2022 Freedom Hill Vineyard, Wadensvil Clone Pinot Noir 5 Litre
The Block: Since 2012 when we initially began sourcing fruit from Freedom Hill Vineyard, we have chosen a sub-set of the different blocks to bottle based upon the clone within the block. Not all blocks in this (or any vineyard for that matter) are equal. For instance, we get Dijon 115 from three separate parts of the vineyard, but the Dijon 115 bottling comes entirely from one of those sections. In 2016 we were offered a block of Wadensvil next to that very block of Dijon 115 by which we are impressed. These two blocks are adjacent and near the highest point in the vineyard. Another winery chose to not renew its lease in this block, and we stepped into an interesting situation. The block was, oddly, under much more duress than our Dijon 115 despite its proximity. We devised a plan with the Dusschees to restore the vine health in the block and get this section of the vineyard back on track. In 2017 we did a small bottling from this block and every vintage since this has been one of the top bottlings from the entire winery.
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 too 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.
Picking Dates, Tonnages, Tons/Acre: October 12th; East Liberty Wadensvil 13.1 tons (4.32 tons/acre). The numbers alone tell a story. However, the tale runs far deeper. Shortly after the valley-wide frost event it seemed that, at best, we would receive a crop of 20% of normal from Freedom Hill Vineyard. Nothing could be further from the truth. A recovery of staggering portions combined with an amazing stretch of weather from mid-September through the end of harvest in later October allowed this vineyard to produce a record crop. This is nearly a 60% increase in production off this section of the vineyard over 2021.
Vinification: For this bottling there were 9 fermenters in total, 2 of which were done 40% whole cluster and 2 that were completely destemmed. The final 5 were all done 100% whole cluster. In the final blend 8 of the 20 barrels came from both the 100% whole cluster fermenters and the destemmed fermenters with just 4 from the 40% whole cluster fermenters rounding it out.
Winemaking: Even with a substantial number of fermenters spread across a range of whole cluster options fermentations were managed consistently by a combination of pumpovers early in the process and exclusively prior to fermentation beginning as well as pigeages to ensure gentle handling, extraction, and delicate tannin construction. Cold soaks were generally 3-4 days with 4-5 days on the 100% whole cluster fermenters being the norm. Full fermentation from beginning to pressing was 16-17 days with a couple of days longer for the heavier whole cluster fermenters. 24-48 hour settling prior to being racked to barrel. All wines on full lees until assemblage for bottling. Bottled without fining or filtration.
Barrels: For this 20-barrel bottling there were 3 new barrels (15%), and 10 once-filled barrels (50%). Past that the wine was a combination of largely 3 and 4 times used barrels with a couple of completely neutral barrels to round it all out.
Notes: If there is a winery in Oregon with a greater love for the Wadensvil Clone of Pinot Noir I would be extremely surprised. We source this not widely planted clone from 6 different vineyards, including our Estate, and are now producing 4 distinct bottlings meant to show off these clones’ contribution to terroir. We find that Wadensvil has a unique ability to bring red-fruited characteristics, both aromatically and in the flavors, even into environments where darker fruits are far more the norm. This push and pull sort of dynamic within the context of the other facets of the wine’s terroir helps create an extra level of complexity and nuance in the best situations. Certainly, here at Freedom Hill Vineyard, known for dark and powerful wines, this attribute creates a wine unique across the many bottlings we do from this site. While still containing the full textural experience of Freedom Hill this has a sense of calm to it that the wilder wines from here do not have. This is full on and demure at the same time.
Over the years Oregon has changed from a place were getting to 2 tons/acre on grape farming was a luxury to one where having a heavier load is necessary to keep ripening in check and to allow for appropriate hangtime. This tonnage level in, say, 1998 would have seemed outrageous and the fruit likely would have been all sorts of underripe. These days keeping on extra fruit can be part of the elements that make a wine as good as its normal potential is. While this seems counter-intuitive the results are clear in this and, frankly, all the 2022 Freedom Hill Vineyard bottlings we made. This is a beautiful and restrained wine operating in a very dynamic and intense vineyard environment. No doubt this wine will last for years and years.
This finished with a TA of 6.3, a pH of 3.38 and was bottled with under 25 ppm free SO2 and less than 65 ppm total SO2.
