The nose offers light raspberry and forest underbrush, with food-friendly acidity and structure on the palate. There is nothing unripe or overripe on the palate but there is good density and concentration. 

 

 

The lots used for this wine are aged for 11 months in up to 15% new French oak. The nose offers sweet cherry fruit and forest underbrush, with food-friendly acidity and structure on the palate, and a floral perfume in the mouth and finish. Made in the style of traditional Burgundy, the fruit is sourced from non-irrigated vines with fermentation occurring in small open-top tanks that are punched down by hand. Many of the lots are fermented with native yeasts, and all malolactic fermentation occurred naturally. This wine is both unfined and unfiltered. Natural sediment may occur over time.

 

Holloran Vineyard Wines is located in the Willamette Valley, where about two-thirds of Oregon’s wineries and vineyards are. Buffered from Pacific storms on the west by the Coast Range, the valley follows the Willamette River north to south for more than a hundred miles from the Columbia River near Portland to just south of Eugene. Bill Holloran began this venture in 1999, building a winery at his farm and partnering with winemaker Jay Somers (of his own J. Christopher wine label) to be his winemaker. Jay continues to consult on the winemaking today, but is mostly busy collaborating with German wine giant Ernst Loosen (of Weingut Dr Loosen) on their recent business partnership.

 

Holloran Vineyard Wines sources the grapes from three locations: The Estate Vineyard, Meute de Chiens, located at the northern end of the Willamette Valley just south of Portland. It is planted with 6 different clones of Pinot Noir and farmed organically.  The Le Pavillon vineyard is located in the Dundee Hills AVA and is over 35 years old. The soil type is Jory, an ancient volcanic soil. The producing blocks are Pinot Noir, Riesling and Chardonnay. Farmed organically since 1999, and biodynamically since 2005.