Checking In On Small Wineries in the Willamette Valley

Chehalem Mountains

VIDON Vineyard, Newberg

This small, family owned vineyard and winery has a very interesting story. Named for proprietors Vicky and Don Hagge, Vidon produces 100% estate grown Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Viognier, Syrah and Tempranillo. Don Hagge is a retired space scientist whose career included particle research with Ernest Lawrence and time at NASA. Vicky and Don founded Vidon Vineyard in 1999 when the initial Pinot Noir plantings were established. Planting continued through 2001 and included grafting over the “828” clone vines to Erath 95 clone.

In July 2017, shortly before I visited the winery, Don announced that molecular biologist David Bellows joined Vidon as head winemaker, doubling the number of science PhDs in the Vidon Cellar. With this boost in brainpower for the winemaking team, 85-year-old Hagge plans to turn the primary winemaking to Bellows, and focus on sales and general business operations. Bellow began working harvests in the Willamette Valley in 2011 and currently teaches wine-related science courses at Chemeketa Community College.

Together, Hagge and Bellos run Vidon’s cellar like a science lab, emphasizing quality and predictability of results. Because the barrel room at Vidon is small, Hagge has experimented with using compact Australian plastic tanks and French oak staves for aging his wines. The winery also uses no corks, preferring sterile glass stoppers to avoid all risk of taint while minimizing variability. Hagge built a unique bottling line for glass stoppers as well as a proprietary argon gas wine preservation system for the tasting room.

Bellows kids that the winery is one big science experiment, and “Now if we can just find a harvest intern with a PhD in organic chemistry, we will be set.”

The intimate tasting room and pavilion (pictured) are open 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on winter weekends and holidays, and Thursday through Monday the rest of the year. Midweek tastings are available by appointment. Visit the website at www.vidonvineyard.com.

A few recent vintages of Vidon Pinot Noir and Chardonnay have been reviewed previously in the PinotFile: www.princeofpinot.com/winery/999/. Here are brief notes on wines tasted at the winery in July.

2016 VIDON Vineyard Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Chardonnay This wine was tasted both from an oak puncheon and a plastic Flextank. The differences were noticeable: the Chardonnay from the Flextank was more aromatic, fruitier and brighter, while the Chardonnay from the oak puncheon was less fruity, softer, with subtle oak highlights. The Estate Chardonnay combines wines from the two aging vessels.

2016 VIDON Vineyard Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Viognier $20, screwcap (unreleased). Pale yellow gold color in the glass. Typical tropical fruit aromas of Viognier. Pleasing tropical fruit notes on the palate that is fresh and not cloying. Juicy acidity runs through the background. 88.

2015 VIDON Vineyard Estate Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Chardonnay Reviewed 5/6/17. 88-89. Steely and a bit nutty, with a good cut of acidity on finish.

2015 VIDON Vineyard Estate Apollo Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Chardonnay Reviewed 5/6/17. 91-92. Noticeable citrus drive, rounded, with good balance and finish.

2015 VIDON Vineyard Estate Melange Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.9% alc., 360 cases, $30. A blend of all clones in the estate vineyard. Aromas of blueberry, cherry and peppery herbs. Bright with vivid flavors of cherry and blueberry backed by a touch of herbal oak. 89.

2012 VIDON Vineyard Estate Mirabelle Clone 115 Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 15.0% alc., $40. Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. The nose lacks aromatic charm, featuring onluy woodland path and woody aromas. Highly concentrated black fruit sap that lacks character and nuance. A bold intensely fruited finish. Syrah-like in character. 87.

2011 VIDON Vineyard Estate Barrel Select Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.9% alc., 99 cases, $80. Aromas of earthy flora, peppery spices and herbs. Light to mid weight flavors of earthy black fruits with accents of tea, leather and oak. Noticeable dry tannins on the finish. 91.

2015 VIDON Vineyard Estate Explorer Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Tempranillo 13.4% alc., $50. Moderately dark garnet color in the glass. Pleasing aromatics with hi-tone aromas of dark berry melange. Forward drinking core of blackberry and spice flavors with a deft touch of oak and a generous finish. 90.

