The Vineyard

Oregon is a state with a long agricultural tradition. Vineyards were destined to succeed there. In fact, it is the fourth-largest wine-producing state in the United States after California, Washington, and New York. The first vines were planted as early as 1840, although the wine industry's boom began in the 1960s.

Within the state of Oregon there is a particularly privileged valley of just over 240 km (150 miles): the Villamette Valley.

It is a valley that grows around the river that gives it its name and is surrounded on the east, west, and south by mountain ranges.

This valley has a climate that we would define as the cool Mediterranean, with copious rainfall in winter that accumulates in the deep soil and allows for good growth in spring as well as excellent ripening and healthiness in summer with hardly any rain. 

Winter temperatures are cold (but not freezing) with lows of 7-8 below zero. However, the summer is warm and dry with maximum temperatures of 32-35 degrees Celsius. Summer nights are cool, which favors aromas and acidity balance ideal for the vines.

The soil is fertile and of sedimentary origin. The whole valley is the bottom of a lake that was formed during the ice age.

The vineyards sit on gentle hills surrounding the numerous tributaries of the Villamette river. They have a high density of vines per hectare, as the fertility of the soil and the abundance of water makes it possible to have a high number of plants in order to achieve competition between them and extract highly concentrated fruit. Write or paste your text here to have it checked continuously. Errors will be underlined in different colors: we will mark spelling errors with red underlines. Furthermore, grammar errors are highlighted in yellow. Sentence Checker also marks style issues reliably by underlining them in blue. It's an impressively versatile tool, e.g. if you'd like to tell a colleague from overseas about what happened at 5 PM on Monday, 27 May 2007.

Twill Cellar is a young winery that started in 2000. 

Molly and Darrel Roby have the philosophy of translating a landscape, a terroir, into their wines. That is why they have sought out the plots and varieties that are best suited to them. Year by year they have been adding new plots in different parts of Oregon and choosing the cultivation of the variety that best suits each one.

Organic farming and little intervention in the winemaking process result in wines with personality.

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 Wine details

This wine is 100% Pinot Noir from a blend of three different plots.

45% Stormy morning. It is located in the Coastal Foothills. This vineyard sits on ancient marine sediment. It also has traces of iron. The plot has good sun exposure, which allows for greater ripeness and aromas.

35% Johan. It is a vineyard quite close to the coast located in the Van Duzer Corridor, which gives it a maritime influence. The soil is of calcareous sediment and some clay (glaciolacustrine soil).

20% Molly It is planted along the Tualatin River and surrounded by coniferous forests. Its soils are silt loam with some basalt and sediment from old Lake Missoula floods.

All the plots are cultivated according to organic criteria.

The winemaking process is carried out in a minimally interventionist manner, i.e. without any enzymes and only with indigenous yeasts. Sulfur dioxide levels are extremely low.

French oak is used for aging, of which about 15% is new.

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is aged for 22 months in barrels without racking or inoculation.

After this time, the wine has the desired complexity and expressiveness.

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Tasting:

Intense cherry red color, clean and bright.

Perfumed nose with a predominance of ripe red fruits and mandarin accompanied by earthy details of mushrooms and truffle. After a short while, vanilla oak notes follow, together with pepper, fine leather, and game. Elegant and fresh.

Dry, medium-bodied on the palate, widening as it moves towards the finish. Tasty, slightly saline center, with a good amount of fruit, a mineral touch, and lively acidity. Smooth, well-integrated tannins. Spicy finish with vanilla, cedar, and earthiness.

 

Pairing

Duck breast, grilled tuna, stuffed turkey, game stews, pasta with truffle and egg, veal stew with apple and chestnuts, lamb with chocolate, pork loin with wine, almonds, and plums, stroganoff. Beef and vegetable wok.