Hello and Welcome,
This is the 2018 Spring Cellar
Report from Amalie Robert Estate. A FLOG communication.
There are all sorts of clichés,
but in the wine industry we are always looking for our niche. In fact, a niche
cliché is what we are looking for today.
At the end of harvesting 100 tons
of wine berries over the course of 7 weeks, we were “As delighted as the dog
that actually caught the car.” And since we farm on hillsides, we would remind
everyone that “..it doesn’t run uphill.” But after turning 100 tons of wine
berries into about 16,500 gallons of wine, we are leaning-in “Like trying to
get a drink out of a fire hose.”
But now that Spring is beginning
to emerge, we are onto the next big thing – Blending for Complexity.
We turn back a vintage and begin
our quest for the Hers and His reserves. You see we “barrel over”. That is in
fact different from “being over a barrel” which seems to be a Hollywood thing.
To “barrel over” means to hold
your wine in barrel over the next vintage. At Amalie Robert Estate our Pinot
Noir and Syrah are in barrel while the next vintage is coming into the winery.
At the end of the day, we are looking to have our Pinot Noir in barrel for
around 18 months and our Syrah for closer to 26 months. And yes that requires
us to have twice as many barrels, and a place to age them, than wineries that
empty their barrels after 11 months so they can refill them with the next
vintage.
And there is more than one way
around the barn, or through the cellar. There is always a fast way, a wrong
way, and the Ernie way. Other than increasing costs, the Ernie way has the
added benefit of extended barrel maturation. This allows our whole cluster
tannin to soften naturally over time. There is no need to add fining agents
that modify the aroma, flavor, taste or texture of our wines. You are getting
the real deal from Amalie Robert - time in a bottle. Or think if it as a
message in a bottle.
The other way to do it is to add
something that will soften the whole cluster astringency and advance the wine’s
maturity window. Historically, egg whites and ox blood were used. This
continued until winemakers realized that chicken eggs were a lot more economical
than other additives. However, fish bladders are still in use for white wines
to this day. Hey Google, “What is isinglass?”
By the time we get to blending,
our Amalie’s Cuvée (Hers) and Estate Selection (His) Pinot Noir wines have been
in the same barrel they were filled into for about a year. No racking from
barrel to barrel allowed. The yeast lees that came down from the press with the
wine are now settled in the bottom of the barrel. And since our barrels are on
their side, the bottom of the barrel is called the bilge. Directly opposite the
bilge is the bung. This is how you know the barrel is in the correct wine
maturation position.
Our job is to select about 20 or
so barrels of wine that contain our favorite wine from the vintage. Since we
harvest, ferment and then fill barrels from each of our 42 blocks separately,
we have the ability to taste the wines grown from each and every one of our
vineyard blocks. This allows us the ultimate flexibility in creating our Hers
and His reserve blends. But be careful what you ask for, as that adds up to
about 200 and some barrels per year. You can’t boil the ocean.
What we can do is critically
evaluate about 10 barrels of wine per session. This is usually an afternoon
thing. And we seem to be predisposed to Friday afternoons. It’s just our thing.
Oh sure, we can taste wine from more than 10 barrels in an afternoon – no
problem there! However, the problem comes the next day when you are trying to
decipher the notes of barrel number 16 - what language is that? That is why 10
is the magic number, at 4 pm, on a Friday afternoon.
Some people will take a more
technical approach and begin evaluations in the late morning or early
afternoon. And that is all well and good. But we blend our wines with an eye toward
enjoying them with a meal and with friends. We start to get a little wine
craving in the afternoon and feel this is the better time for us to critically
evaluate wines. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Once we make the first pass
through the cellar, we can usually get our favorites list down to about 20 or
so barrels and that is a good place to start. The magic number for the Hers and
His Reserves is 12 barrels each, about 300 cases worth. Logistically, this is
three of our blending tanks, so even though the 13 barrel blend is good, there
is nowhere to put it.
Now comes the hard part, finding
which of those 20 barrels of wine are going to make the final cut to get us
down to 12. There are plenty of algorithms to use to sort them. From our
Computer Science days, we could use a bubble sort, a merge sort or a quick
sort. Or we could actually taste them and rank the aroma, flavor, texture and
finish. Hopefully this illustrates one of the reasons we left the hi-tech world
for wine.
Once all of our barrel samples
are ranked on their criteria, we begin blending a few samples together. The joy
is when the barrels combine to build enhanced aroma, flavor, texture and
finish. We can adjust the blend naturally by including a sample that is more
high toned, or contributes more structure. If the finish is too astringent, we
can swap out a barrel for something softer. We call this blending for
complexity. It does take discipline, attention to detail and several
iterations. Another benefit of our approach, is that we do not have to add
aforementioned fining agents to modify our wines. We just look to swap a barrel
that helps to temper the blend.
