Van Duzer Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir 2012

On the nose, raspberries, strawberries and layers of cherry flavors play in concert with aromas of peppercorn, nutmeg and cinnamon. A generous attack showcases a pleasant viscosity before moving to a mid palate highlighting notes of French Bourbon vanilla and whisky lactone characters. The silky mid palate recesses slowly to recall cherry cola from the bouquet before the lengthy finish.

Nestled in the Van Duzer Corridor, our vineyards are directly impacted by the oceanic influence which produces warmer conditions in this section of the Willamette Valley during a warm year. An unusually warm spell and a dry growing season mark the 2012 vintage. The grapes suffered from some dehydration in mid-September, but the decision to wait for the right maturity was rewarded when a blissful rain returned to balance the grapes before harvest. Grapes were picked from October 8th through October 20th at ultimate maturity and harvested by hand to assure high complexity and ripe tannin.