2007 Soléna Domaine Danielle Laurent Vineyard Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir

13.7% alc., 350 cases, $45. Seventh vintage from this biodynamically-farmed 80-acre vineyard that is densely planted and located adjacent Shea Vineyard. Clones are Pommard and Dijon 115, 667, 777 and 828. High percentage of stems removed, 6-day cold soak, 25 days of skin contact, fermented in small lots in rotary barrels (barrels are rotated for “punch down” effect to gently extract color and tannins), aged 11 months in 33% new French oak barrels from a variety of coopers, unfined and unfiltered. · The nose is more savory than fruity with hints of oak toast, wet leaves and barnyard. The flavors trend to fresh wild berries matched with plenty of toasty oak that surfaces notably on the finish. Silky textured with complimentary fine tannins. The lovely fruit just can’t surface above the noise from the oak. Cellaring may allow more oak integration. For now, it is just decent. Reviewed February 15, 2010

Winery: Soléna Estate
From article: Small Sips of Oregon Pinot Noir