And that is how we get from 20
individually stunning barrels of wine, to a blend of 12 that combine into a
wine that is as sublime as the day is long. Of course, Dena has veto power. If
the blend doesn’t feel just right, then it’s back to the blending bench. Often
times this is in the kitchen, which is handy when we are evaluating the blend
for its culinary suitability.
And let’s spend a minute on the
Farmer barrel. As each vineyard block is harvested, fermented and sent to
barrel separately, we can get a read on how Ernie managed the vineyard. And
that is where the Farmer barrel comes into focus. We are not giving away any
trade secrets here by telling you that each fermenter fills about 4 barrels.
The first barrel is brand new each year. The next two barrels have been filled
two or three times. And then there is the fourth barrel, the Farmer barrel.
The Farmer barrel is always dead
neutral. That means that if it did not come over to the New World on the
Mayflower, then it has been filled (and by definition emptied) several times.
The result is that there is no oak influence left in the barrel. This barrel,
the Farmer barrel, is where we can evaluate how the fruit from the vineyard is
showing without any oak influence whatsoever.
This feedback is quite useful to
the Ernie who farms our field. He can dial in his vineyard management program
of leaf pull, cover crops, hedging, vineyard floor management, thinning and
harvest strategy to modify the aroma, flavor, texture and finish of our wines.
Spoiler Alert: All of those
aroma, flavor, texture and finish characteristics in the finished wine are a
natural evolution from not only the terroir, but also the human factor of what
was or was not done as a response to the vintage. And all of our vineyard
management techniques and viticultural practices are site specific to Amalie
Robert Estate as we farm our own field, and no one else’s. Good to know.
The feedback loop is YUUGE when
it comes to our stainless steel fermented whites such as Her Silhouette
Chardonnay and Our Muse Viognier. Stainless steel fermented white wines are the
most transparent exemplars of terroir you will find. And the GWZ’R Gewürztraminer
is coming, so please be patient. It takes a while to build up to critical mass
with just 24 vines.
The making of iPinot. So, after
the Hers and His, we have a few barrels that are quite pleasurable, but “didn’t
make the team” Hers or His. What to do? Ah yes, these reserve level barrels,
when blended among themselves make quite a compelling wine from the vintage.
iPinot and the three halves of
Pinot Noir. People will tell you there are only two halves to Pinot Noir. It
doesn’t have to be that way. Let us explain. The first half of Pinot Noir is
the brilliantly elegant color refracting with a simple twist of the wrist
releasing a heady bouquet – Very nice indeed.
The second half of Pinot Noir is
when it colonizes your palate. Lively, delineated, lithe and tart, supple and
sweet - all the things that stunning Pinot Noirs are made from. And then comes
the third half of Pinot Noir – the scintillating and enduring finish of refined
whole cluster stem tannin.
Fermenting with whole clusters
extracts a little tannin from the stems. If you want to experience this for
yourself, purchase some table grapes, remove the fruit and chew on the stems.
Do it in front of the mirror for the full effect. Wowza!
However, over time, oxygen makes
its way to the wine and gently softens this astringency into refined tannins.
These refined tannins manifest themselves as a silky mouthfeel contributing
length and a more than just subtle grip to the finish. That is the third half
of Pinot Noir.
For all of you analytical types
out there, try this exercise. Everyone knows that 50 is half of 100. And most
people will tell you there are only two halves to a whole. But are there not
three 50's in 100? Sure there are: 0 – 50 is a 50; 25 – 75 is a 50; and then
there is 50 – 100, the third half! That makes three halves to a whole. Who’s
got change for a $100?
iPinot is sold direct from the
winery. If some day Apple is looking to acquire a winery, well let’s just say
we trademarked iPinot with an eye toward the future.
Now it would not be a FLOG
communication from Amalie Robert Estate if we didn’t do the numbers. Let’s see
here, how about 94? That’s as good a number as any. It also just happens to be
the review Ernie’s 2012 Top Barrel Syrah earned from Vinous in early February 2018.
Not only is this the highest score ever for an estate grown Willamette Valley
Syrah, it is the first 94. And that is the thing about being the first one, no
matter who follows, you are always the first one!
Let's review, shall we:
The stainless steel fermented
white wines are a window into our terroir. 2016 Her Silhouette Chardonnay is
our Chablis style, stainless steel fermented Chardonnay where we block the
malo-lactic conversion.
“Brilliant straw-yellow.
High-pitched Meyer lemon and green apple aromas are complemented by suave
jasmine and zesty mineral notes. Tangy and focused on the palate, offering
bitter citrus zest and pear skin flavors that pick up a gingery accent with
air. Shows a hint of fennel on the finish, which lingers with strong, subtly
sweet tenacity. 91.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
2016 Our Muse Viognier is
stainless steel fermented Viognier. This is part of Ernie’s Northern Rhône
program. The 2016 vintage earns a 93 point review and an “Editors’ Choice” from
Wine Enthusiast on April 1, 2018. (Tomorrow’s news today!)
