2017 STEDT Wines Julon Vineyard Pinot noir
Julon Vineyard,
Eola-Amity Hills,
Willamette Valley,
Oregon
13.5% alcohol
Cork closure
LIVE-certified vineyard
140 cases produced
Owner/winemaker Chris Lubberstedt started his own label, STEDT Wines, in 2015, after working in the industry for over 20 years. He sources this fruit from the Julon Vineyard, located at 360-foot elevation with marine sedimentary soil, where the Van Duzer Corridor breezes cool the summer afternoons. Chris considers this his flagship Pinot noir and, after tasting it, I can understand why!
The grapes for this Pinot were gently hand-sorted, then 90% were destemmed before all had a nice, 3-day cold soak. During this time, much of the color was extracted from the skins. As fermentation started, Chris used both pump-overs and “I Love Lucy” style foot-stomping (often called manual pigeage) to extract most of the remaining color and tannins from the skins. Eventually, the wine was pressed and allowed to age for 16 months in oversized 228-liter French oak barrels before bottling.
Bouquet:
Earthy aromas of cedar and sandalwood swirl in sync with cherry cola, raspberries, and cherries.
Palate:
This may just be the lightest, most delicate Eola-Amity Hills Pinot noir I’ve encountered. I loved all the red fruit flavors of bing and sour cherries, cranberries, pomegranates, and tayberries. With bright acidity, cedar notes, and a long, spicy finish, it’s a very food-friendly wine that is great to drink now or cellar until the next decade.
Food pairing suggestions:
Seared ahi steaks with garlic fries, turkey nachos, truffle risotto.
SRP $44
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About the Author: Michele Francisco
