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1999 Rion Reserve Pinot Noir

(updated 10/10/03)

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The Wine

Named for Patrice Rion, our friend from Burgundy who gave us advice several times over the years, we look for this wine to embody the essence of Pinot noir. Select barrels and fermentation lots are chosen from Ridgecrest Vineyards before any blending is done in the cellar. Cheryl and Harry choose components to make a wine that epitomizes finesse, elegance, complexity, textural silkiness, and palate breadth and length for a vintage. We think these elements are what Pinot noir is all about — not as big as we can make it, but as beautiful as we can make it.

The Vineyard

To date, our Rion Reserve has been comprised of Ridgecrest Vineyard fruit. Our oldest estate vineyard, Ridgecrest is a 37 acre vineyard on a 72 acre property. Beginning in 1980, this site pioneered grapegrowing on Ribbon Ridge, a small ridge on the western end of the Chehalem Range and Valley. Soils are Willakenzie, a transition soil series exhibiting characteristics of both volcanic and sedimentary underlying structures. The rich, supple black cherry and blackberry fruits are characteristic of Ridgecrest Vineyard and the Willakenzie soil type. Excellent acidity and a finesseful texture and finish are hallmarks of the vineyard site, being relatively high in elevation, mature in vine age and deeply rooted. Wines are very ageable.

The Vintage

The 1999 vintage is the second of three excellent vintages in a row. A great year for white wines because of retained acidity, Pinot noir also benefited from good structure and good ripeness, making the vintage good for aging. Some vineyards were exceptional in the vintage, others very good. Ridgecrest Vineyards excelled, with extremely low tonnage of 1.4 tons/acre yielding a density of fruit and structure unparalleled to-date. That is to say, 1999 Ridgecrest Pinot noirs are the best wines we have ever made.

Stats

Harvest Data:

Harvested 10/15&18/99, 45% from the Babies Pommard Block (1.27 tons/acre) planted in 1989, and 54% from the 5 Acre Block (1.88 tons/acre) planted in 1982; harvested @23.8-24.4 brix, 7.0-8.1 acid and 3.18-3.31 pH

Fermentation:

Fermented with native yeasts in two 8-ton tank fermentations of 12-13 days total skin contact, with 7-8 days of pre-maceration; 11% of lot whole cluster, with Babies Pommard lot containing 25% undestemmed fruit; acidulated with average of .3 g/L tartaric; pectolytic enzyme used for uniform extraction; 1-2 day post maceration

Cooperage/Aging:

Aged for 13 months (with one racking) in 30% new/52% new + 1year use French oak (7 coopers)

Clonal Selection:

Pommard (82%) and Wadenswil clones (18%)

Bottling:

Bottled 11/20/00 with no fining and no filtration

Bottling Analyses:

14.3% alcohol, 6.0 g/L acid, 3.50 pH and 0.01% residual sugar

Cases Produced:

Approximately 684

Suggested Retail:

$50

Release Date:

November, 2001

Winemaker's Comments

This is our best Pinot noir to-date. Period. The brilliant black fruit is extremely densely packed, with an acid and fine tannin structure made almost perfect by the cool growing season and ripe harvest period, boding well for extremely long aging. The component fruit is majority 5-Acre Block, the oldest fruit we own, in its 19^th leaf in 1999, and the remainder from our newest dense planting at the site, mature in its 12^th leaf. It is perfectly balanced, but at levels of concentration and power we have never experienced.

Quotes

Robb Report, August 2003, Anthony Dias Blue: "A Thirsty Passion-What (and Why) Collectors Collect." Collectible Vintages of the Past 25 Years: Oregon, Top Recent Vintage: 1999. Our Recommendation: Chehalem 1999 Pinot Noir, Rion Reserve, Willamette Valley.

Wine Enthusiast Magazine, October, 2002: 89 Points. Some earthy, dense, terroir-driven aromas start this one off, followed by a mouthful of plum, cola, and smoked meat. The color is dark as is the overall profile of the wine; it's powerful and richly fruited. Very modern and offering more bulk, intensity and hedonism than elegance.

The Wine Advocate, August, 2001: 93+ points. Medium to full-bodied and layered, with candied berries, compotes of cherries, and jammy strawberries, it is broad, big, muscular wine with an elegant character and impressively long, supple, fruity-filled finish. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2012.

Tastings.Com. August, 2000. Saturated, dark red-purple hue. A little closed-up on the nose at present. Dark fruited and spicy. Concentrated and juicy on the attack with a moderately full body nd sweetly-fruited finish. Looks to be very impressive.