Amalie Robert Estate - Shop by Vintage / 2015 / All Products

2015 The Reserve Pinot Noir

Fri, 22 May 2020 16:59:42 GMT

2015 The Reserve Pinot Noir
Buy Now: $100.00

The Reserve is an exclusive less than 50 case selection of Pinot Noir representing our most intriguing wine in the cellar. The final blend represents countless hours of tasting wine from barrel. Only with such in-depth knowledge of our subject, were we able to select these 2 barrels of Pinot Noir.

Every block of Pinot Noir within our 35 acre vineyard is individually hand harvested at its peak of flavor maturity and intensity. Block by block, the fruit is fermented in small 1.5 ton lots and matured for over 18 months in French oak barrels.

Every vineyard block and clone/rootstock combination showcases something unique and special from the vineyard. After fermentation is complete, the wine is placed into a selection of barrels to mature. We source French oak barrels from several coopers. The wine takes a different path to maturity in each barrel, developing its own nuances.

We taste all of our barrels of wine many times throughout the year. We experience the evolution of flavors and aromas and remember the significant events in our vineyard. The excitement of an early bloom, the mystery of a very light fruit set, the discovery of color change at veraison, and the rapture of harvest. Tasting each barrel of wine provides us a snapshot in time. We experience the wine’s development.

As we taste wine through the cellar, we can usually agree on when we have found the best barrel or two of Pinot Noir. When that happens, we find that we disagree on whose blend it is going into. And when we find that we agree to disagree, we have just found The Reserve.

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2015 Top Barrel Syrah

Sun, 1 Dec 2019 13:46:31 GMT

2015 Top Barrel Syrah
Buy Now: $100.00

Top Barrel Syrah is 100% Amalie Robert Estate grown Syrah. Among our 35 acres of Pinot Noir, we have planted 0.80 acres (1,188 vines to be exact) of Syrah. This bottling is from the single best barrel of Syrah from the vintage - The Top Barrel.

We grow Syrah right along side Pinot Noir, and most of the vineyard work is very similar. The primary difference is that we have to wait until November to harvest. We think it is worth the wait.

Syrah is a very adaptive variety, and much like Pinot Noir, reflects its growing conditions. Syrah is grown in the hottest parts of the southern Hemisphere where it is known as "Shiraz" and a bit farther south into the cool climate of New Zealand as well. The entire west coast of the United States grows Syrah from California, to the warm areas of eastern Washington and now very small plantings in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

However, the birthplace of Syrah seems to be the Northern Rhône Valley. Recent DNA research shows Syrah to be a cross between Dureza and Mondeuse Blanche. Both of these varieties are indigenous to France. Syrah is planted from the cool regions of the Northern Rhône where it is bottled as a single varietal, to the tip of the Southern Rhône where it is often blended with other varietals.

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2015 Satisfaction Syrah - 93 pts Vinous, 92 points Wine & Spirits (Year's Best US Syrahs)

Sun, 2 Dec 2018 12:23:00 GMT

2015 Satisfaction Syrah - 93 pts Vinous, 92 points Wine & Spirits (Year's Best US Syrahs)
Buy Now: $40.00

Satisfaction Syrah is 100% Amalie Robert Estate grown Syrah. Among our 35 acres of Pinot Noir, we have planted 0.80 acres (1,188 vines to be exact) of Syrah. This planting represents 4 clones selected for the cool Northern Rhône area of Côte Rôtie, and now Dallas, Oregon.

We grow Syrah right alongside Pinot Noir, and most of the vineyard work is very similar. The primary difference is that we have to wait until November to harvest. We think it is worth the wait.

Syrah is a very adaptive variety, and much like Pinot Noir, reflects its growing conditions. Syrah is grown in the hottest parts of the southern Hemisphere where it is known as “Shiraz” and a bit farther south into the cool climate of New Zealand as well. The entire west coast of the United States grows Syrah from California, to the warm areas of eastern Washington and now very small plantings in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

We have grown wine in nearly the hottest and certainly the coldest vintages ever recorded in the Willamette Valley within a 6 year span. We have triumphed over vintages colder than Champagne, took what appeared to be rotted Chardonnay from Typhoon Pabuk and produced a Botrytis desert wine to rival Sauternes, sweltered under elevated evening temperatures and summer drought conditions that teased an unprecedented early harvest window. And, to borrow a line from Frank, “We did it our way.”

While some experienced pre-mature fermentation again this year, Ernie held out for rain before he pulled the trigger on Cluster Pluck 2015 (He looked so determined at midnight under the full moon doing the rain dance in block 2.) “Hey, whatever works...” Once again, this year the conditions were right for a sticky. This time it is Our Muse Viognier emulating the traditional late harvest beerenauslese style – complete with gold capsule.

