Pinot Noir

La Valise (“the suitcase”)  is a small block at La Chenaie planted to a heritage selection of Pinot Noir brought to Oregon ‘in a suitcase’. This selection is not from an official PN clone certified by the USDA, and produces wines that are quite different from our other PN clones.

Our La Chenaie vineyard site is in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA located west of Salem near Rickreall. It is a 104 acre site, planted starting in 2001, with 27 acres under vine of Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. The average elevation is 507 feet, with a south facing 8% slope.

The soils in this block are Gelderman (Jory series). The vines are impacted by cool afternoon breezes from the Van Duzer corridor, which also keep the nights cool and clusters dry, retaining acidity. It has been farmed organically since 2005.

DRINKING

Drink 2024 – 2036, decanting recommended in early years.

The 2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is blended from carefully selected barrels from our best blocks in the Dundee Hills and the EolaAmity Hills. These sites have soils primarily derived from volcanic parent materials. The basalt lying underneath was deposited between 15 and 17 million years ago, and originated in eastern Oregon.

All of our sites are farmed organic or biodynamic with all key vineyard tasks performed by hand. Shoot-thinning and positioning, leaf removal, crop reduction and hedging are all done by our dedicated vineyard crew members, to optimize quality.

The blocks used for this wine are comprised of our oldest vineyards, including ANA and Le Pavillon vineyards (Dundee Hills), and La Chenaie (Eola-Amity Hills).

Drinking 2024 – 2037, decanting suggested first 5 years.

The fruit we source for this wine comes from our Le Pavillon and ANA vineyards in the Dundee Hills. 

The fruit we source for this wine comes from our La Chenaie vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, located west of Salem near Rickreall. It is a 104 acre site, planted starting in 2001, with 27 acres under vine of Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling and Cabernet Franc.

ANA vineyard is in the Dundee Hills AVA within the Willamette Valley. Our winery sits at the south end of the ANA vineyard. ANA is a 20 acre site, planted starting in 1974, with 15 acres under vine. We dry farm this site, forcing the roots down many meters. Our farming is organic and biodynamic.

This wine is a blend of three different PN blocks within ANA: 50% from a south facing own-rooted Pommard block planted in 1974-75; 21% from the “Tiki” block (adjacent to the Tiki hut visible as you enter the property), which has an assortment of PN clones and selections; and 29% from a west facing block of Dijon 777, planted in the early 1980’s. The 777 block sets on a steep west facing slope, with strong afternoon sun exposure.

The three blocks produce Pinot Noirs that are quite different, and this blend represents a selection chosen by our winemaker Mark LaGasse to highlight ANA PN’s many characteristics. 

Our La Chenaie vineyard site is in the EolaAmity Hills AVA located west of Salem near Rickreall. It is a 104 acre site, planted starting in 2001, with 27 acres under vine of Pinot Noir, Tempranillo, Sauvignon Blanc, and Riesling. Some Pinot Noir clones at the site include Dijon 777, 667, 115, 114, Wadenswil and Pommard, along with older ‘heritage’ clones. The average elevation is 507 feet, with a south facing 8% slope.

The soils are a mix of clay and silty loam known as Jory, Gelderman, and Ritner, in that order from the deepest to the most shallow soils on the ridges. Our Pinot Noir vines are all impacted by cool afternoon breezes from the Van Duzer corridor, which also keep the nights cool and clusters dry, retaining acidity. It has been farmed organically since 2005.

The Le Pavillon Vineyard site in the heart of the Red Hills AVA in Dundee, is our oldest and most unique vineyard. This 10 acre site features ownrooted Pommard clone Pinot Noir planted in 1972, along with Chardonnay and Riesling, making it one of the oldest surviving vineyards in the Willamette Valley.

The soils are volcanic-based Jory with subsurface parent material of fractured basalt. The vines are not irrigated, forcing the roots to seek water and minerals deep underground. The average elevation is 617 feet, with a south facing 9.7% slope.

This vineyard has been farmed organically since 1999 and biodynamic since 2006, The Pinot Noir clones are primarily Pommard, with some Wadenswil, 114 & 115 grafted on to other original plantings, to provide clonal diversity.