By Anne Amie Vineyards
2011 Winemaker's Selection Pinot Noir

Vineyard Details
Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Vineyards: 44.1% Anne Amie Estate, 42% Twelve Oaks Estate, 9.8% Rainbow Ridge, 4.1% Zena Crown
Clones: P4, 115, Wadenswil, 113, 114, 667, 777, 828
Oak: Aged 16 months in French oak, 29.9% new, 10.3% 1-year, 59.8% neutral
Soil Types: Laurelwood, Willakenzie, Nekia
AVA: Willamette Valley
Harvest: Early November

Vintage Description
Every 30 years or so, a growing season like 2011 comes to pass. The last similar vintage was in 1984, still the early years of the Oregon wine industry. Spring started well into May, with bud break beginning on the 5th, as it did in 2008. However, unlike 2008, we had cool, wet weather, which protracted the bud break window to the last three weeks. This late start to the season meant we would have late flowering, late veraison, and late harvest. We normally expect bloom somewhere in mid-June. This year, we saw the beginning of bloom from July 6th at our warmest site to July 14th at our coolest site. One positive note about a late bloom is that Oregon has excellent weather in July. No rain, plus the warm weather, gave us an extraordinary fruit set. The crop size, cluster size, and berry size on the Pinot Noir were the largest we have ever witnessed. Crop thinning efforts to obtain the correct level of crop load were a necessary step in 2011. Fortunately, an incredible September and a beautiful October Indian summer saved us from potential disaster. We saw in our Pinot Noirs a very slow but sure sugar accumulation and, therefore, a slow acid degradation, as expected. But what amazed us was the incredible levels of flavor forming in the skins due to ideal temperatures and sunlight so late in the year. Harvest began on October 27th and ended on November 6th, almost two weeks later than average. We held out with as much patience as we could, and were very pleased with the results.

Vinification
Grapes were hand-picked and brought directly to the winery in half-ton totes in perfect condition. They were meticulously hand sorted on a shaker table then destemmed into two-ton open-top stainless steel fermenters. The must was cold-soaked for seven to twenty-one days, followed by fermentation completed in about a week. This was followed by extended maceration, where the wine was evaluated daily for softening tannins and roundness of the palate. The wine was on the skins for a total of 28-40 days. After draining the fermenters by gravity, the free-run and light pressings were combined and settled for 48 hours. The wine was then racked by gravity into a mixture of new and used French oak barrels. The wine aged on lees in French oak barrels for 16 months and was then blended and bottled. Once bottled, this wine was aged for 12 months before release. Release date was in January 2014.

Tasting Notes
Aroma: Bright cherry, sweet tobacco, violet, milk chocolate
Flavor: Tart cherries, forest floor, ripe strawberry, clove
Finish: Long feminine acidity, smooth tannins

Suggested Food Pairings
Roast game hen, pork rillettes, oven-roasted vegetables, char-grilled octopus, Peking duck, lamb belly, venison. The ultimate food wine, this Pinot Noir is a brilliant match for any fare. From traditional Northwest cuisines, such as cedar-planked salmon or wild mushroom soup, to smoked or grilled meats - even just a great burger and truffle fries!

Technical Details
Alcohol: 13.10%
Total Acidity: 6.4 g/L
pH: 3.56
[Information provided by Matador Vino]

Anne Amie Vineyards 2011 Pinot Noir - Winemaker's Selection
Score: 90
Style: Red
Tasted: Oct 15, 2014
Issue: 56
Note: Willamette Valley, 13.10%
Tasting note: A pretty and again attractively perfumed nose of ripe and fresh raspberry, cherry and briar hints leads to delicious, round and nicely voluminous middle weight flavors that offer fine length and reasonably good ripeness in the context of the 2011 vintage. I like this as it's clean, balanced and delivers fine value. 

2011 Pinot Noir Winemaker's Selection
Producer: Anne Amie Vineyards
Place of Origin: United States, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Color: Red
Grape/Blend: Pinot Noir
Rating: 87
From: Oregon Pinot Noir Update (July 2014)
Vivid red. Fresh redcurrant and strawberry on the spice-accented nose and in the mouth. Dry and racy, showing good lift and cut but only modest depth, in the style of the vintage. Closes on a subtle floral note, with a touch of bitter berry skin and very soft tannins.
By: Josh Raynolds on July 2014

2011 Anne Amie Pinot Noir Winemaker's Selection
Rating: 85
Producer: Anne Amie
Wine Region: USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Variety: Pinot Noir
Color / Type / Sweetness: Red / Table / Dry
Reviewed by: Neal Martin
The 2011 Pinot Noir Winemaker's Selection saw 16 months in oak, exactly 29.9% new, and includes up to 20% stem addition. It possesses an attractive bouquet, a mixture of red and black fruit that is well defined, touches of wild mint and rose petal developing with aeration. The palate is quite sharp and angular on the entry, a pointed Pinot Noir that is missing flesh and depth on the finish. [...]
Published: Mar 30, 2015