2024 Via Appia *NEW RELEASE*
Estate Schioppettino ∞ Chehalem Mountains AVA
84 cases produced. $58
A lively red wine that’s as pleasant to sip as it is food friendly, Via Appia is named for the fourth movement of Ottorino Respighi’s “The Pines of Rome.” The piece is inspired by the triumphant return of the Roman Legions marching down Rome’s legendary ancient road. The wine’s composition bridges Old World tradition and fresh New World expression. The 2024 harvest marked our first commercial vintage of Via Appia Schioppettino.
The Vineyard
We planted this block of seven rows in Fall 2020 at approximately 460 feet in elevation. Based on research, ours appears to be the third planting in the Willamette Valley of this extremely rare Italian varietal and likely only the seventh planting in the U.S. Native to the Friuli region of Italy — along the same latitude as our region in Oregon — our Schioppettino ripens roughly two weeks after our estate Pinot.
The Weather
After several years of extreme weather, the 2024 growing season brought a welcome return to normalcy for the Willamette Valley. A bitterly cold winter gave way to milder spring temperatures and a normal mid-April budbreak in the Bells Up Estate vineyard. Summer was again warmer and dryer than average, but without the extreme heat events of 2021 and 2023. That prompted a “by the book” end of September harvest for the Northern Willamette Valley, with brix and acids very close to ideal — giving the 2024 vintage compelling potential.
TECHNICAL NOTESNOSE: TBD.
PALATE: TBD.