You can read the full Harvest After Action Report (AAR) on our FLOG (Farming bLOG):

http://amalierobert.blogspot.com/2015/12/amalie-robert-estate-vintage-update.html

Visit 2015 to see additional products in this category.

2015 Estate Selection Pinot Noir

Fri, 23 Nov 2018 12:21:00 GMT

2015 Estate Selection Pinot Noir
Buy Now: $50.00

Estate Selection is an exclusive barrel selection of Pinot Noir representing the unique qualities of our vineyard. Every block within our 35 acre vineyard is individually hand harvested at its peak of flavor maturity and intensity. Block by block, the fruit is fermented in small 1.5 ton lots and matured for over 18 months in French oak barrels.

We taste all of our barrels of wine many times throughout the year. We experience the evolution of flavors and aromas and remember the significant events in our vineyard. The excitement of an early bloom, the mystery of a very light fruit set, the discovery of color change at veraison and the rapture of harvest. Tasting each barrel of wine provides us a snapshot in time. We experience the wine’s development.

It is usually during the spring when Pinot Noir in barrel begins to reveal the character of the vintage. Much like experiencing the lavender lilac bloom – you notice the color, then the hint of sweetness in the air and as time passes you are witness to the entire bloom – a testament to the season. This is when we begin blending trials for Estate.

The Vintage: Some like it hot, and if that is what you are into, then 2015 is your kind of vintage. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with that. A clean, fully developed and relatively expressive vintage, 2015 (much like 2014) offers up a significant contrast to the frigidly cold yet scintillating vintages of 2010 and 2011. In the context of Pinot Noir vintages, there are showers and then there are growers.

We have grown wine in nearly the hottest and certainly the coldest vintages ever recorded in the Willamette Valley within a 6 year span. We have triumphed over vintages colder than Champagne, took what appeared to be rotted Chardonnay from Typhoon Pabuk and produced a Botrytis desert wine to rival Sauternes, sweltered under elevated evening temperatures and summer drought conditions that teased an unprecedented early harvest window. And, to borrow a line from Frank, “We did it our way.”

While some experienced pre-mature fermentation again this year, Ernie held out for rain before he pulled the trigger on Cluster Pluck 2015 (He looked so determined at midnight under the full moon doing the rain dance in block 2.) “Hey, whatever works...” Once again, this year the conditions were right for a sticky. This time it is Our Muse Viognier emulating the traditional late harvest beerenauslese style – complete with gold capsule.

You can read the full Harvest After Action Report (AAR) on our FLOG (Farming bLOG):
http://amalierobert.blogspot.com/2015/12/amalie-robert-estate-vintage-update.html

Visit 2015 to see additional products in this category.

2015 Amalie's Cuvee Pinot Noir

Tue, 20 Nov 2018 15:19:00 GMT

2015 Amalie's Cuvee Pinot Noir
Buy Now: $50.00

Amalie’s Cuvée is an exclusive barrel selection of Pinot Noir representing the unique qualities of our vineyard. Every block within our 35 acre vineyard is individually hand harvested at its peak of flavor maturity and intensity. Block by block, the fruit is fermented by indigenous yeast in small 1.5 ton lots and matured for over 18 months in French oak barrels.

We taste all of our barrels of wine many times throughout the year. We experience the evolution of flavors and aromas and remember the significant events in our vineyard. The excitement of an early bloom, the mystery of a very light fruit set, the discovery of color change at veraison and the rapture of harvest. Tasting each barrel of wine provides us a snapshot in time. We experience the wine’s development.

Again this year, we selected the barrels of wine that offered supple elegance and presence. After repeated trials, a very special and familiar blend began to emerge. From year to year, we strive to reveal the elegance and grace of Oregon Pinot Noir. Amalie’s Cuvée is this blend.

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2015 Dijon Clones Pinot Noir - 93 pts Vinous

Mon, 19 Nov 2018 16:35:00 GMT

2015 Dijon Clones Pinot Noir - 93 pts Vinous
Buy Now: $40.00

Dijon Clones is a blend ofPinot Noir clones representing a collage of vineyard blocks. As with all of ourblocks of Pinot Noir, these vines are individually hand harvested at their peakof flavor maturity and intensity. The fruit was fermented in small lots andthen matured in French oak barrels from a selection of coopers.

The Dijon Clones Pinot Noir is ablend of 7 Dijonclones sourced from 12 dry farmed blocks. The barrels of wine crafted from eachblock are culminations of the soil, rootstock, clonal selections and our uniquemicroclimates.