2014 VIDON Vineyard Estate Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Syrah 13.6% alc., $40. 5% Viognier. Moderate dark garnet color in the glass. Nicely perfumed with aromas of black raspberry and spice. Full-bodied essence of black raspberry and blackberry fruits with a riff of dark chocolate. Big, but balanced tannins and an intensely fruity finish of notable length. 90.

2015 VIDON Vineyard Estate Saturn Chehalem Mountains Willamette Valley Syrah 13.6% alc., $50. Dark garnet color in the glass. The nose is rather primary, displaying jammy black fruit aromas. More reserved than the 2014 bottling with more oak showing at this stage. Impressive fruit concentration with heft, but complimentary tannins and a grand finish. Truly age worthy. 91.

Note: Oregon cool climate Syrah is a little known gem. I have tasted a number of Syrahs from the Willamette Valley and have found them to be excellent. Syrah just can’t get any respect and these wines often languish without their due.

Privé Vineyard, Newberg

Those that are regular readers of the PinotFile know that I have been a big fan of the Pinot Noirs produced by Tina and Mark Hammond from their 2-acre vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains. The due work in tandem with Mark managing the vineyard and Tina making the wine. Tina is a self-taught winemaker with a natural talent for crafting Pinot Noir.

The vineyard is planted to Pommard clone on 37-year-old rootstock in Jory soil. Three wines are bottled: “le sud” from the south 1 acre, “le nord” from the north 1 acre, and “Joie de Vivre,” a reserve etched bottling. The wines are typically de-stemmed and aged in 100% new Seguin Moreau French oak barrels.

The Hammonds started with a tiny winery that suited their very small production. Through the years, some grapes have been sourced and Syrah has been added. A new larger and visually charming winery was added in recent years (see photo below) and the old winery was converted to a tasting room and event center.

The wines are sold only through dedicated members of a mailing list. Limited appointments are available for tasting because there is so little wine produced. Visit the website at www.privevineyard.com.

I have tasted almost every release of Privé Pinot Noir going back to 2003 (the first vintage was 2001). Included here are some reviews of past vintages that I recently sampled.

Bells Up Winery, Newberg

Located a very short distance from Privé Vineyard, this newer winery was established by David and Sara Specter in 2012. David pursued a winemaking career after a legal career beginning in 2009. He trained under Bryan Weil, the winemaker at Alexana Winery and Myron Redford of Amity Vineyards. Neighbors Tina and Mark Hammond of Privé vineyard have served as mentors.

The first wines were from the 2013 vintage, all produced from sourced grapes. The 9-acre estate vineyard is planted to five clones of Pinot Noir will come into production in the 2019 vintage The first estate Pinot Noir Rosé will be released from the 2017 vintage. The wines have shown more promise in each succeeding vintage. The tasting room is in a former barn and open by appointment. Visit www.bellsupwinery.com.

2016 Bells Up Prelude Willamette Valley Rosé of Pinot Noir 13.1% alc., pH 3.41, TA 0.64, 75 cases, $22. Released April 1, 2017. Clones 115 and 777 (50% each). Average harvest Brix 23.9º. Fermented in stainless steel, then brief aging 5 months neutral French oak barrels with full malolactic fermentation. Moderate ruby red color in the glass. Aromas of strawberry, watermelon and peppery herbs. A savory, herbal style with fortuitous acidity. 88.

2015 Bells Up Titan Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.3% alc., pH 3.52, TA 0.61, 108 cases, $40. Release fall 2017. Yamhill-Carlton Dijon clones 115 and 777 (58%) and Pommard (42%). Harvest Brix 25.1º. Aged 7 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. Light garnet color in the glass. soaring aromas of cherry and spice. Well-crafted in a mid weight style with copious blueberry, cherry and Asian spice goodness framed by proportioned tannins. 92.

2015 Bells Up Villanelle Tonnelier Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton Reserve Pinot Noir 13.3% alc., pH 3.57, TA 0.60, 54 cases, $54. Sourced from a 3.5-acre vineyard with sedimentary Willakenzie soil. 100% free-run juice.Equal parts Dijon 115 and 777 (15-year-old vines) aged for 7 months in French oak barrels. Light ruby red color in the glass. Engaging aromas of blueberry and cherry echoed on the palate. Juicy and vivid with inviting spice and coffee notes in a mid weight style with a grand finish. Easy to like now but has the goods to age. 93.

