WillaKenzie Estate
2007 Pinot Meunier, Willamette Valley
Fact Sheet
Vineyard Profile
WillaKenzie Estate has four acres of Pinot Meunier, all planted in 1992 on Willakenzie soil, a type known for its excellent drainage. Pinot Meunier is a native of the Champagne region of France and belongs to the Pinot family. It is named “Meunier,” which translates to “Miller,” because of the powdery, flour-like appearance of its foliage. The plants are grafted onto phylloxera-resistant rootstock and trained into an upright, double guyot trellising system.
Vintage Report
The 2007 vintage in Oregon will be remembered as a challenging one, requiring skills and dedication in the vineyard and winery in order make great wines. Budbreak occurred around April 8, but the vines did not start developing until late April due to cold, rainy weather. Bloom took place around June 12, followed by a good set. Véraison did not occur until the second week of August because of a very cool summer. High temperatures never exceeded the low 90s, and some nights in September were unusually chilly (36 degrees!). A cool growing season is great for Pinot, since it is a cool climate grape. Unfortunately, the rains came early, continuing steadily through harvest with breaks between downpours. WillaKenzie started harvest with Terres Basses on September 27 and picked at 24.5º Brix. The winery finished harvest after 5.5 inches of rain on October 26. Most of the vineyards were harvested between 23º and 23.5º Brix. With good sanitary conditions in the vineyard due to very careful viticultural practices, WillaKenzie elected to wait as long as we could before picking to ensure tannin ripeness. The winery also made extensive use of its state-of-the-art cold storage facility to dry and dehydrate the grapes before processing them. WillaKenzie is extremely pleased with the results. The wines show great concentration, ripe tannins and lower levels of alcohol. Both Thibaud and Daniel rose to the challenge and demonstrated that knowledge and skill always pay off.
Vinification
WillaKenzie timed its harvest based on taste and physiological maturity. The winery's goal is to let the vines fully express the fruit qualities that are characteristic of the varietal. In its gravity-fed winery, WillaKenzie made the 2007 Pinot Gris in a rich and complex Alsatian style. The winery pressed whole clusters, and after cold settling of the juice, inoculated with yeast from the Alsace region, chosen to enhance the fruit’s aromatics. The juice was fermented in stainless steel tanks slowly and at low temperatures to optimize the freshness and subtlety of the fruit.
Tasting Notes
The aromas are subtle and complex with initial red fruit tones complemented by cola, anise and caramel. A medley of fresh red fruit flavors, including raspberry, strawberry and cranberry create a lifted palate impression framed by smooth, well-resolved tannins. This elegant, medium-bodied wine will pair well with lighter fare like poached salmon, soufflés, charcuterie and even some desserts such as a rhubarb tart. The wine will improve in the cellar for the next one to two years and age well for up to five years from its release date.
