vines were planted back in 1973 making them some of the oldest vines in Oregon and thus giving this bottling an historical aspect to it. 44 year-old vines in Oregon are exceptionally rare both because there was so little planted acreage back then and because some of that acreage has been re-planted due to phylloxera That this site and wine exist at all is somewhat of a minor miracle. In part due to this, this wine knows exactly what it wants to be. This is finesse, subtleness, elegance and discreet balance all backed up by a sneaky and looming firmness that comes on in the back of the wine. Only older vines make wines like this. This is not a wine that needs to make a dramatic entrance because all the work is done on the back end.

Lia’s Vineyard, to us, is about the unusual (in Oregon) combination of soil types due to the change in elevation that the vineyard has over a relatively small amount of overall acreage. That is what makes this vineyard fascinating and, in our cellar, totally unique. The Pommard at higher elevation in volcanic soil produces intense, sultry and concentrated Pinot Noir and the Dijon 115 leans to a much more structured and savory style since it comes from the marine soil at the bottom of the vineyard (this is still in the middle of the overall hillside). The Mariafeld is at an even lower spot on the hill than the Dijon 115 and it adds its own little thing to the whole situation.

We chose a total of nine barrels for the 2017 Lia’s Vineyard bottling. In 2017, due to space constraints, the Lia’s Vineyard clones of Pinot Noir were co-fermented in 2 separate fermenters. The nine-ton fermenter was 67% Dijon 115, 18% Pommard and 15% Mariafeld. The smaller fermenter was 67% Pommard and 33% Mariafeld. We generally prefer to ferment clones separately but the circumstances of harvest led us to this sort of happy accident. We ended up choosing 6 barrels from the large fermenter and 3 barrels from the smaller. Over the years we have been refining our approach to the Lia’s Vineyard fruit and working to draw out the more subtle aspects we believe it has, in favor of the more overt, fruit forward nature it also has the ability to display. The 2017 is a bit more fruit driven than the previous vintage due to the nature of the fermentations but in some way that might not be a bad thing. There is an aromatic element to it that is far more floral than it has been in the past vintages and the wine is a bit more inviting. It’s full of space for one to explore rather than being a wine that simply rushes at you with a full-throttled intensity. This wine is quite integrated at a very young age which is surprising given the dispirit clones, vine ages, elevations and soil types. Likely due to the co-fermentation and de-stemmed fruit we have a quite seamless and lush Lia’s which works with the aromatic etherealness of the vintage and the floral nature of the site. This may not have the purity and well-rounded beauty of the 2016 but it is immensely pleasurable and will be delicious for years to come.

93 Points (Wine Enthusiast)

Gotta love the name, which the winery notes attribute to its “unusually rocky topsoil.” Spicy and sharp edged, it explodes with pungent cranberry and raspberry fruit. Then, with a little airing out, the flavors broaden across the midpalate, textural and bracing. The mineral-drenched finish lingers for a full minute or longer.

AVA: Chehalem Mountains               

LOCATION: Kings Grade Rd.  

ELEVATION: 325’                                

SOIL TYPE: Willakenzie

YEAR PLANTED: 2007                       

CLONAL MATERIAL: 100% Pommard

VINEYARD SIZE: 32-acre vineyard, ~1.0-acre PGC Wadensvil block

VINIFICATION: 2 open-top 1.75 ton fermenters, each done with 35% whole cluster fermentation

PICKING DATE: September 26th     

TONS/ACRE: 3.25

OWNER: John & Susan Olenik        

PRODUCTION: 197 cases bottled

Winemaking and Notes:This is a lower lying section in Olenik Vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 2006 and the name references the rock-strewn nature of this section of the vineyard. This is definitely the warmest spot in the site with the radiant heat from the rocks and this was picked early on in the 2017 harvest at moderate level of brix belying this wine’s deep, dark color and powerful overall nature. This is only our third time bottling this section and the first time since the legendary 2012 bottling. We are very pleased to be able to show the characteristics of this utterly unique piece of ground in Oregon. The Anklebreaker moniker is a visual description of the ground this part of the vineyard is planted in. The basalt boulders, rocks and stones in the section of the vineyard are no doubt part of a long ago land slide from further up the embankment and they give the block an eerie similarity to Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Somehow, the name seems to also convey the style of wine to expect and delivered. This is broad-shouldered Pinot Noir with deep and very dark fruit flavors. This is years away from any sort of peak but certainly provides satisfaction at the big-boy level in the short run. This is an electrifying and completely unique Pinot Noir. Even within a cellar that boasts an amazing level of diversity this Pinot Noir stands out as freakishly different. Drink at your own risk.

AVA: Chehalem Mountains                LOCATION: Kings Grade Rd.

ELEVATION: 325’                        SOIL TYPE: Willakenzie

YEAR PLANTED: 2007                   CLONAL MATERIAL: 100% Pommard

VINEYARD SIZE: 32-acre vineyard, ~1.0-acre PGC Wadensvil block

VINIFICATION: 2 open-top 1.75 ton fermenters, each done with 35% whole cluster fermentation

PICKING DATE: September 26th   TONS/ACRE:

AVA: Ribbon Ridge        LOCATION: North Valley Rd.  

