In The Glass: Patton Valley Lorna-Marie Pinot Noir 2010

In spite of the challenges Willamette Valley vineyard owners and winemakers had with the 2010 growing season, many of the the Pinot Noirs I’ve tasted recently are beautiful and full of character. The 2010 Patton Valley Lorna-Marie Pinot Noir is the ultimate example of one those beauties to arise from a difficult year. Here’s what Patton Valley has to say about 2010:

“Variation of growing conditions from vintage to vintage is one of Oregon’s great charms, resulting in distinctive wines every season. Mother Nature showed us one of her biggest swings from the hot conditions in 2009 to one of the coolest growing seasons of the decade in 2010. Budbreak and bloom were later than normal, leading us to aggressively thin fruit to hasten ripening. Between thinning and hungry birds, our yields came in very low, nearly 25% below an average harvest. Thankfully, October produced a window of beautiful weather, allowing us to harvest fruit that produced elegant, sophisticated and textured wines, reminiscent of the lovely 2005 vintage.”

Patton Valley Vineyard is located in the northern reaches of the Willamette Valley, just outside Gaston, Oregon. Both the vineyard and winery are recognized as sustainable and are LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) Certified. They are dedicated to producing fine, hand-crafted Pinot Noir with a goal to make wines from their estate-grown fruit that express the personality of their vineyard site.

The 2010 Patton Valley Lorna-Marie Pinot Noir is a gorgeous garnet hue in the glass. After decanting for about 45 minutes, vibrant cherry and savory earthy aromas followed through on the palate with the addition of golden raisins, pie spice and tobacco leaf – super juicy and luscious in the mouth. With excellent concentration and structure, this Pinot could age beautifully. But, it’s so delicious now that it’s not one I could easily hold on to.