2015 Bells Up Firebird Summit View Vineyard Walla Walla Valley Washington Syrah Vinified in same manner as Pinot Noir. Moderate purple color in the glass. A big and bold wine in character for Syrah but not excessively so or jammy. Blue and purple fruits are well spiced. Intense attack and finish. More tannin than one encounters with Pinot Noir, but not imposing. 90.

Ruby Vineyard & Winery, Hillsboro

This is a newer winery not as yet on many pinotphile’s radar, but it has significant historical foundations and a new winemaking team that should bring the winery prominence.

In 1973, John and Beth Hiestand planted own-rooted Wädenswil 1A clone from the South Block of Eyrie Vineyards acquired from David Lett. The cuttings were rooted next to the barn on the property and planted the following year.

In 1979, Bill Beran, a physicist planted the bulk of the vineyard, 7 acres, to own-rooted Pommard, Riesling and Chardonnay. The white wine vines were grafted to Dijon 115 Pinot Noir in 1990. Organically farmed from the beginning, the vineyard was planted on Laurelhurst (Laurelwood) soil, a combination of Jory and Willakenzie soil types. Bill and Sharon Beran converted the diary barn to a winery and launched Beran Vineyards & Winery with their first vintage in 1997.

The property was first homesteaded in 1875 by John McFee. Abijah Hendricks homesteaded a parcel of land near Carlton, Oregon after arriving on a wagon train in 1843. In 2012, his great-great grandson, Stephen Hendricks, a lawyer and fifth generation Oregonian, returned to his roots in the Willamette Valley, acquiring the Beran Estate Vineyard and winery and establishing Ruby Vineyard. Currently the vineyard has 7.5 acres of old vine Pinot Noir dating to 1973-1979 and 1.8 acres of newly planted vines (cuttings of Wädenswil 1A taken from old plantings and 3 Dijon clones of Chardonnay).

Winemaking at Ruby since the 2016 vintage is under the direction of consulting winemaker Eric Hamacher and assistant winemaker Andrew Kirkland. Eric has 22 vintages under his belt in Oregon, 12 of those at Carlton Winemaker’s Studio. Andrew worked in wine retail in Seattle and New York and was exposed to many great wines. His recent winemaking experience came at Brittan Vineyards.

Current capacity is 3,500-4,000 cases per year. Current wines offered include Chardonnay, Rosé of Pinot Gris, and four 2015 Pinot Noirs. I tasted through the 2015 Pinot Noirs in the tasting room with Eric and Andrew and then barrel tasted several 2016 Pinot Noirs in the winery. It is clear that this winemaking team is enthusiastic about the potential of this iconic vineyard and the 2016 wines will be special.

The tasting room at Ruby is open six days a week (closed Tuesdays) with private tastings available with the owner or winemakers by appointment. Visit www.rubyvineyard.com. The historic winery retains its dairy farm roots (see photo below).

Yamhill-Carlton

Big Table Farm, Gaston

Brian Marcy and Clare Carver moved to Oregon from Napa, California in 2006 and bought a 70-acre property that became both a winery and working farm. The Oregon adventure was inspired by their desire to grow grapes, make wine, and to have the space for all of Clare’s animals. They named the farm and winery after the goal to provide a gracious and welcoming table, with a cornucopia of handcrafted food and wine. Now, after ten years, Brian and Clare have developed the land into a working farm with cattle, horses, pigs, goats, chickens, and bees, and have built a winery and barn.

I first met Brian and Clare at Pinot Days in Santa Monica, California in 2010 (see photo below) and have been a fan of their wines ever since. Brian’s winemaking experience at Turley Wine Cellars, Neyers Vineyards, Blankiet Estate and Marcassin shows in the stellar wines.

In the Big Table Farm fall release newsletter, Brian summarizes his winemaking goal. “My overreaching winemaking goal is and has always been to make delicious wine. Complexity, age-worthiness and interest are also important for wine, but if the delicious is not there, then all else is unimportant. I mostly use my own palate....taste and try and taste again a multitude of times.” He goes on to say, “Small wineries like ours where the owner is the winemaker are in a unique position artistically. We have no outside investors, owners or partners looking over our shoulders and the wines can truly reflect a singular focus. I certainly check in with Claire to make sure I am not crazy, but she likes my wine too.”

