2019 Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Oregon

The Story Behind Au Bon Climat's Oregon Pinot Noir

The first Oregon Pinot Noir under the Au Bon Climat label was made in 1985. This legendary wine was created using a unique “traveling fermentation” technique: the grapes were picked and pressed in Oregon, then placed in small fermentation vats in the back of a pickup truck. En route to California, the grape skins were periodically dunked by hand at each stop. The result was an excellent wine, but this method has only been used once since. In 2018, they received a call from the renowned Lingua Franca winery , located in the Eola-Amity Hills, one of the best Pinot Noir growing areas in the Willamette Valley. They were offered the opportunity to purchase a full truckload of Pinot Noir grapes for the next few years, and they jumped at the chance.

The Au Bon Climat Pinot Noir Oregon is the second Oregon Pinot Noir and comes from the highly regarded Lingua Franca Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills of Willamette Valley. The wine has a dark and supple structure, with fragrant aromas and flavors of ripe red and dark fruit, enriched with hints of star anise and exotic spices. It combines richness with elegance and is already delicious to drink now, but will also continue to develop with age. The classic pairing of Oregon Pinot Noir with salmon is obvious. However, for a fine dining experience, you could also opt for roasted duck or rack of lamb, which perfectly complement the rich flavors of this wine.

Winemaker on the Harvest

After the excellent 2018 harvest, the 2019 harvest proved to be of similar quality. The summer was warm, followed by a cool autumn. This cooling at the right time allowed the fully ripe Pinot Noir grapes to retain their acidity, which gave a perfect balance to the fruit. We also used some whole bunches of grapes during fermentation. The woody stems of these bunches add extra complexity and structure to the wine.

FACT: The wine is in our conditioned Wine Warehouse and if you come to pick up the wine you will also receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you choose Pick up in Checkout page. We are located almost next to the Rijksweg with plenty of parking. Click here for our address.