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Notes

Appearance: Opaque crimson, ruby edge

Initially reserved, the nose very soon opens to warm, dried grasses with a graphite mineral edge.  A chocolate and black cherry core follows, dried roses, held in a very distinctive texture suggestive of raw silk, tannins integrated throughout.

It is redolent with young blue fruits and a fresh citrus note of sanguinello (blood orange) edges a distinct, clean finish.

A thinker’s wine, this will undoubtedly evolve to greater things but as is, it is an evocative, powerful reflection of a definitive vintage in Oregon.

Note: Vino-lok closure (glass)

The blend is:
Courting Hill 1.7% (WV)
Winderlea 1.7% (Dundee Hills)
Ana 6.7% (Dundee Hills)
Weber 15.1% (Dundee Hills)
Temperance Hill 15.9% (Eola Hills)
Elkhorn Ridge 25.2% (McMinnville District)
Daffodill Hill 33.7% (Eola Hills)

2008 Vintage Report

If ever there was a year when waiting paid off - this was it. We started off with a cold, wet spring, which set the stage for a smaller yield & a late bloom (July 3rd for most vineyards). Still, by then my instincts were telling me this could be a stunning vintage - and it was.

So what made 2008 so fantastic? Was it the short crop? Was it the cold spring? That's part of the story, but it's mostly about the finale. Each week of October brought a forecast of rain. Rain, rain, and more rain. Still, I wasn't read to pick. And guess what, each week the rain miraculously stayed away. We just had nice cool weather all month long. And we waited. By the end of the month we were bringing in fruit that was as close to perfect as it gets. All that cool weather allowed the flavors to develop to their maximum perfection, with the ideal structure of higher acid and modest tannins.
- Rob Stuart

At R. Stuart & Co. we hang our hat on blended Pinot noirs. The Big Fire Pinot and the Autograph are really the cornerstones of what we do.

Having said that, it’s still lots of fun to make single vineyard Pinot noirs. In 2007 I made six of them. All in small lots – just about 100 cases each – and all are unfined and unfiltered. We age them each for about 10 months in a combination of new to 5 year old French oak.

Taste and explore these wines for yourself.  Watching them unfold over the years is a fascinating and delicious pastime – I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.