Brian couldn’t afford a de-stemmer when the winery started in 2006 and liked the results so much with whole cluster fermentation for Pinot Noir, he has continued with whole bunch vinification exclusively. He bought a de-stemmer in 2014 but is looking to sell it. All wines are vinified with native fermentations, never acidified, and aged in a low percentage of new French oak barrels.

The winery offers a Pinot Noir Rosé, Pinot Gris, an Edelzwicker, two Chardonnays, a Willamette Valley and Yamhill-Carlton appellation Pinot Noir, and vineyard-designated Pinot Noirs. The wines are sold through a mailing list and the tasting room. Tasting is available by appointment in Brian and Clare’s over 100-year-old farmhouse, a truly personal experience. Demand for appointments is high, and tasters must commit to purchasing a case of wine to attend a tasting. The unique labels on the bottles are designed and crafted using a letterpress by Clare. Visit the beautifully designed website at www.bigtablefarm.com.

Big Table Farm was a featured winery at the 2017 International Pinot Noir Festival where they were pouring their featured wine, the 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. This wine and the other 2015 spring release wines were previously reviewed in the PinotFile: www.princeofpinot.com/winery/964/. When I visited Big Table Farm, I tasted through the fall release (available now) Pinot Noirs including the 2015 Cattrall Vineyard (Wädenswil clone, excellent acidity), the 2015 Yamhill-Carlton (showy, forward and fruity), the 2015 Sunnyside Vineyard (Wädenswil clone, lighter weighted, very pretty fruit, elegant), and the 2015 Wirtz Vineyard (Coury clone, earthy, bold, noticeable tannins). I also sampled many barrels of 2016 Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with Brian and the wines were “spot on.”

I barrel-sampled 2016 wines at several other wineries as well when I visited on my July 2017 trip, and can say that this will be another superb vintage for the Willamette Valley. 2016 was a warm vintage with high yields.

Lenné Estate, Yamhill

Lenné Estate vineyard sits on a steep, south-facing slope near the town of Yamhill, Oregon. Nearby are Willakenzie Estate and Saffron Fields Winery. The property was once part of a large dairy farm and sits on a sedimentary soil type known as “peavine.” The resulting wines have considerable character because of the small cluster and berry size.

The name, Lenné, was born from a chicken farm west of London, England, in the small village of Wolkingham. It was there that winery founder Stephen Lutz’s spouse, Karen Lutz, was raised on a chicken farm and Karen’s father was known as “Len the hen.” The chicken farm is long gone and Len died in 1999. With his passing, Len helped put a down payment on Lenné Estate, so the winery was named in his honor.

I tasted through three of Lenné Estate’s 2014 vintage Pinot Noirs that have been released and previously tasted by me at home. Stephen said that 2014 was a warmer vintage that produced wines that initially were simple and fruit forward, but have acquired more complexity over time. Because of high yields, less new oak cooperage was used in this vintage. Stephen predicts that these wines will be long-lived. The other wines tasted were from the 2015 vintage, another warm one for Oregon. The grapes were harvested riper, the alcohols are somewhat higher (14.5%-ish) and have slightly lower acidity. Some of these wines will be released in the fall and the rest in 2018. The Pinot Noirs are typically aged 11 months in French oak barrels.

Including a Chardonnay, new for the 2016 vintage, Lenné Estate offers nine wines. All eight Pinot Noirs are estate grown. The “Le Nez” entry Pinot Noir bottling has been phased out. The wines are sold primarily to an enthusiastic wine club with a membership that is nearly filled. Tasting is available Wednesday-Sunday afternoon. Stephen anticipates that he will discontinue tasting appointments in the near future and distribute his wines to wine club supporters only. He plans to build a small winery on the property as well. Lenné Estate was one of the chosen participating wineries at this year’s International Pinot Noir Celebration. Visit www.lenneestate.com for information or to purchase wines.

I have been following Lenné Estate since the 2006 vintage and have visited Stephen to taste multiple times.

I had a few bottles of Lenné Estate Pinot Noir in my cellar from the 2010 vintage, so I thought I would pop the corks and see how the wines have fared over the nearly seven years since that vintage harvest.

