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2008 Pinot Blanc
Freedom Hill Vineyard Release Date: 9/1/2009 Retail Price $: 20.00 Production: 502 cases Production Notes Freedom Hill Vineyard is located in the foot hills of the coast range 10 miles south west of Sa lem, Oregon. The vine yard was plant ed in 1993 on a well drained silty clay loam. It has a southwest exposure at an elevation of 475' and benefits from heat rising off the valley floor. We produced this Pinot blanc in a style to accentuate texture and ripe fruit flavors. The must was fermented 37% in barrel and and 63% in tank and aged for eight months on the lees.. |
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Winemaker's Notes
Pinot blanc and Pinot gris are closely related to Pinot noir. Both are the result of natural mutations of Pinot noir. The entire Pinot family ripens beautifully in Oregon because our climate is perfectly suited to their needs. The resulting wines are blessed with ripe fruit and balanced acidity.
Pinot blanc has a complexity of pomme (apple and pear) and tropical fruit aromas that carry onto your palate. I believe Pinot blanc works differently with food than either Pinot gris or Chardonnay. It matches extremely well with shellfish and fatty fish dishes. It is especially good with mussels and tuna tartar. Pinot gris is a great match with leaner fish and other white meats.
For the 2008 vintage, 63% of our Pinot blanc was fermented in tank and 37% was fermented in new wood. The tank fermented wine retains the purity of fruit and the barreled wine adds a nice textural component that extends into the finish. The 2008 vintage was almost perfect because of the sunny, dry, and cool conditions well into October. However, the yield was lower than normal and production is 21% lower than in 2007.
2008 was an exceptional vintage, made exceptional by being quietly ordinary. Bloom was very late in variable weather. The result was smaller clusters with fewer berries. The summer passed quickly with veraison occuring earlier than expected, leaving the false impression that there was more crop hanging in the vineyard than there really was. Final ripening took place in endless cool, sunny days in an atmosphere of calm that I have never experienced, but hope to again. The fruit was picked clean and perfectly ripe. The only downside was the very small crop, our smallest in ten years.
Tasting Notes
The aromatics of the 2008 Pinot blanc reflect both stone and pomme fruits. These are enhanced by sweet floral and tropical fruit notes. Layers of peach, apple, and pear fruit flavors move across your palate with hints of spice, white flowers, and candied ginger. It has a lovely mouth filling texture with flavors that linger well into the finish. This vintage finished completely dry.
Pinot blanc is perfect with ceviches, crab cakes, mussels, and a wide variety of flavorful appetizers. Drink now or over the next two years to enjoy this wine at its peak of freshness.