Penner-Ash 2011 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Penner-Ash Wine Cellars embodies the spirit and passion of a small producer focusing on Pinot Noir in the northern Willamette Valley, Oregon. After working for some of Napa’s premier wineries and Rex Hill Vineyards in Oregon, winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash and her husband, Ron, started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 1998. In the winery, the focus is on small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks to extract a rich, fruit-focused, textured mouth feel. Each lot is treated individually and depending on the outcome, either blended into their reserve quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or bottled separately as a vineyard designate.
The Penner-Ash Winery was completed in 2005 and is nestled in a hillside overlooking the Chehalem Valley in picturesque Oregon. Penner-Ash primarily makes Pinot Noirs and Syrahs which have often been described as “Earthy, Elegant, Thoughtful and Structured”. Surrounded by 80 acres of land, the Winery is tiered into three levels of the hillside giving way to spectacular views of the Chehalem Valley, with the Chehalem Mountains to the north and the Red Hills of Dundee to the south. An added benefit of the Winery design is that the storage cellars are carved right into the hillside, which minimizes swings in temperature and humidity and helps achieve the desired atmosphere for the proper cellaring and aging of wine in both the barrels and bottles. Approximately 15 acres immediately surrounding the Winery is planted with Pinot Noir grapes and 2005 was the vineyard’s first harvest.
Opening a bottle of their 2011 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, sourced from over 12 different vineyards and blended, I saw a vibrant light ruby red color and sniffed wonderful fruit aromas of red berries and ripe cherries. The palate yields sweet cherry fruit with a hint of earthiness and a slight tang of espresso beans. The wine is well balanced and finishes with a touch of oak. The wine was aged for 10 months in new French oak (23%), one-year old French oak (20%), two-year old French oak (26%), and neutral French oak (31%). Less than 6,000 cases of this beauty was produced, be sure to grab one for about $40. Be sure to visit their website for some great recipes.
Cheers!