The Bonshaw Block is on the south slope of our Estate hillside, around 1.5 acres. We only harvested approximately 1.4 tons from this section of 100% old vine Pommard Clone. Needless to say, this vintage nailed it. This bottling has intensity and power with dark fruit notes, all while maintaining the classic Pinot Noir sweetness displayed when the block is on its game. What has always made this bottling stand out is the combination of texture and structure. This wine has a full, round, opulent palate, but at the same time it brings in forceful tannins so there is context to all its dimensions.

AVA: Ribbon Ridge      LOCATION: North Valley Rd.  

Wine Making and Notes: Named as such because this section of our vineyard planted in 1986 slopes to the northeast directly toward our neighbor Beaux Freres. The name is an homage to the owner and winemaker there, Mike Etzel. This wine has always pulled some of the most interesting characteristics out of the site and that is its reason for existing on its own. For some reason this has always been the most nuanced, most mineral-driven, most particularly Pinot Noir-sous bois sort of thing going on of all our wines. There are 2 sections within the East Etzel Block and for the first time they are both being used in this bottling. The older Pommard (planted in 1986) was 20% whole cluster and went through a standard cold soak of about 5 day, fermented in a single 1.75 ton open top fermenter and was pigeaged 1x/day before being pressed and allowed to settle for 3 days. The Dijon 114 was done 100% de-stemmed, went through a standard cold soak of about 5 days, fermented in two separate 1.75 ton open top fermenters and was pumped over until fermentation started and then it was only pigeaged 1x/day before being pressed and allowed to settle for 3 days. This spent a little less than a year in 17% new barrels along with a combination of a one time and a four times used barrel. This wine is aromatically extremely complex and nuanced to a fault. Minerality and seductive darker fruits combine with great complexity on the palate to create a wine that shows how elegant, intricate, intense and soil-influenced older vine Pinot Noirs from Ribbon Ridge can be. The addition of whole cluster fermentation furthers the aromatic qualities and drives the graphite notes on the palate and tightens the tannins up on the back end. *WINE CLUB ONLY

Wine Making and Notes: Coury Clone Pinot Noir has a fascinating background tale that is literally rooted in the earliest history of the Oregon wine industry. The short version is that Charles Coury submitted his master’s thesis for cool climate winegrowing to the University of California at Davis while studying in Alsace, France in 1964. He brought cuttings back to the U.S. when he returned that summer. From these small and straight forward beginnings the plantings and legend of the Coury Clone begins. For a full and detailed account of this very, very interesting agricultural story that was lost to history for some time please go to The Price of Pinot’s website (http://www.princeofpinot.com/article/1214/) and read for yourself.

AVA: Willamette Valley       LOCATION: Burnell Rd.  

Wine Making and Notes: As always this is simply perfect material from one single block of the vineyard (East Liberty Block), all Dijon 115 Clone Pinot Noir planted in 2004. This bottling has always emphasized the ability of whole cluster fermentation to shine with fruit from this vineyard. Nine barrels came from 50% whole cluster ferments, 5 from 100% and 4 from 20% whole cluster ferments. This mix deftly mixes the more fruit forward aspects of lower whole cluster usage with the aromatic and complexity inherent to higher whole cluster ferments.  There are no new barrels on this wine and, in fact, there is only one barrel that was used just once previously. The bulk of the barrels used for this wine were completely neutral so to further enhance the incredible nature of this vineyard-driven bottling. This has a strong, black-fruited tone to it with a range of flavors and spices mingled in for complexity. The tannins are sticky and firm and born entirely of the fruit. This wine will reward with a long life of aging, but will also be appreciated by fans of intense and sinewy Pinots in its youth.

AVA: Willamette Valley       LOCATION: Burnell Rd.

ELEVATION: 500’                SOIL TYPE: Bellpine

YEAR PLANTED: 2001        CLONAL MATERIAL: 100% Pommard

VINEYARD SIZE: 85-acre vineyard, 11-acre PGC block       

OWNERS: Dan & Helen Dusschee   

This trio of wines, where we attempt to show you the nature of Freedom Hill Vineyard through the lens of a single clone, have been exceptionally popular and very well received. The 2015 Dijon 115 was referred to as “sharing the traits of Romanee St. Vivant” while the Pommard “could pass for a New World Richebourg” by Josh Reynolds of Vinous.com. Despite that high praise it was the 2015 Coury Clone that netted the highest score of the three wines with 95 points.

The 2016s are largely by the boards already at this juncture, but the 2017s operate in the same sort of stratosphere as previous vintages. The Dijon 115 will be selected from a wider variety of barrels than ever before and its depth, character and complexity will reflect its larger pool of possible components. The Pommard may well turn out to be the most fascinating of the six bottlings we have made previously of this intense version of Freedom Hill. The Coury Clone will be, as always, the crown jewel of the cellar, combining amazing aromatics, fantastic texture and unique flavors.