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2001 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir

(updated 1/11/05)

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The Wine

This is our "best value" and "approachable early" pinot noir. But that shouldn't fool you into believing the quality is anything but great. Made in exactly the same way as our most highly touted pinots--as a matter of fact ALL pinots are made with the same care, receive the same oak, etc.-- the 3 Vineyard sometimes competes head-to-head with the others for praise.

The Vineyards

Fruit and the name come from our three Estate Vineyards: Ridgecrest, Stoller and Corral Creek, blended into a fully-complemented wine. The estate vineyards are planted on three different soil types, which provides complementary elements in resulting wines, especially Pinot noir: Ridgecrest on Willakenzie, Stoller on Jory, and Corral Creek on Laurelwood. The excellence and distinctiveness of single vineyards can be seen in vineyard designated labels for these vineyards. However, the wisdom of complementary blends, with their consistency and fullness of character is very often seen in 3 Vineyard.

The Vintage

2001 is a soft, big vintage. It saw almost ideal growing and ripening weather and less than an inch of rain during harvest. This is not a typical cool climate vintage and the pinot noirs will be soft, fleshy and early appealing. Whites will be full and broad, and early maturing. The alcohols are restrained slightly by yields that were neither too generous nor forced extreme extraction: pinot noirs, 2.38 tons/acre; chardonnay, 2.77; pinot gris, 2.26; riesling, 2.77; gamay noir, 1.86; pinot blanc, 4.27.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested from 9/28-10/19/01 (approximately 28% Ridgecrest Vineyards, 57% Stoller and 15% Corral Creek) @ an range of 21.1-25.2 brix, 3.25 -3.49 pH, and 5.6-7.8 g/LTA

Fermentation:

12-16 days total fermentation with 5-8 days pre maceration.

Cooperage/Aging:

9 months in barrel, in 28% new and 26% 1 year's prior use French oak barrels

Wine Selection:

Selected barrels from most fermentation lots

Bottling:

Bottled 9/9-10/2002 with DE (Diatomaceous earth) filtration

Bottling Analyses:

14.0 % alcohol, 5.2 g/l TA, 3.73pH

Cases Produced:

3700

Suggested Retail:

$25

Release Date:

October, 2002

Winemaker's Comments

The first 2001 pinot noir, full of rich flavors and full on the palate, the 2001 3 Vineyard is always a great sneak preview of the vintage, even though we release it too young to appreciate fully out of the chute. Grab it early and store it away, pulling a bottle occasionally to teach a lesson in how bottle aging develops a wine. Bottled in September, it will be fully open in 6-9 months. The 2001 vintage assures it will be approachable early, with it now showing tight and smoky in the nose and richly complex on the palate. The fruit and wood complement, with black and red cherry flavors and a pipe tobacco nose.

Quotes

2005 Food & Wine Magazine Wine Guide: 2 stars (Very good, distinctive.) Dry, medium-bodied, medium tannin, high acidity.Three vineyards contribute to this smoky, earthy, fruity, Pinot Noir. (One of only 15 Oregon Pinots highlighted)

Seattle Times, Paul Gregutt, January 14, 2004. In any event, my romp through a couple dozen entry-level Oregon pinots from the 2001 and 2002 vintages was the most rewarding in many years. As a group, they showed good varietal flavors, balance and in a few instances, real depth... If you are a cabernet or merlot or zinfandel lover, who has been frustrated with pinot noir, I would encourage you to give it another try. It is a lovely sipping wine, perfect with salmon, with roasted chicken, and with lamb... Chehalem 2001 3 Vineyard Pinot Noir. Chehalem is one of Oregon's top producers, with a distinctive style of muscular, spicy, well-structured fruit.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, October, 2002: 88 Points. One of the strongest entry-level pinots in our 1999 World Series, this year's version again gives a solid performance. Smoke-tinged cherry and cranberry fruit, vanilla, tea and herb accents, and a velour-like mouthfeel provide plenty of pleasure. The long, chocolaty finish has supple tannins.