Much like an individual instrument in asymphony, each barrel contributes its own unique character to the finalcomposition. The individual clonal attributes are presented in the aroma andbouquet. The flavors and textures combine on the palate to provide depth andrich layers of Pinot Noir fruit that are distinctly Oregon.

As is the case withall of our Pinot Noirs, this bottling is 100% estate grown and hand harvestedfruit. The individual blocks were fermented with whole clusters and indigenousyeast from the vineyard. In the cellar, we aged the individual lots in Frenchoak barrels for a minimum of 12 months. The blend is a reflection of our soils,microclimates and stewardship of the land.

You can read the full Harvest After Action Report (AAR) on our FLOG (Farming bLOG):

http://amalierobert.blogspot.com/2015/12/amalie-robert-estate-vintage-update.html

Visit 2015 to see additional products in this category.

2015 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir

Sat, 26 May 2018 16:58:00 GMT

2015 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir
Buy Now: $65.00

Pommard Clone is a 2 barrelselection of Estate grown Pommard clone Pinot Noir.

The pioneers who began planting PinotNoir in the North Willamette Valleybegan primarily with 2 clones of Pinot Noir - Pommard (French, of course) andWadenswil (Swiss.) As the vines matured, high quality wines from both cloneswere grown in the valley, but the Pommard clone was gaining widespread acclaimand notoriety.

There is a very good reason the Pommardclone was catching on. The Pommard clone represents all that is inherentlybeautiful in Pinot Noir. It is grown on all types of soils and is unique in itsability to reflect vineyard specific splendor, nuances and vintage conditions.While the eyes are the window into the soul, the Pommard clone expresses theinherent beauty of our vineyard through the lens of the vintage.

As the wine maturates in barrel, we arecontinually "thieving" and evaluating each barrel. While written records arevery important, especially as we age, our mental and physical impression ofeach wine drives us. As each sample istasted and re-tasted, we begin to better understand what each blend representsand the promise it holds for future development.

While The Reserve is a blend of ourvery favorite barrels from the vintage, the Pommard clone blend represents ourvery best expression of vintage and vigneron.

As is the case withall of our Pinot Noirs, this bottling is 100% Estate grown and hand harvestedfruit. The individual blocks were fermented with whole clusters and indigenousyeast from the vineyard. In the cellar, we aged the individual lots in Frenchoak barrels for a minimum of 18 months. The blend is a reflection of our soils,microclimates and stewardship of the land.

Visit 2015 to see additional products in this category.

2015 Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir

Tue, 24 Apr 2018 16:34:00 GMT

2015 Wadenswil Clone Pinot Noir
Buy Now: $65.00

Wadenswil Clone is a 2 barrel selection of Estate grown Wadenswil clone Pinot Noir.

The pioneers who began planting Pinot Noir in the North Willamette Valley began primarily with 2 clones of Pinot Noir – Pommard (French, of course) and Wadenswil (Swiss.) As the vines matured, high quality wines from both clones were grown in the valley, but the Pommard clone was gaining wide spread acclaim and notoriety.

It seems that the Wadenswil clone was not well suited to the land it was being planted to. Most of the early plantings were done on basalt based soils such as Jory. However success leaves clues, and we did discover something others may have missed.

When planning our vineyard, we were particularly intrigued with the Wadenswil clone wines we had experienced from sedimentary soil vineyards. The fragrant, intense, laser focused fruit aromas were relentless. It is no accident, but a strategic choice that we have several of our sedimentary soil vineyard blocks planted to the Wadenswil clone.

Further to the point, it seems that every year one of these Wadenswil blocks is a cellar favorite and a component of “The Reserve.”

It may seem that we go to a good deal of trouble to explain an inconsequential event, but it is not so. Wadenswil clone Pinot Noir grown on our sedimentary soils is, for us, what Pinot Noir is all about. The full range of Pinot Noir aromas and flavors along with a dizzying array of mid-palate textures and reverberating acidity define the Wadenswil clone.

As the wine maturates in barrel, we are continually “thieving” and evaluating each barrel. While written records are very important, especially as we age, our mental and physical impression of each wine drives us. As each sample is tasted and re-tasted, we begin to better understand what each blend represents and the promise it holds for future development.

While The Reserve is a blend of our very favorite barrels from the vintage, the Wadenswil clone blend represents our best expression of this pioneering clone.

As is the case with all of our Pinot Noirs, this bottling is 100% Estate grown and hand harvested fruit. The individual blocks were fermented with whole clusters and indigenous yeast from the vineyard. In the cellar, we aged the individual lots in French oak barrels for a minimum of 12 months. The blend is a reflection of our soils, microclimates and stewardship of the land.

Visit 2015 to see additional products in this category.