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2003 Stoller Vineyards Pinot Noir
(updated May 1, 2006)
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The Wine
This single vineyard designate is predominantly from the densest plantings of pinot noir at our Stoller Vineyard and provides great concentration of fruit, with good acid backbone. There typically is an earthy, sweet cherry fruit core, soft and broad, with occasional threads of herb.
The Vineyard
Stoller Vineyards is our newest, and therefore most viticulturally advanced, of the three estate vineyards. A south-sloping, 115 acre vineyard on a 350 acre parcel, Stoller Vineyards commands a dominating view of the southern end of the Red Hills of Dundee, giving it regular comparison to Burgundy's Corton Hill. Stoller Vineyards is planted on Jory soil, with a touch of Nekia, both deep, red volcanic soil types. In tightly spaced plantings, utilizing varied rootstocks and drip irrigation, vines have every advantage on this site. Formerly a turkey farm, the vineyard is owned by winery partners Bill and Cathy Stoller.
The Vintage
This is an excellent vintage, albeit unusual in the fiery nature of the growing season. The same dry and warm growing and ripening seasons held for 2003 as with the past few vintages, only more so, with Region II (not cool climate!) heat accumulations of 2500 units, average highs of 78F July-October and half the normal rainfall with 2.75 inches. Fruit was disease free, crop loads were easily honed to desired levels, and soil moisture was adequate due to good pre-season winter rains. Concerns of the vintage center on high sugars, with resultant high alcohols, and low acids. Almost comparable past vintages like the excellent 1992 may urge us not to worry.
Stats
Harvest Data:
Harvested from 9/30/2003 @ 25.6-27.0 brix, 3.55 pH, and 4.7-5.6 g/l TA, from 2.9-3-3.2 tons per acre cropload
Fermentation:
Average of 12 days total fermentation with 5 days pre-maceration
Cooperage/Aging:
10 months in barrel, with two rackings, in 44% new French oak barrels, 83% new and one year prior use
Wine Selection:
Selected barrels from four fermentation lots, 88% Dijon clones/12% Pommard/Wadenswil, and 100% high density fruit
Bottling:
Bottled 9/7/2004
Bottling Analyses:
16.0 % alcohol, 5.9 g/l TA, 3.73 pH
Cases Produced:
413
Suggested Retail:
$39
Release Date:
October, 2005
Quotes
Pinot Report, December 15, 2005: 94. Medium-deep ruby purple color; earthy, forest floor aromas with some berry and cherry notes; deep and rich with beautiful cherry and berry fruit, complex earthy and forest floor notes; silky texture, good structure and balance; long finish. Very nicely integrated—delicious complex flavors and terrific balance make me want to drink more and more of this Pinot.
The Wine Advocate , June 2006, Pierre Rovani: 89. ...Broad, suave, and plush, this wine exhibits copious quantities of creamed red cherries in its personality.
Wine & Spirits, February 2006: 89. This is not a shy wine, but it manages to keep its poise, leading with plumy scents accented by notes of black coffee and black raspberries. These aromas carry into the wine’s plush flavor. For drinking…with lamb grilled rare.
Burghound.com, October, 2005, Allen Meadows: 88. Deeply pitched dark berry fruit aromas that give way to mocha-infused, extremely ripe and mouth coating flavors that do have obvious warmth but less than one would expect given the stated alcohol level. This is persistent and retains good balance…
International Wine Cellar, May/June 2005, “Focus on Oregon Pinot Noir,” Josh Raynolds. 88. Deep red. Powerful, deep blackberry and cassis aromas, with a suggestion of dark chocolate. Ripe, strong flavors of cassis and bitter chocolate, along with a suggestion of licorice. Finishes rich and firm, the sweet, lingering berry fruit nicely framed by silky tannins.
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Winemaker's Comments
As a tribute to maturing vineyards, recently we keep making "best yet" Stoller Vineyards pinot noir bottlings each year. This is one. Dark red to garnet in hue, this wine is deeply colored, fruited and weighted. There is spicy red and black fruit showing, with lots of raspberry, plum and even blackberry-almost a spiced cobbler or fruit crisp-exhibiting a luxuriant texture and volume. There is a slight hint of alcohol in high aromatics, an underlying fine grit of tannin for aging, darkness and coffee roast wood characters, and a length and breadth that is pleasing to me. Despite its growing pedigree, I appreciate this soft, plush wine for its friendliness and comfort factor-a bit like corduroy.