2008 Bryan Creek Vineyard Pinot noir, Chehalem Mountains

Composition: 100% Clone UCD 5
(”Pommard”)
Alcohol: 12.9%
pH: 3.53
Production: 360 cases (750 ml)

“This complex wine exhibits layered aromas
of rasperries, strawberries, red currants and a
hint of spice. On the palate, the wine shows
firm acidity followed by hints of dark
chocolate and a plush, velvety mouthfeel. It
would pair wonderfully with grilled salmon,
domestic and wild fowl, and other savory
main dishes.”
Dave Paige, Winemaker

Wine Background:

• In 1988 we approached our neighbors Joy and Jess Howell about leasing us 20 acres to plant grapes. Their 60-acre property is directly across the road from our original estate vineyard at Quarter Mile Lane.

• They agreed and planting began the next spring at what we named Bryan Creek Vineyard.

• By 1998, the oldest plantings began producing wine rich and complex enough to warrant a single vineyard bottling.

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 occurred on October 12th, 14th and 15th, allowing the fruit to fully ripen and bask in what could be called a textbook Indian summer for Oregon.

Vineyards:

• Bryan Creek Vineyard is situated high on the southern slopes of the Chehalem Mountains AVA (American Viticultural Area), on basaltic-origin, clay-loam soils that store enough moisture to get the grapevines through our annual summer drought.

• The 700+ foot elevation approaches the upper limits of where we like to plant, but the direct southern exposure provides some compensation. The grapes ripen later than at most of our other sites, but this long “hang-time” can lead to incredible complexity and intensity of flavor.

• This wine comes from Blocks 3, 4, 5 and 12, all planted to clone UCD 5 (Pommard) in 1989.

Winemaking:

• Upon delivery to the winery, the grapes were carefully sorted on our sorting table, then gently de-stemmed into open-top, temperature-controlled fermenters. The fermenters were punched down once daily during cold soak and 2 - 3 times eachday during primary fermentation.

• After pressing, the wine was transferred to small French oak barrels (30% new), where malolactic fermentation occurred over the winter.

• This wine was bottled on August 11, 2009.

• This is an Oregon Certified Sustainable Wine, for more information please visit www.ocsw.org.

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