Rex Hill Jacob-Hart Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012

This Pinot Noir has aromas of rose petals, blackberries, red cherries, wet stones, and wood smoke. Over time, it gains more elegance and reveals graphite, earth iron, roasting coffee and nutmeg. Filled with structure and rich intensity, the broad mid-palate shines with flavors of spice, blackberries and cassis, exudes poise that is rare for the vintage and underscored by its satin texture.

The 2012 Oregon growing season returned to normalcy after two wild, late years. A normal budbreak launched a classic Oregon spring - periods of warm, sunny weather followed by cooler, rainy weather - was followed by a drawn out flowering. Poor weather during some periods of set reduced crop through shatter. Pinot Noir came in with perfect ripeness and low yields. All in all, 2012 will be remembered as a classic Oregon vintage with great weather at harvest and low yields. The fruit was ripe, sound and very healthy. Little sorting was needed and the flavors were intense.