Best Case Scenario: Amity Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2010

The beautiful Amity Vineyards | photo: amity Facebook page

I’m nearing the end of my first case of Best Case Scenario Oregon Pinot Noirs.  With a great theme, From Blockbuster to Beauty: The Evolving Style of Oregon Pinot Noir, I’ve sampled and learned about how twelve different Oregon wineries have evolved through the years with their winemaking styles used for producing some of Oregon’s finest wines.

This week, I’m focusing on Amity Vineyards 2010 Amity Estate Single Vineyard Pinot Noir.  With a rich, lush mouthfeel, this wine displays gorgeous aromas of bright cherries and raspberries with subtle hints of earth.  The flavors mimic the aromas with added fall spices and fresh tobacco.  I love the lengthy finish that offers nice acidity and a bit of white pepper.

Located in the small town of Amity, in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Amity Vineyards was established in 1974 – one of the pioneer wineries of Oregon.  Winemaker Darcy Pendergrass shares her winemaking style as well as some information about the 2010 Estate Pinot Noir:

What is your winemaking philosophy?  I want to always be respectful of the fruit and the place it came from.  Amity has a history of using a very low percentage of new oak so we can show what each site brings to the cellar year in and year out.

How has your style evolved over the last 5-10 years?  When I started we didn’t use any new oak and in the last 5 years we’ve added about 10 percent to the program.  I think it is a nice balance with the fruit.  So you still get to see what each site tastes like but the wine is a little more rounded and complex.

What do you love about Oregon Pinot Noir? What makes it unique?  I love that Oregon Pinot taste like Oregon, being that Pinot noir is so reflective of place.  Living in Oregon and having the privilege to drink so many great Pinots you really get an appreciation for the taste of each specific AVA and its uniqueness.

Tell us about this wine.  This wine has a wonderful nose full of earth, red fruit, baking spices, and finishes with dried tobacco. All of those flavors follow through onto the palate. Wonderful texture and length on this wine keep you coming back for more.

What is one non-flavor descriptor to describe this wine?  A great cigar with even better friends! 

For the wine geeks, like me:

AVA: Eola-Amity (a sub-AVA of the Willamette Valley)
Cases produced: 145
Retail price: $40.00
Alcohol: 12.80%
pH: 3.58
Acidity: 5.6g/L
Oak treatment: 33% New Oak