“Pale green-tinged yellow. Bright
and precise on the nose, displaying fresh white peach, tangerine and pungent
floral qualities along with delicate honey and white pepper flourishes. Juicy,
focused on light on its feet, offering juicy orchard and pit fruit flavors that
are given tangy cut by an orange zest nuance. Finishes silky and long,
featuring lingering florality and a hint of candied citrus fruits. 91.” -
Vinous, February 8, 2018
The 2014 Heirloom Cameo
Chardonnay is our BFC (Barrel Fermented Chardonnay.) Fermented in a new
500-liter puncheon each year, this is our answer to White Burgundy,
Chassagne-Montrachet in particular.
“Limpid yellow. Ripe pear, Meyer
lemon, vanilla and smoky minerals on the deeply perfumed nose, along with hints
of jasmine and candied ginger that build in the background. Supple and
well-concentrated, offering expansive citrus and orchard fruit flavors
complemented by brioche and toasty lees nuances. The floral note repeats
emphatically on the very long, supple finish, which is energized by a jolt of
zesty acidity. 92.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
Rosé is the newest category in
the Amalie Robert Estate portfolio and we have doubled down. Our original Rosé
of Pinot Noir is called Pinot in Pink Rosé. Fermented in stainless steel with
vivacious acidity to “crush it” on the lanai, or veranda, or even the back
patio. Yes, it’s really that versatile.
“Lurid orange-pink.
Mineral-accented red berries, citrus fruits and rose pastille on the
expressive, sharply focused nose. Juicy and precise on the palate, offering
concentrated raspberry and tangerine flavors that show excellent clarity and
spicy lift. Powerful yet lithe, delivering strong closing thrust and a lingering
suggestion of candied flowers. 91.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
Our latest effort, 2016 Bellpine
Pearl Rosé is where you end up if you are thinking about making a base wine for
sparkling wine. This wine is made from the wings of Pinot Meunier and Pinot
Noir. In the weeks leading up to harvest, Ernie has the crew thin the wings
from the main clusters. After a gentle pass through the press the juice picks
up a little color and then is fermented in stainless steel.
“Full orange. Dried red berries,
orange pith and pungent flowers on the mineral-accented nose. Concentrated red
berry and citrus fruit flavors are accompanied by a spicy element that adds
back-end lift and cut. Rich yet lively, delivering solid closing thrust on a
long, supple finish that echoes the berry note. 90.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
The ALT-Reds:
And there is good news for all of
you Pinot Meunier fans out there! The 2015 vintage earns another 91 point
review from Vinous. The pinnacle for us was the 2014 vintage. Last year the
2014 Pinot Meunier earned the highest rating of any Pinot Meunier from Oregon
with a 92. They say it is a fine line between genius and insanity. What a
difference a point makes. While the 2015 vintage has “left the building,” the
2016 Pinot Meunier is released and ready to go!
2015 vintage: “Brilliant red.
Spice- and herb-tinged cherry and red currant scents, slowly joined by subtle
woodsmoke and cola notes. Chewy and focused on entry, offering bitter cherry
and rose pastille flavors that flesh out and become sweeter with air. Nicely
concentrated but lively as well, showing strong closing thrust, dusty tannins
and a lingering cherry note. 91.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
And that brings us to the Syrah
program at Amalie Robert Estate, aka Côte Rôtie from Oregon. Lucky Block 13 has
4 clones of Syrah all sourced from the cool Northern Rhône growing region
called Côte Rôtie. Côte Rôtie is often referred to as the “Burgundy of the
Rhone.” Hmm, sounds intriguing.
Due to a lack of focus and
attention to detail during the grafting process, we have a few Viognier plants
interspersed in Lucky Block 13. Sauce for the goose, as they say. Ernie said
something quite different the first year he saw the Viognier grapes in his
Syrah block. Nonetheless, he took it all in stride and chose not to dig them
out. Besides, after three years, they had put down some serious roots. Farmer
first, winemaker second, aka Winegrower.
While we harvest, ferment and
barrel all of our 30 plus acres of Pinot Noir by block, Ernie drills down to
the next level with Syrah. He harvests each row of Syrah separately. This is
the only way he can maintain the clonal integrity of the block. Dena just
smiles and remembers when they first met. “Yeah, Ernie is wired a little
differently.”
About half of all the Syrah
berries go in the fermenter on the stem as whole clusters. That’s a lot of
astringency in a young wine, and it is going to take a while to unwind, but
Ernie loves the tactile structure you can only get from whole cluster fermentation.
