Produced from the finest Pinot Noir grapes in our estate, Chef’s Table Willamette Valley Pinot Noir gives and gives.
Farmed with a caring philosophy informed by listening to the environment, our wines are proudly crafted with minimal intervention.
As in the tradition of all Chef’s Table Wines, our Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is very generous on the palate and to local charities.
Refined and full of pleasure, Chef’s Table Wines are proud to help people in the various communities we touch.
The 2018 Vintage
Spring in Oregon always has plenty of liquid sunshine. By April and May of 2018, the wet spring had loaded the vineyards with plenty of water reserves as some warmer days and sunshine began to pepper the vineyards. Our vines awoke from their winter slumber with bud-break in late April, and they were met with welcoming mild and consistent weather. Bloom occurred on schedule during the second week of June with little rain, something that vineyard managers and winemakers alike always appreciate.
True Oregon summers don’t really set in until after the fourth of July, and when it arrived, it brought a steady dose of sunshine; the weather remained moderate and dry throughout the summer months. The ample hours of sun and warm temperatures mixed with cool breezy night helped shape 2018 into a fabulous vintage with a decent-sized crop but with wonderfully concentrated flavors as the vines were stressed just enough by the heat to produce something magical. From the winemaking side, what style of year it’s going to be (cool vs. warm) is often determined by the weather in the spring and early summer, while the quality of the vintage is not established until late summer/early fall. In 2018, with the threat of a few consecutive days of rain at the end of September, we began picking white wines in the third week of the month into early October. With near-perfect weather leading up to the pick, the fruit came in beautifully. Aromatic, fresh, and vibrant- a winemaker’s dream.
Vinification
All grapes were hand-harvested and hand-sorted to ensure the highest quality fruit. The fruit underwent a two-day soak prior to fermentation for a total of 20 days of skin contact. 100% malolactic fermentation occurred over a five-month period. The wine was aged for eight months in French oak barrels from a variety of coopers.
Winemaker’s Tasting Notes
Aromas of black cherry, cassis, sweet earth, toasted oak, and spice explode out of the glass. On the palate layered notes of black fruits, vanilla bean, and subtle hints of cedar.
Technical Info
Harvest Date: September 20-24, 2018
Brix at Harvest: 23.1
Alc. 13.9%
pH: 3.46
TA: 5.5 g/L