2019 The Eyrie Vineyards The Eyrie Pinot Noir, Oregon

The 2019 Pinot Noir The Eyrie, which includes fruit from 54-year-old vines, has alluring aromas of cranberries, blackberries, orange peel, mushroom powder and pipe tobacco with streaks of flint. The medium-bodied palate is soft and juicy yet loaded with detailed, concentrated fruit, and it finishes with a flourish of earthy, spicy accents.

98 points Erin Brooks robertparker.com

The Eyrie Vineyard is home to the original Pinot Noir vines planted in the Willamette Valley by Eyrie founder David Lett back in 1965. It is also home to the hawks that inspired the name of the estate—an eyrie is a bird of prey’s nest—and that grace the label of each wine. The seven-acre site is home to three clones (Wadenswil, Pommard and Upright) of own-rooted Pinot Noir vines, planted between 1965 and 1974. The sloping site faces south, rolling east to west and rising to 125 metres at its highest point. Like the other sites in the Eyrie stable, this vineyard is farmed organically and regeneratively to ensure a healthy network of soil organisms to support the mature vines.

Handpicked fruit was destemmed and fermented spontaneously in 11-hectolitre open-top fermenters. Ferments were hand-plunged twice daily before being lightly pressed and aged in primarily old oak (12% new) barrique and foudre for 23 months.