Matello "Souris" Pinot noir 06
Matello's Souris Pinot noir 06 received 92 points from Wine Advocate (Parker): "The 2006 Pinot noir "Souris" is a selection of the winery's best barrels. It continues the theme of elegance but amps up the power a bit. Medium to full-bodied, there are layers of ripe red fruits and enough structure for this outstanding effort to evolve for 2-3 years. It will be at its best from 2010 to 2018."
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Indie”Producer with Hands-off Approach to Pinot
Matello is produced by one of the smallest wineries in Oregon, the Mad Wines Company, but still makes 4 Pinot Noir bottlings with a total production of around 500 cases. Proprietor and winemaker Marcus Goodfellow who has become a darling of the “indie” wine set in Portland, and is well-known in the food and beverage circles there.
Goodfellow has developed his winemaking skill through working closely with Amy Wesserman and David Autrey of Westery Winery. Matello sources fruit from several locations in the Willamette Valley, but in particular from one vineyard, Whistling Ridge in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, which lies directly above Beaux Freres Vineyards.
Marcus’ philosophy in winemaking is to let it be. That is a goal to allow the natural beauty of the fruit to be center stage and build up a perfectly balanced wine around it without manipulation. As such, Matello does not inoculate their fermentation with yeast, and they use little new oak for aging to add texture, without overwhelming the wines. This all makes for more interesting wines, even if it is a little more risky!
