Rusty Gaffney, the Prince of Pinot (who visited us last year) popped in for a surprise taste-through of our new and future releases back at the end of July. It’s always a blast to hang out with Rusty, who definitely knows his Pinot Noir.
We were equal parts honored and gobsmacked this week to discover this week that he posted his reviews to The Pinot File, and that he awarded us a 92 for the 2015 Titan Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (available now!), and a 93 for the 2015 Villanelle Tonnelier Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton Reserve Pinot Noir. He also threw in a bonus review of the 2015 Firebird Summit View Vineyard Walla Walla Valley (Oregon side) Syrah, rating it 90 points.
Here’s what he said:
2015 Bells Up Titan Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 13.3% alc., pH 3.52, TA 0.61, 116 cases, $40. Release fall 2017. Yamhill-Carlton Dijon clones 115 and 777 (58%) and Pommard (42%). Harvest Brix 25.1º. Aged 7 months in French oak barrels, 30% new. Light garnet color in the glass. soaring aromas of cherry and spice. Well-crafted in a mid weight style with copious blueberry, cherry and Asian spice goodness framed by proportioned tannins. 92.
2015 Bells Up Villanelle Tonnelier Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton Reserve Pinot Noir 13.3% alc., pH 3.57, TA 0.60, 54 cases, $54. Sourced from a 3.5-acre vineyard with sedimentary Willakenzie soil. 100% free-run juice.Equal parts Dijon 115 and 777 (15-year-old vines) aged for 7 months in French oak barrels. Light ruby red color in the glass. Engaging aromas of blueberry and cherry echoed on the palate. Juicy and vivid with inviting spice and coffee notes in a mid weight style with a grand finish. Easy to like now but has the goods to age. 93.
2015 Bells Up Firebird Summit View Vineyard Walla Walla Valley [Oregon] Syrah Vinified in same manner as Pinot Noir. Moderate purple color in the glass. A big and bold wine in character for Syrah but not excessively so or jammy. Blue and purple fruits are well spiced. Intense attack and finish. More tannin than one encounters with Pinot Noir, but not imposing. 90.
All three of these wines are still available for fall shipping (now open) or purchase in our tasting room. Call or email us to reserve your bottles today. We anticipate that the 2015 Titan will be extremely popular, as Sara has dubbed it “Dave’s ‘red meat pinot.'”
