2021 GOWC La Chouette Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

12.8

A vibrant ruby color in the glass, offering compelling aromas of fresh red and blue berries, maple, and a hint of thai basil. On the palate, flavors of warm berry compote with sweet cola and spice with fine, soft tannins. Finishes with persistence and a note of sweet earth

La Chouette Vineyard faces southwest toward the Coast Range and comprises 11 acres of carefully farmed, estate grown fruit. The 115 and 777 clone Pinot Noir is grown in fertile Steiwer and Chehulpum Silt Loam soils, with about 3 feet of topsoil before the vine’s roots reach sedimentary rock beds with plant and shell fossils

The 2021 vintage began with a cool but dry spring, with bud break occurring right on schedule in April. After a fairly typical spring, bloom took place during an extended period in mixed weather in early June, leading to mixed fruit set we observed strong set in our earliest and latest sites, with some areas of light set and millerandage
where rain took place during bloom. In late June, a record breaking heat wave struck the West Coast, but the vines came through the heat in great shape and ripened
evenly throughout the rest of a warm, dry summer. A cooling trend took place in early September, preserving fresh fruit flavors and natural acidity and allowing the harvest seas on for our vineyards to take place over a
period of nearly two months. The fruit in 2021 was remarkable for its delicate flavors, perfect condition, and balanced acid and tannin profile;
the young wines are compelling and easy to love