Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 2014

Temperance Hill Vineyard. Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Temperance Hill Vineyard is located in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, ten miles NW of Salem, Oregon. This exposed, cool, high altitude site ripens later than surrounding vineyards. Our Pinot Noir grapes come from three blocks planted on this weathered basalt. The East Block planted in 1984 is on steep hill rising to 870'. The R (2004) and Pump House Blocks (1995) face south. The de-stemmed grapes were fermented in small stainless steel fermenters with no SO2, allowing the fermentation to processed naturally. After gentle pressing and settling, the wine aged in French oak barrels, 21% of which were new, for 16 months before bottling by gravity and without fining. Crop Level: 2.5 tons/acre. Harvest: 09/27 to 10/08/14. Bottled: January 2016. Production: 1147 cases. Salmon, lamb chops, pork tenderloin, and simply prepared grilled foods match well this spicy, dark-red fruited, pure expression of Pinot Noir with its slightly smoky nuances. It will benefit from decanting 1-2 hours before serving and can be aged up to 12 years. Mark Vlossak, Winemaker. www.stinnocentwine.com. Alcohol 13.5% by volume. Produced and bottled by St. Innocent Winery, Salem, Oregon, BW-OR-144.