Westrey Pinot Noir Abbey Ridge Vineyard 08
Drop dead sexy. Like Pavlov's dog, the bell rings, the wine is poured, we salivate. Raspberry pie from the oven, fresh cherries from the market. A magical sweet earth note. This is gorgeous stuff. According to winemaker David Autrey, this is the best wine that Westrey's made. We agree.
In 2008 Abbey Ridge produced the ripest grapes we received in the cellar, quite a surprise since it is our coolest site. On the nose there is the signature of Abbey Ridge Vineyard: high tone strawberry-raspberry fruit with a layering of lavender/pepper spice and a bottom note of earth. On the palate the wine shows an opulent fruit. Raspberries and spice, complemented by a subtle hint of vanilla from the oak combine to fill the palate which shows tremendous length and richness. The balance and completeness of this wine is expressed from the very first sip. A wine truly distinguished by its terroir.
The wine was harvested on October 17th and spent 19 days in fermentor. The must was then pressed, and racked directly to barrel. Of the eleven barrels, 27% were new and the remainder was a blend of one-year-old and neutral wood. After an indigenous malo-lactic, the wine was lightly sulfured and was racked to the bottling line in September without fining or filtration. - the winery
Previous Vintage Tasting Notes
2007 Vintage Tasting Notes
Westrey' Abbey Ridge Pinot noir 07 is full rich and savory aromas that guide you to a bright palate of cherry, accented by wild strawberry and blueberry. A thread of fine herbs weaves through the wine, perfectly complementing the crushed raspberry note and delightful savorty/salty combo on the finish. The 07 Abbey Ridge has strong varietal purity, is a standout of Oregon's 2007 vintage, and an exceptional value. - Marcus
From the winery:
On the nose there is the signature of Bill and Julia Wayne’s Abbey Ridge Vineyard: high tone strawberry-raspberry fruit with a layering of lavender/pepper spice and a bottom note of earth. On the palate the wine bursts with fruit. Raspberries and spice, complemented by a subtle hint of vanilla from the oak, combine to allow the wine to fill the palate and shows tremendous length and mid-palate richness. A wine truly distinguished by its terroir.
In 2007 Abbey Ridge produced the ripest fruit we received in the cellar, quite a surprise since it is our coolest site. After fourteen days in the fermentor, the must was pressed, and racked directly to barrel. Of the fourteen barrels, 28% were new and the remainder was a blend of one-year-old and neutral wood. After an indigenous malo-lactic, the wine was lightly sulfured racked to the bottling line in September without fining or filtration. 342 cases produced.
When it comes to making the day-to-day vineyard management and winemaking decisions, David and Amy are guided by firmly held principles.
"For instance," David continues, "we strongly believe in the notion of terroir-we really believe that each site will give you something unique." Amy agrees: "I think one of the most important things in our winemaking approach is to look at each vintage and each vineyard and work to bring out their positive aspects, let them express themselves to their best potential."
Another component of Westrey's style is the importance of balance in their wines-even to the point of going slightly out of the mainstream.
"We generally look for wines with higher acidity levels," says David, "certainly more than the general American wine press is willing to accept! We shy away from the American 'fruit bomb' style of Pinot noir. Wines with focus and acidity-reflected for instance, in our Abbey Ridge Pinot noir-are important to what we are trying to do."
