Best Case Scenario: Cooper Mountain Vineyards Pinot Noir 2011

With twelve bottles of Best Case Scenario Oregon Rieslings just waiting in my cellar to be tasted and written about, I have just a few more Pinot Noirs to write about first.  Starting with Cooper Mountain Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir, with its fresh red berry aromas and flavors with hints of spice and earth, the mouthfeel is round, juicy and totally palate pleasing.  I love the mushroomy, earthy finish that lingers, and nice acidity gives it that extra oomph that I love to find in Oregon Pinot Noirs – it’s one that’ll put a smile on your face.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards is located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, a sub AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  I recently attended an incredible event called Origin ’13 that focused on wineries located in the Chehalem Mountains and Riboon Ridge AVAs, and how the soils in this area were formed by a disastrous and tumultuous history of extreme weather; including, volcano eruptions, floods, high winds and severe storms.  I wrote about this event in my weekly column on Eugene Daily News, Wine Down Eugene.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards was first planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay vines back in 1978 by owners Dr. Robert Gross and his wife, Corrine.  Originally selling their fruit to other wineries around the state, by 1987, Cooper Mountain Vineyards had its first vintage that was offered to the public.  They now have five varietals on over 100 acres that is farmed sustainably, using organic and Biodynamic farming methods and no irrigation.

Cooper Mountain Vineyards winemaker, Gilles de Domingo, worked harvest at his family’s vineyards before pursuing a degree in Oenology and Viticulture in Bordeaux and Hyeres.  Gilles made wine in New Zealnd, Australia and South Africa before coming to Oregon and working at King Estate and Bridgeview; eventually, leading up to his winemaking career at Cooper Mountain Vineyards.

What is your winemaking philosophy?  Let the soil and climate express themselves.

How has your style evolved over the last 5-10 years?  The style does not evolve because soils do not evolve.  However, an understanding of the soil evolves and progresses.  Our style is dictated by the notion of terroir, not by the trend of the day.

What do you love about Oregon Pinot Noir?  What makes it unique?  It is without a doubt that Oregon wines reflect our love of our mountains, our streams, our cool climate.  The combination of this unique landscape inspire us and our rich volcanic soils allow us to grow wine that is fresh in fruit, soft in tannins while maintaining balanced acidity.  The wines are vibrant in their youth, but they also gain savory complexity as they age.  The vineyards and wines are still handcrafted by the families that originally put the vines in all those decades ago and when you ask an Oregon vintner what makes their wine unique, their answer is not loaded with passion, their answer is loaded with the beauty of life. 

Tell us about this wine.  100 % Estate Vineyard, Biodynamic Grapes, Minimalist winemaking.  Reflection of soil, geomorphism and vintage without any disguise.

What is one non-flavor descriptor to describe this wine?  The face of a woman without any make up.

For the wine geeks, like me:

AVA: Willamette Valley
Cases produced: 3200
Retail price: $25
Alcohol: %12.95
pH: 3.49
Acidity: 6.2 g/l
Oak treatment: 100 % French Oak and Vosges Forest…15% New oak

US Markets/Distributors: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IL, ID, IN, ME, MD, MA, MN, MS, MO, MT, NJ, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, RI, SC, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WI, WY, DC