No matter, these wines are built to slowly unwind over time. And that process
starts with about 26 months of barrel maturation encased within 1,200 tons of
concrete below grade in the cellar at Amalie Robert Estate.
After that amount of time things
have mellowed out, a bit. Then it is time to see just what has evolved over the
past couple of years. This is when we find out if we have a “Top Barrel”
candidate from the vintage. If so, that single barrel is bottled separately as
the Top Barrel Syrah and the remaining barrels are blended to create our
Satisfaction Syrah.
2011 vintage Top Barrel Syrah:
“In a thrilling cool-climate experiment, the team at Amalie Robert planted
syrah and viognier on a single acre in a cool vineyard west of Salem, drawing
from the four clones that Marcel Guigal recommended on a visit to Oregon. This
wine barely crosses the threshold of 12 per cent alcohol, and in most respects
would be thought of as backward. But the aromas - carob, smoke and olive - are
resolved and mature, the flavors composed and quiet, dark red fruits marked by
charry, mature tannins. Decant it to serve with lamb. 91.” - Year's Best US
Syrahs, Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine & Spirits Magazine, February 2018
Included in the recent “Oregon’s
Expanding Palette of Wines” from Vinous, February 8, 2018, is a little note
about our Syrah program.
“Amalie Robert, whose vineyard is
in the western part of the Willamette Valley, makes a very strong case for
Syrah, but production of their two graceful wines is painfully small, as in
just a few barrels of wine per vintage.”
2012 vintage Top Barrel Syrah:
“Brilliant violet. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes ripe black and blue
fruits, smoky Indian spices and potpourri, backed by subtle olive and cola
nuances. Sweet, sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering intense
blueberry, cassis, bitter chocolate and spicecake flavors and a strong
suggestion of candied violet. Strongly channels the savory qualities of the
northern Rhône and finishes extremely long, smooth and spicy, with subtle
tannins building slowly. 94.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
Please note, the 2012 Top Barrel
is the highest rated Syrah from the Willamette Valley and the first to earn a
94 point review from Vinous. So for now, the Top Barrel reigns supreme.
2013 vintage Top Barrel Syrah:
“Lurid ruby. Pungent, spice-tinged boysenberry, cherry pit and licorice scents
are complemented by suggestions of cracked pepper, violet and woodsmoke. Juicy
and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and dark berry flavors that
unfold slowly on the back half. Decidedly lithe, even Pinot-esque compared to
its 2012 sibling, featuring good tension and spicy cut on the very long, gently
tannic finish. 92.” - Vinous, February 8, 2018
Ah yes, a Syrah with a Pinot-esque
finish. That's how you know your Syrah was made by a Pinot guy. Not to be
confused with Pinot made by a Syrah guy. For those of you who demand
Satisfaction, here it is!
2011 vintage Satisfaction Syrah:
“The 2011 Syrah Satisfaction includes 50% whole-cluster fruit of four Rhône
clones (plus a touch of co-planté Viognier vines). Not picked until November
14, it has an attractive bouquet with macerated red cherries, Provençal herbs,
juniper berries and a touch of melted wax. The palate is medium bodied with
ripe red berry fruit mixed with blueberry, Seville orange marmalade and a
healthy pinch of white pepper lending the finish that Rhône “vibe.” Very linear
at the moment, the finish is quite tight. I would actually cellar this for one
or two years as it should replay handsomely. 91.” - The Wine Advocate, March
2015
2012 vintage Satisfaction Syrah:
“Vivid ruby. Heady spice- and mineral-accented raspberry and cherry scents show
excellent clarity and pick up subtle woodsmoke and cola nuances as the wine opens
up. Alluringly sweet and precise on the palate offering intense red fruit
liqueur blood orange spicecake and violet pastille flavors that show a suave
blend of richness of vivacity and no rough edges that I can detect. Finishes
very long sappy and smooth with fine-grained tannins lending gentle grip. 92.”
- Vinous, January 2017
2013 vintage Satisfaction Syrah:
“Bright ruby. Fresh cherry and dark berries on the nose, along with hints of
incense, olive paste and candied flowers. Energetic and focused in style,
offering bitter cherry and cassis flavors and spicy touch of cracked pepper
that appears on the back half. Finishes very long and precise, displaying
repeating spiciness and dusty tannins that lend gentle grip. 90.” - Vinous,
February 8, 2018
And that about wraps it up for
the Spring Cellar Report. The Monthly FLOGs will start up again with the April
update where we expect an early bud break, despite the late snow fall. That’s
Mother Nature's sense of humor for you, what a kick in the pants! As farmers,
we have learned it makes a difference which way you stand.
We realize that our
communications are a tad bit longer than most that come across your inbox. Kind
of like shoving 10 pounds of it in a 5 pound bag. Or as Ernie would tell you,
that’s how we get three halves into our Pinot Noirs.
Kindest Regards,
Dena & Ernie
