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2005 Corral Creek Pinot Noir

(released May 2007)

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2005 Corral Creek Vineyards Pinot Noir label

The Wine

This wine is the single-vineyard wine from Corral Creek Vineyards, the vineyards surrounding the winery, and recently the source of very consistent, balanced wines, without extremes of fruit, acid, tannin, or barrel. They have become a favorite of those who want elegance without having to wait years for it to appear from the musculature of bigness.

The Vineyard

Corral Creek, although not our oldest estate vineyard, was begun in 1983 by John and Diane Howieson, founders of Veritas Winery from whom the vineyard was purchased in 1995. A 25-acre vineyard predominantly planted to Pinot Noir, with significant reworked plots of Dijon Chardonnay and Pinot Gris, and both new grafts of Riesling and a heritage 1.1-acre block of 15-year-old Riesling, it is nestled on a low bench above Corral Creek. Soils are Laurelwood, a predominantly blown sedimentary soil series (i.e., loess) that, although being low in elevation, is well drained and not terribly fertile. Visible from Highway 99W, and with seductively folded land masses, this may be the most photographed vineyard in Oregon.

The Vintage

2005 was an old-style Oregon vintage, warming the cockles of the hearts of industry old folks like me as much as the coffee we drank. Cooler and damper than the average modern vintage, mature winemakers and mature vineyards understood and adjusted to the weather, giving the grapes a chance to fully ripen and working magic to assure clean fruit. Experience should show with our three classic estate vineyards. Great extraction, great acid, lower alcohols (no Pinots above the 13%s!) — expect wines of finesse and ageability.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 10/12–10/16/2005 @ 23.4–24.1 brix, 3.34–3.52 pH, and 6.1–6.6 g/L TA; from 1.82 tons per acre cropload

Fermentation:

Average of 14 days total fermentation with 7 days pre-maceration

Cooperage/Aging:

11 months in barrel, with one racking, in 31% new, 31% one-use, and 38% multiple-use French oak barrels

Wine Selection:

Selected barrels from three fermentation lots

Bottling:

Bottled 9/5/05

Bottling Analyses:

13.5 % alcohol, 5.4 g/L TA, 3.81 pH

Cases Produced:

282

Suggested Retail:

$44

Release Date:

May 2007

Winemaker's Comments

The normal, refined, pretty Pinot Noir that this vineyard typifies, but with a slightly darker, more savory, weightier aspect. There are sweet, aromatic bing cherry, boysenberry, and raspberry fruits in play, especially on the nose. The wood is delicate and sweet, the palate rich and firm, and the balance is very good, with juiciness and a dancing acidity that reminds you of SweeTARTS and cherry Life Savers (yes, many of my descriptors are dessert and candy charged!)

Quotes

Wine Enthusiast, February 1, 2008, Paul Gregutt: 92. A single-vineyard wine from Oregon can be a component rather than a complete wine, but here it is an absolute joy. Fragrant and complex, this offers pleasures for both nose and palate, with scents of leaf and spice and herb, leading into a surprisingly dense and textural blend of wild berry, rhubarb, melon and mixed tropical fruits. Fascinating and long, this is a fine example of Oregon Pinot at its most elegant and fascinating.

Pinot Report, February 15, 2008, Gregory S. Walter: 92. Medium ruby color; spicy, bright cherry aromas; rich, complex cherry flavors with spicy notes; sweet oak, good structure and balance; long finish. Bright and spicy, this Pinot has some nice up-front fruit good structure to back it up.

eRobertParker.com, October 2007, Jay Miller: 91. The 2005 Pinot Noir "Corral Creek" comes from an estate vineyard which Peterson-Nedry describes as "typically light and delicate". It exhibits an attractive nose of toast, spice box, cassis, and raspberry. On the palate the wine is velvety-textured and elegant with the acidity of the vintage nicely in check. There is excellent depth and length to this beautifully balanced wine which can be enjoyed now but will certainly drink well for 10-12 years.

Wine Review Online, January 23, 2007, "Oregon's Chehalem Mountains: A New Refuge from Pinot Mediocrity," Michael Franz: 91. Very pretty and poised, this wine nevertheless proves deep and flavorful once permitted a few minutes to unwind in the glass....showing open, vibrant red cherry fruit with accents of ripe strawberries and very, very subtle wood. The tannins are ripe and extremely fine in grain, providing textural framing for the fruit without hardening or shortening the flavors. Focus, sweet, and persistent in flavor, this is a beauty.

Wine Spectator, December 31, 2007, Harvey Steiman: 90. Lithe, open-textured and pure of flavor, offering plum and currant fruit surrounded by hints of coffee and clove, lingering gently but persistently.

International Wine Cellar, May 2007, Josh Raynolds: 89. Ruby-red. Jammy cherry and blackberry aromas offer good depth, with a light smoky note adding complexity. Full, fleshy and ripe, with a refreshing bitter quality to the dark fruit flavors. A peppery note arrives on the finish, which shows very good hang time.

Seattle Times, November 14, 2007, Oregon wineries that are doing pinot right, Paul Gregutt: Chehalem's estate vineyard is one of the best in Yamhill County. This fragrant and complex offering brings pleasure to both nose and palate. The scents of leaf and spice and herb are quintessentially Oregon, and the textural core flavors of wild berry, rhubarb, melon and mixed tropical fruits create an elegant and fascinating wine.