Eola-Amity Hills

iOTA Pelos Sandberg Vineyard , Amity

iOTA is a small, family owned and operated vineyard and winery open to the public twice per year in May and November and by appointment. Owners and winemakers, Johanna and Don Sandberg, relocated to Portland from Minneapolis in 1999 to research the feasibility of growing grapes and making Pinot Noir in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. By the end of 2000, they had moved to the future vineyard site to oversee land development and learn the business of wine grape growing and making wine. Family partner, Lynne Pelos, has lent financial support remotely as a partner.

iOTA wines are produced from 100% estate grown and sustainably farmed grapes for a total production just under 2,000 cases annually. The first vineyard plantings were in 2002, the winery was established in 2006 and the onsite winery opened in 2010. There are 15 acres pf Pinot Noir planted to 8 blocks (all Pinot Noir except 0.8 acres of Chardonnay) on a total parcel of 57 acres at 300 to 500 feet elevation east of the Van Duzer corridor. The non-irrigated Pinot Noir clones planted include Pommard, Wädenswil, and Dijon 777 and 667, along with a small amount of Chardonnay clones 95 and 69. The soils are both sedimentary and volcanic.

Three iOTA Pinot Noirs are consistently offered: Phillis Rosé of Pinot Noir, iOTA (flagship bottling that is a blend of the best barrels, blocks and clones that represent Pelos Sandberg Vineyard as a whole) and Not One iOTA (a fraction separated during barrel aging that stands on its own). A 100% whole cluster fermented Pinot Noir is also produced in some vintages. Fermentations are primarily native yeast driven.

In addition to iOTA wines, grapes have been sold to prestigious wineries including Big Table Farm, Rex Hill, EIEIO & Co., Bergström and Beaux Frères.

iOTA wines are sold to a mailing list and through the winery’s website at www.iotacellars.com. The following wines were tasted at the winery including a mini-vertical of the flagship Pinot Noir. The Pinot Noirs from Pelos- Sandberg (also found in the Big Table Farm Pelos Sandberg Pinot Noirs) have a unique smoky, barnyard character that comes through in different degrees in all the wines tasted.

Lingua Franca, Salem

Refer to coverage of Grand Seminar at this year’s International Pinot Noir Celebration: www.princeofpinot.com/ article/1984/.

The estate vineyard is south of Seven Springs Vineyard and consists of 66 acres of Pinot Noir clones 90, 943, 115, 777, 667 and Pommard on three different rootstocks.

Winery closed to public. Limited tasting by appointment. Visit www.linguafranca.com.

Walter Scott Wines, Salem

Walter Scott was started in 2008 by partners Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon after years of living, studying and working within the Oregon wine industry. Ken spent 18 years working for some of Oregon’s top winemakers, learning both production and marketing. Erica is both an Advanced Sommelier and wine educator, focusing much of her passion on the Willamette Valley.

In 2012, Sue and Andy Steinman joined the winery, helping the business realize goals and grow production to 3,000 cases annually. Many readers know Sue and Andy, who have faithfully attended IPNC for many years and eventually moved to Oregon from the East Coast.

Ken crafts exceptional vineyard designated Pinot Noir and Chardonnay out of a very modest winery located adjacent Justice Vineyard. Ken and Erica’s years in the Oregon wine industry have led to congenial contacts and allow them to source most of their grapes from prestigious vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. I think Ken and Erica ought to adopt the slogan, “We have the grapes!” Vineyards include for Pinot Noir: Sojourner, Freedom Hill, Temperance Hill, Comb de Ovreux, and Seven Springs. For Chardonnay: X Novo, Freedom Hill, and Bunker Hill. When I visited in late July before IPNC, I tasted through every 2016 vineyard-designated barrel with Ken and I came away thinking these were some of the most exciting wines I tasted on this trip. The wines have both elegance and purity as well as conveying the transparency of site and vintage.

My advice would be to join the mailing list soon at www.walterscottwine.com because I anticipate these wines will be very hard to come by in the near future. Multiple 2015 wines are now sold out. Many of the wines are priced in the $40 to $50 range and represent special value.

Tastings are available by appointment only (except Sundays) and are hosted by Ken or Erica.

