2018 Roserock Pinot Noir
2018 Roserock Pinot Noir; Willamette Valley, Oregon
Winemaker Notes; The 2018 Roserock Pinot Noir is a lively, energetic expression of both the vintage and the Eola Hills. The color is a striking light garnet, darkening at the core. On the nose, I find black currant and ripe plum, followed by crushed red flowers and clove. The palate opens with intense cherry and cranberry, mixed with a hint of allspice and light notes of oak. The tannins are dusty yet elegant, blending beautifully with the fresh and bright acidity. Texture, balance, and length are all impeccable, making for a pretty wine that drinks well now but should age very nicely for 6-8 years and beyond.
Critical Acclaim RPRobert Parker’s Wine Advocate; Medium ruby, the 2018 Pinot Noir opens to delicate but layered, spicy raspberries and rhubarb with uplifted citrus and floral notes. Medium-bodied, the palate offers a ripe, seamlessly fresh frame with layered, spicy fruits and a long, uplifted finish.
Pinot Noir is the dominant red wine grape of Burgundy, now adopted (and extensively studied) in wine regions all over the world. The variety’s elusive charm has carried it to all manner of vineyards.
These extend from western Germany (as Spätburgunder) and northern Italy to Chile, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the USA. California, Oregon and New Zealand are arguably the greatest centers for the grape outside its home territory. However great Pinot Noir is made in all of these territories.
Drouhin Oregon Roserock is the newest chapter in the Drouhin story, extending from Burgundy’s Cote d’Or and Chablis, to the Dundee Hills of Oregon, and now Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills.
In Oregon, as in Burgundy, the Drouhin Family farms singular, expressive parcels of land. The Roserock Vineyard sits at the southern tip of the Eola-Amity Hills, in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and is marked by volcanic soils, cooler temperatures and an ideal elevation range. Farmed by Phillipe Drouhin, Roserock is certified sustainable.