Stoller Vineyards

Stoller Vineyard

Stoller Pinot noir-
The First Three Years
by Jean Yates

The November 2004 Avalon Reserve Pinot noir Club focused on one North Willamette Valley vineyard, Stoller Vineyard. We tasted three wines, all made from Stoller Vineyard’s fruit, from three different producers, from three different vintages. The wines were:

Stoller Vineyards Estate Pinot noir 01 $42
Chehalem Pinot noir Stoller Vineyard 02 $39
Gypsy Dancer Emily's Rsv Stoller Pinot noir 03 $33

Second Generation,
21st Century Vineyard

Although the vineyard is not as well known as some of the older vineyards in Oregon, I believe that this vineyard will become a key one in the years to come. It’s location at almost the center of the North Willamette Appellation and its soils and slope make it an accurate representation of Oregon’s North Willamette Pinot noir vineyards.

The careful planning of owner and consultants, and the experience drawn from previously planted vineyards, make this site's vineyard a true "second generation" Oregon vineyard. The vineyard incorporates spacing, trellising, clonal selections, and irrigation techniques that have been developed over the last 30 years by pioneering winemakers across the Willamette Valley.

History

Stoller Vineyard is owned by Bill Cathy Stoller. The property as a whole is 375 acres, and encompasses the family turkey farm near where owner Bill Stoller grew up. When Bill and Cathy purchased the turkey farm from his cousin, they were already involved in the wine world as co-owners of Chehalem, and when they took over the farm it became apparent that grape vines were the best use for the property.

With the advice of Harry Peterson-Nedry (Chehalem co-owner), Patrice Rion (winemaker from Burgundy who has given them advice over the years), vineyard consultant Allen Holstein, and Joel Myers, they planted 10 acres each of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The vineyard now encompasses 121 acres, mostly planted to Pinot noir.

Vineyard Overview

Stoller Vineyard was planted with tight spacing, and a minimum density of 1250 vines per acre and a max of 2600 per acre. This European style tight spacing helps to stress the vines and encourage smaller clusters of intensely flavored fruit. The vines selected reflect the experience of Stoller’s coinsultants and encompass both clones that were first planted in Oregon in the 70’s (Wadesvil & Pommard) and new, “second generation” clones (Dijon 113, 114, 115, 777 , and 667).

The vineyard has steep hillsides, rocky, low yielding Jory type soil, and the terrain bears a distinct resemblance to the famed Corton Vineyard in Burgundy, leading some winemakers to refer to Stoller as “Corton Hill”.

The 2001 Vintage

The RPNC Club’s representative Stoller wine from the 2001 vintage was made for Stoller by Harry Nedry– Petersen and Cheryl Francis of Chehalem Winery. The Stoller Vineyard Pinot noir 01 was the first release from the vineyard’s winery and the grapes were harvested during the first week of October, 2001. The wine was made at Chehalem.

At the winery, the Pinot Noir grapes were destemmed and transferred to three and five ton fermenters, where they underwent a cold soak lasting five days. After the extended cold soak, the must began a fermentation lasting approximately 14 days, during which the caps were punched down three times daily. Once the primary fermentation had come to a close, the juice was pressed off and transferred to barrel. Harry and Cheryl chose a combination of medium-plus toast, tightly grained (Allier and Troncais) French oak barrels, about 45% of which were new. Here the wines aged for twelve months, during which time they were racked only prior to bottling. 448 bottles were made.

Harry has this to say about the wine, three years after its production: “Deep ruby in color, the 2001 Stoller Pinot Noir offers up notes of rhubarb, black tea, and lavender in the nose. Deep and brooding in the mouth, with flavors reminiscent of chocolate covered cherries and pipe tobacco, this wine possesses a beautiful balance between fine tannin and sweet, rich fruit.”

Here at Avalon we found the wine to be somewhat closed when we first tried it 18 months ago. A recent retasting showed very impressive changes, both in the more open and layered nature of the flavors, and in the now excellent balance. The nose of the 2001 is vibrantly fresh, with clean oak, hints of herbs, and red berry scents. The tannins are very fine-grained and well integrated, making it a silky, nuanced wine, more elegant than blockbuster. The finish goes on quite a long time, replaying the flavors of black berry, with subtle hints of spice and very subtly, mint. Quite lovely.

The 2002 Vintage

The RPN Club’s 2002 example of Stoller Vineyard Pinot noir is Chehalem Stoller Vineyard 2002. Made from the second vintage of wine from Stoller, the wine has already received Kudoes from Wine Advocate, with a 91+ rating and the following review:

“ 91+. …densely packed, plump, and satin textured, this is broad, lush decadent effort. Loads of expressive darks fruits are intermingled with spices…”.

Harry had this to say: “The best Stoller Vineyards bottling we’ve done. Brilliant, deep purple/garnet colors, with red-black fruits on the nose (black! It’s finally happening with maturity.); rich, dense blackberry fruit with the characteristic Stoller marker of slight herbal, chocolate, earth aromatics; three dimensional, rich, viscous, but with good acid structure and bright lift on the palate; fine tannin for aging (again, a sign of maturity). Very pleased.”

The 2002 Chehalem Stoller Vineyard Pinot noir 02 shows how an additional year of vine maturity adds complexity and depth to wines made from the vineyard. Tasting the wine side by side with the 2001 Stoller, many similarities are clear, but the 2002 shows increased viscosity and roundness, and hints of herbs, chocolate, earth, and spice encircling a firm core of very deftly balanced tannins that are not as evident in the 2001 wine. Ah, the wonders of maturing, well managed vines.

The 2003 Vintage

The RPN Club’s 2003 example is the Gypsy Dancer Emily’s Reserve 03, made by Gary Andrus, famed winemaker who formerly owned Archery Summit and Pine Ridge in CA. The nose has sweet oak, red fruit, and a hint of red-hot cinnamon candy that is most pleasant. Gary is a master of oak. And this wine shows the “Gary Touch”.

Wow– he really does have the knack for making hedonistic, rich, lovely wines. This one is so fruit forward, just

a lush blend of blackberries, blueberries, hints of blue plum, and that red-hots sweet cinnamon oak again.

What an interesting evolution of the Stoller fruit. Of course, this wine was made by a different winemaker than the 01 and 02 wines, but even allowing for Gary’s style, the “terroir” of Stoller Vineyard and the increased complexity of the 2003 vintage are clear. At right, Gary and family.

Summary

Well I hope you folks have as much fun as I had going through these wines. One thing is clear to me, Stoller Vineyard is developing into a fabulous vineyard. There are very limited amounts of the 2001 Stoller available from Avalon, and somewhat better supply on the other two wines. —Jean

Wine Spectator 91 Points: "Lean, lithe, and distinctive, brimming with personality on a refined frame, offering raspberry, red cherry, and sweet wet earth aromas and flavors that linger beautif
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