WINE BACKGROUND:

• Planted in 1972, Quarter Mile Lane is our oldest estate vineyard.
• In 1971, while looking for property in Yamhill County, David and Ginny Adelsheim had a chance encounter with Dick Erath.
• After meeting Bill Blosser and attending a May Day party with the Letts, the Adelsheims’ search for “property” turned into a search for “south-facing slope with Jory clay-loam soil.”
• They found such a site, 19 acres covered with poppies and vetch, in May of that year.

VINEYARD:

• Quarter Mile Lane Vineyard lies partway up the south side of the Chehalem Mountains on basaltic-origin, clay-loam soils, which store enough moisture to get the grapevines through our annual summer droughts without irrigation.
• While the site is at a relatively high elevation (just below 700 feet), its largely southern exposure provides some compensation. In a vintage permitting long hang time, like 2008, Quarter Mile Lane Vineyard takes on magical qualities. The grapes ripen slowly with incredible complexity, intensity of flavor and structure.
• This single vineyard bottling is produced with grapes from the 2.4-acre Block 1. That block was planted in 1974 with what was sold to us as “Pommard” clone, but is more likely “Martini” clone, or possibly a mix of the two.

“This classic example of Quarter Mile
Lane Pinot noir exhibits sultry red and
black cherry fruit supported by a hints of
cinnamon spice and eucalyptus, reminiscent of
herbal fruit-infused tea. The wine’s firm tannin
structure will soften as the wine ages. Enjoy
from 2011 well into the wine’s second decade.”
Dave Paige, Winemaker

WINEMAKING:

• Production of this Quarter Mile Lane Pinot noir followed Adelsheim Vineyard’s traditional winemaking approach: gentle destemming, cold soak for greater flavor and color extraction, and fermentation in temperature-controlled, open-top fermenters.

• The wine underwent secondary, malolactic fermentation in small, medium-toast French oak barrels (1/3 new) and was aged for 10 months.

• The wine was bottled on August 12, 2009.

GROWING SEASON:

• The 2008 growing season began slowly with a cooler than normal spring for the months of March and April. Buds began to open around April 26th, giving the growing season a bit of a delayed start.

• Temperatures picked up considerably in May and the vines accelerated shoot growth, but bloom was still slightly later than normal.

• The favorable conditions surrounding bloom near the end of June continued well into August. Veraison became apparent in mid-August, followed by gorgeous ripening conditions in September.

• Hand picking began the last week of September and continued into mid-October, allowing the fuit to fully ripen and bask in what could be called a textbook Indian summer for Oregon.

• The grapes for this wine were picked on October 14.

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