Southern Willamette Valley

Amalie Robert Estate, Dallas

Ernie Pink and Dena Drews have converted a former 60-acre cherry orchard into a vineyard beginning in 1999. The couple were Pacific Northwest computer industry workers with no background in the wine business, but learned winemaking and viticulture through the local community college. The inauspicious property lies at the end of an unpaved road with a single directive sign adjacent the famed Freedom Hill Vineyard and is worthy the journey to visit.

Amalie Robert is a two-person operation that succeeds in an unadorned winery because of the commitment, innovative ideals and guile of the owners. The name of the winery derives from a combination of Dena’s middle name Amalie and Ernie’s middle name Robert.

Ernie gave me a tour of his 35-acre vineyard and plans to plant 5 more acres or so. Ernie is a tinkerer and you never know what he might plant. He bottles one of the few examples of Pinot Meunier and Viognier grown in the Willamette Valley, using his carefully tended estate grapes. The 2016 Viognier blew me away. The winery also produces outstanding Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Gewürztraminer. All wines at Amalie Robert are estate grown, fermented, blended and bottled at the estate.

The estate vineyard is dry farmed with proper soil management to allow enough hang time to achieve full ripeness in every vintage. The resulting wines appeal to me because they are crafted with whole clusters, native yeasts and both barrel and bottle aged as necessary for complexity and drink ability upon release.

I spent most of my visit talking with Ernie and Dena while tasting a few bottles. It was fascinating to hear about the challenges of viticulture from those who are on the front lines. For a wine writer as well as the consumer, it is important to get to know the owners and winemakers, to understand their goals, experience their personality, and put a face to the wines. It is the only way one can truly appreciate wine.

Amalie Robert Estate was a Wine & Spirits Winery of the Year in 2011.

Ernie’s blog, “The FLOG,” follows each vintage with insightful and humorous comments. I highly recommend it for those interest in Oregon wine: www.amalierobert.blogspot.com.

Tours and tasting at the winery are available by appointment. Visit www.amalierobert.com. For reviews of Amalie Robert Estate wines, visit www.princeofpinot.com/winery/955/.

Broadley Vineyards, Monroe

Broadley Vineyards was established by the Broadley family in 1982 in the hills west of the town of Monroe. The estate vineyard is 33 acres planted in deep, well-drained, rocky clay Hazelair and volcanic Jory soils. The original plantings in 1982 were Pommard and Wädenswil, but as Dijon clones became available to Oregon, these where planted as well.

Founders Craig and Claudia Broadley lived in Berkeley and they developed a taste for wine in the 1970s. Like many Californians who became pioneers in the Oregon wine industry, they left for Oregon in search of a site in the Willamette Valley, and ended up in the southern part of the AVA just outside the town of Monroe, over a hours drive south of McMinnville. The Broadleys focused on rain patterns in the Willamette Valley and found that Monroe had a rain shadow from nearby Green and Mary’s peak that are the tallest peaks on the coastal range in Oregon. This makes Monroe the warmest and driest area in the Willamette Valley (known as the “banana belt”), and the advantage shows up in wet growing seasons such as 1997, 2007 and even 2013. In warmer vintages, Morgan carries a heavier crop load to slow down ripening.

The success of Broadley Vineyards has come through their unique, solitary, yet strategic location and resultant wines that are truly individualistic for Oregon.

Winemaking is now under the direction of the second generation, Morgan Broadley (pictured below). Because of the vineyard’s southern Willamette Valley location, vines do not struggle for ripeness and stem lignification is more commonplace. As a result, Broadley Vineyard’s signature style is its use of a high percentage of whole cluster in wooden fermenter of various sizes. Aging is typically carried out in 20%-30% new Tarasund French oak barrels (beginning in 2007, the percentage of new oak has been lessened from 50%-60% used in prior years).

The winery also sources fruit from notable vineyards elsewhere in the Willamette Valley such as Shea, Zenith, Saffron Fields, Maverick, Open Claim and Rocky Hill vineyards. Total production is about 5,000 cases including a Chardonnay sourced from the Eola-Amity Hills.

I tasted bottled wines with Morgan at the Broadley winery in downtown Monroe. Other 2015 vintage releases were previously reviewed in the PinotFile: www.princeofpinot.com/winery/139/. The winery’s tasting room is open by appointment. Visit www.broadleyvineyards.com.