Pinot Noir "Winemaker Selection", Anne Amie, Willamette Valley, OR, 2021

AROMA: cherry, cola, leather, blueberry, blackberries, bramble

FLAVOR: cassis, dark cherry, baking spice, plum, pomegranate

FINISH: long with edgy, dusty tannins and acidity

SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS:
rotisserie chicken, sweetbreads, oven roasted vegetables, duck confit, lamb sliders, venison, chanterelle risotto, cassoulet, cedar planked salmon

The ultimate food wine, this Pinot noir is a brilliant match for any fare. From traditional
Northwest cuisine, such as cedar-planked salmon or wild mushroom soup, to smoked
or grilled meats – even just a great burger and truffle fries!

VINIFICATION
Grapes were hand-picked and brought directly to the winery in 1/2 ton bins. They were
meticulously hand sorted on a shaker table then destemmed into 2-ton open top, stainless
steel fermenters. The must was cold-soaked for seven to ten days, which was followed by
fermentation that was completed in about a week. This is followed by an extended maceration, where the wine is evaluated daily for softening of tannins and roundness of palate. The
wine was on the skins for a total of 21-28 days. After draining the fermenters by gravity, the
free-run and light pressings were combined and settled for 48 hours. The wine was then
racked by gravity into a mixture of new and used French oak barrels. The wine was aged on
lees in French oak barrels for 10 months and then blended and bottled.

VINTAGE DESCRIPTION
2021 was an ideal year for grape-growing in the northern Willamette Valley. The sun shone
for most of April and May with well-timed precipitation to support vine growth. Flowering
was clear and sunny and occurred before the “heat dome” of late June –avoiding any
excessive stress on the plants during fertilization. Heat events later in the summer occurred
in graceful sync with the fruit development and never caused unneeded stress on the
plants. The continued trend of warm summers meant that harvest was once again predominantly in September.

2021 was an ideal year for grape-growing in the northern Willamette Valley. The sun shone for most of April and May with well-timed precipitation to support vine growth. Flowering was clear and sunny and occurred before the “heat dome” of late June –avoiding any excessive stress on the plants during fertilization. Heat events later in the summer occurred in graceful sync with the fruit development and never caused unneeded stress on the plants. The continued trend of warm summers meant that harvest was once again predominantly in September.

When Dr. Robert Pamplin, one of Oregon’s most forward-thinking philanthropists and businessmen, purchased the historic Chateau Benoit Winery in 1999, his vision was to create wines of the highest quality to reflect his passion for excellence. To this end Dr. Pamplin has charged winemaker Gabriela Sepulveda Vignes and winegrower Peter Ebbers with the task of crafting extraordinary Pinot Noir. Gabriela, Peter, and the rest of the crew are absolutely passionate about producing wines of the finest quality and have dedicated their lives to this quest. For more information about Dr. Pamplin, Gabriela, Peter and the entire Anne Amie team, read their bios.

Pinot reigns supreme at Anne Amie Vineyards with Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc forming the heart of our production. Complementing the pinot family is Old-Vine Estate Müller Thurgau, planted in 1979. As with all great wines, our’s start in the vineyards. We are fortunate to have some of Oregon’s best sites, all of which are Salmon Safe and LIVE certified. Our estate vineyards receive only the minimal required treatments and yields are dramatically reduced in order to give fruit with great depth and complexity.

Our estate vineyards are located in the rolling hills of the Yamhill-Carlton District and on the steep hillsides of the Chehalem Mountains, both nestled in Oregon’s verdant Willamette Valley. Our LIVE certified winery is located on our Yamhill-Carlton property, a few miles from both Lafayette and Carlton, Oregon.

We are proud to be part of the Yamhill-Carlton Winegrowers Association, and the Chehalem Mountains Winegrowers.