KATHY’S CORNER

By all accounts, 2008 in Oregon is hailed as superb vintage. Our vines experienced an exceptionally cool growing season in March and April, delaying bud break until late April. Temperatures warmed, accelerating shoot growth, but bloom was still slightly later than normal. Favorable conditions from bloom into August laid the ground for ideal ripening conditions in September. A textbook Indian summer, dry and warm, gave the final push for fully ripened fruit by mid-October. In many ways, 2008 is likened to the glorious 1999 vintage. The depth of fruit flavors balanced by good acidity has created that special vintage buzz.

We call our Oregon bottling OLDSVILLE RESERVE after Oldsville Road in McMinnville, where I made my first 15 vintages of Oregon Pinot noir. Enjoy with Cheers

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THE VINEYARDS & THE VINTAGE

• 100% Alloro Vineyard located in the North Willamette Valley Chehalem Mts.

• The 70-acre Alloro Vineyard, planted in 1999, is situated on a southwest facing slope on Laurel Ridge, perched at a 700-foot elevation. Its Laurelwood soil is comprised of decomposed volcanic material below a top layer of ancient sedimentary soil. Fiddlehead controls specific blocks that are meticulously farmed to our specifications.

• In 2008, significant crop was dropped due to the concern of a late vintage and potential foul weather, so low yields describe this stellar year. We picked relatively late, and there was a 48% chance of rain, but we were blessed with an amazing dry sky on October16th, 2008.

• and-harvested at “sun up”, picking a total of 4.5 tons, including the Pommard clone (38%) and Dijon clones 667 (25%) and 777(37%).

THE WINE

• Wowie kazam! This wine delivers everything the vintage promised. It’s immediately luscious and succulent, yet focused and impressive for its parfait of cherry flavors and delicate dried herbs and rose petal perfume. Immediately approachable with silky, smooth tannins.

• Fermented with significant whole berry contribution in small open-top vats. Aged 13 months in tight-grain French oak, 35% new. Additionally aged in the bottle for seamless textures and most satisfying expression of place.

• 3.45pH / 6.15 g/L Acid / 14.4% Alcohol

• 256 cases produced.