ABCs of Oregon Pinot Noir

Phone: 1.88.CUVEE (28833)

Amalie Robert Estate, LLC

The ABCs of Oregon Pinot Noir - Amalie Robert Estate, Beaux Frères & CADUS

¡Salud! is proud to present the following single barrel lot for the 2010 Pinot Noir auction being held November 12^th and 13^th. This 2009 vintage wine is a collaboration from one of Oregon's most interesting and talented winemakers, a very special and unique vineyard site, and a specialty Pinot Noir cooper who strongly believes in a respectful oak contribution to the wine. Only 45 six-packs of this wine will be produced. To learn more about ¡Salud!, follow this link. http://www.saludauction.org

The vineyard at Amalie Robert Estate (www.amalierobert.com):

The vineyard is located at the southern end of the north Willamette Valley, just outside of Dallas. The fruit for this ¡Salud! offering comes from two small blocks planted at the turn of the century. Block 14 is 1,072 vines of Pommard clone grafted onto Schwarzmann rootstock, and block 15 is 1,640 vines of Wadenswil clone grafted onto 3309 rootstock. The soil type is Bellpine - a silty clay loam formed from sedimentary parent material as seen here.

The vines are spaced 7 1/2 feet by 4 feet (1,452 vines per acre), trained to a single guyot and are grown on a vertical shoot positioned trellis. The fruit was meticulously managed and thinned to less than 1 cluster per shoot.

Amalie Robert Estate Block 14 Pinot Noir just before harvest – 2009

Mike Etzel and the Beaux Frères Winery (www.beauxfreres.com):

Since our first vintage in 1991, the Beaux Frères philosophy remains the same; to produce a world-class Pinot Noir from small, well-balanced yields and ripe, healthy fruit that represents the essence of our vineyard. In pursuit of these goals, the Beaux Frères Vineyard is planted with tightly spaced vines, and yields are kept to some of the lowest in our industry. The grapes are harvested when physiologically (rather than analytically) ripe. Our winemaking philosophy is one of minimal intervention with clean fermentations utilizing indigenous yeast. The wines are stored in French oak for 10 to 12 months adjusting the percentage of new oak to compliment the wine the vintage has given us. Beaux Frères is never racked until it is removed from barrel for bottling, which occurs without fining or filtration. These non-manipulative, uncompromising methods guarantee a wine that is the most natural and authentic vineyard expression possible. Previous vintages demonstrate that these methods also allow our Beaux Frères to develop significant perfume, weight, and texture in the bottle.

The 2009 growing season:

Along with 2008, the 2009 growing season marks the second of two very moderate and excellent growing seasons. The key month in growing Oregon Pinot Noir is September. During this time the vines are creating sugars in the berries and lowering acids to make the grapes more palatable to the local fauna (aka birds and deer.) Remember, it is the vine's goal to reproduce, but it is our goal to make wine.

It is also during September that the skins develop flavors and aromas and Mother Nature holds all the cards here. The promise of an exceptional vintage is held in the balance of accumulating sugars with flavor and aroma development. The 2009 vintage was blessed with a very moderate September that allowed full flavor and aroma development without excessive sugars. This wine was harvested on September 28 under ideal conditions. It could be the vintage of the century, but certainly the vintage of the year.

The 2009 wine maturing in barrel:

The fruit from Amalie Robert Estate was harvested by block and delivered to Beaux Frères on the morning of September 28^th. In making this wine we were given the opportunity to create the blend from the beginning. Both the Pommard and Wadenswil clones provide a complete palate experience, however in working with this vineyard since 2005, we had an idea of what to expect.

We chose a single 2 ton Stainless Steel fermenter and added equal amounts of Pommard and Wadenswil. The fermenter was under cold soak for 6 days, warmed to cellar temperature and then began to ferment using indigenous yeast. Temperatures began rising as the sugars turned into alcohol. Fermentation produced a beautiful bell shaped curve of daily temperature readings maxing at 27 degrees C. Twenty days later with negative brix of 1.9, we emptied the fermenter into a clean fresh 228 liter French oak CADUS barrel, coopered from the forest of Allier, including all the gross lees.

Our winemaking philosophy is to leave the wine in barrel undisturbed until bottling. We are now patiently waiting for all its beauty to come together as the wine develops into a complete entity which may take 12 to 16 months. Each cuvée has a mind of its own.

How to purchase:

This wine lot is accepting bids now. The opening bid for one of the 45 six-packs is $300. If we receive 45 bids, all six-packs will be sold and the lot will close. If we receive more bids than the 45 six-packs available, we will move to the live auction during the November 13^th Gala to complete the bidding.

Please be aware, Beaux Frères is not participating as a vintners circle winery this year. While the "ABCs of Oregon Pinot Noir" is not a formal ¡Salud! wine, it is an exclusive single barrel lot that is only available through ¡Salud!. If you are interested in bidding on this lot, please contact Maria at 503.681.1564 or by email at maria.mccandless@tuality.org.

Important Note: You do not need to be present at the November event to be a successful bidder. When you place your bid with Maria, please indicate the maximum dollar amount you are willing to bid, and this bid will be used if we proceed to the live auction.

Each successful bidder may choose to pick up the wine at Amalie Robert Estate Winery or Beaux Frères Winery free of charge. Other shipping arrangements can be made at the time of purchase at additional cost.

(Donated by: Amalie Robert Estate (fruit), Beaux Frères Winery (winemaking) and Bouchard Cooperages (CADUS barrel)