2018 – The Inaugural Vintage
The 2018 vintage marks the inaugural release for Carhill Cellars and we couldn’t be more excited to bring these amazing wines to market. Expected release is September, 2019.
The 2018 Pinot Gris Willamette Valley was sourced from the estate of Yamhill Valley Vineyards, the oldest winery in the McMinnville AVA. The block used for the Carhill Pinot Gris comes from the upper slopes of a 4 acre lot that was planed in 1985 and receives a good amount of sunlight given its high elevation and south-facing position, but also a cool wind that allows the grapes to retain high levels of natural acidity.
The Pinot Gris was hand-harvested and directly pressed into large stainless steel tank. The wine did not undergo malolactic fermentation (MLF) which creates a crisp, dry wine with nice floral aromatics.
Tasting Notes:
Styled after a traditional northern Italian (Alto Adige) Pinot Grigio, the wine was fermented completely dry and has crisp citrus notes and white flowers, balanced with refreshing acidity leading to a long, lingering finish.
Winemaker Notes:
- Cases Produced: 120
- Bottling: July 2019
- Total Acidity (TA): 6.8 g/L
- pH: 3.2
- Residual Sugar (RS): < 1g/L
The 2018 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley is sourced primarily from Bramblett Vineyard, a small, well-cultivated site in the northern hills of Willamette Valley near the town of Banks. Bramblett is a south-facing vineyard at about 300ft elevation with a mix of 667, 777 and Pommard clones and produces a more earthy, spicy Pinot that has good structure and aging potential.
A small portion of the 2018 Willamette Valley comes from the La Cantera Vineyard in Chehalem mountains. La Cantera has a more fruit-forward profile that balances Bramblett and yields a Pinot Noir with aging potential but can also be enjoyed young.
Tasting Notes:
A classicly styled Willamette Valley Pinot Noir with good balance between notes of red fruit along with earthy and spicy undertones that demonstrate the terroir of the vineyards resulting in a complex, ageable wine .
Winemaker Notes:
- Cases Produced: 640
- Bottling: July 2019
- Total Acidity (TA): 5.5 g/L
- pH: 3.67
- Residual Sugar (RS): < 1g/L
For More Information
If you are interested in learning more about Carhill Cellars and our mission to fund cancer research, we would love to hear from you!