Introduction

Winemaking: The Continuation of Terroir by Other Means.®

Welcome to the Amalie Robert Estate Farming Blog, aka FLOG. By subscribing, you will receive regular FLOGGINGS throughout the growing season. The FLOGGING will begin with the Spring Cellar Report in April. FLOGGINGS will continue each month and detail how the vintage is shaping up. You may also be FLOGGED directly after the big Cluster Pluck with the yearly Harvest After Action Report. Subscribe now and let the FLOGGINGS begin!

Rusty

"This is one of the Willamette Valley’s most distinguished wineries, but not one that is widely known."

- Rusty Gaffney, PinotFile - September 2016

Josh

"Dena Drews and Ernie Pink have been quietly producing some of Oregon's most elegant and perfumed Pinots since the 2004 vintage. Their 30-acre vineyard outside the town of Dallas, abutting the famed Freedom Hill vineyard where Drews and Pink live, is painstakingly farmed and yields are kept low so production of these wines is limited. Winemaking includes abundant use of whole clusters, which is no doubt responsible for the wines' exotic bouquets and sneaky structure…"

- Josh Raynolds, Vinous - October 2015

David

"...Dallas growers Dena Drews and Ernie Pink... showed me this July three of their reserve bottlings and thereby altered my perception of their endeavors. Since these are produced in only one- or two-barrel quantities, they offer an extreme instance of a phenomenon encountered at numerous Willamette addresses, whose really exciting releases are extremely limited. But they also testify, importantly, to what is possible; and what’s possible from this site in these hands revealed itself to be extraordinary!... And what a Syrah!"

- David Schildknecht, The Wine Advocate - October 2013

Wine & Spirits

"Finding that their whole-cluster tannins take some time to integrate, Pink and Drews hold their wines in barrel for up to 18 months - so Amalie Robert is just releasing its 2008s. And what a stellar group of wines: Bright and tart, they possess both transparency and substance, emphasizing notes of rosehips and sandalwood as much as red berries. The pinot noirs alone would likely have earned Amalie Robert a top 100 nod this year. But the winery also produces cool-climate syrah that rivals the best examples from the Sonoma Coast. And the 2009 Heirloom Cameo, their first attempt at a barrel-fermented chardonnay, turned out to be one of our favorite Oregon chardonnays of the year. Ten vintages in, Amalie Robert has hit its stride."

- Luke Sykora, Wine & Spirits Magazine – September 2011

Copyright

© 2005 – 2021 Amalie Robert Estate, LLC

Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Amalie Robert Anniversary and Earth Day Vintage 2020: Do Some Good for the Earth!


Hello and Welcome,


This is the 21st Anniversary of Amalie Robert Estate. It was April of 1999 when we told Bob, “It looks like we got here too late. You have your cherry orchard sitting on top of our vineyard!” The winery will be open this weekend for wine pickups. If spring whites and rosé (or lamb) are on your mind, then E-mail Dena@amalierobert.com with your thoughts - and we will meet you here, with your wine! A FLOG communication from Dena and Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate.


April 1999, the orchard was in bloom with snow white Montmorency blossoms - 1,188 trees worth. When Ernie first drove the old Massey Ferguson tractor through that orchard, he said it was like driving through a Montana blizzard in freeze frame. Yeah, he was right out there in it, as that tractor was open station – no protective cab. Montmorency cherries are also known as pie cherries and they are mechanically harvested. We harvested the fruit in July, and then came back for the trees. There are a few volunteer cherries around the property and when they bloom they remind us of our very first year as farmers. Learn a little bit more about the Amalie Robert Estate history through an interview with Dena & Ernie courtesy of VineStories.



We planted our first 10 acres of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (about 15,000 vines) at the turn of the century, with the last vine being planted with some very good friends on Earth Day 2000. And that is when the vineyard at Amalie Robert Estate was established. Happy Anniversary!


Do Some Good for the Earth - Plant some cover crops. And that is exactly what Ernie did. Mother Nature added the secret sauce, known as springtime rains and we are in step with the season. His vineyard floor efforts have yielded succulent little starts of Buckwheat and Vetch that will provide nutrients to our vines naturally. The transition from Computer Science to Agrarian production was not all that difficult. The farm is really just a holistic program that runs each year. The difference is that each year you run it, the variables change. But instead of compiling the program, we harvest the wine berries. Ernie has an app for that, and you can watch it here:



Do Some Good for the Earth - Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Drink Wine, Save Lives. These last few weeks have seen some unprecedented developments. Some of these developments have been in the logistics, sales and delivery of Adult Recreational Beverages, aka wine. Major segments of our economy deemed to be “non-essential” have been closed. It is up to each state’s governor to make the determination of essential v non-essential. It is up to each state’s residents to comply, and then determine if the governor is essential or non-essential. It’s a Rock-Paper-Scissors type arrangement.


In some cases, an unfortunate determination has been made to include businesses that sell Adult Recreational Beverages as non-essential. The Keystone State is such an example. The state controls the sale of all Adult Recreational Beverages through their state run stores - mostly. This would be a good juncture to point out that Adult Recreational Beverages are not sold in the same establishments as are firearms and ammunition. Good to know! Good to go! 


The non-essential determination has led to all manner of unintended consequences, including lawsuits, demonstrations without social distancing and what used to be known as a “Beer Run” across state lines. And that activity can now get you ticketed, fined and incarcerated (and potentially virused). So we are told…

The other alternative is to have Adult Recreational Beverages brought across state lines and delivered directly to your SIP location. The folks at FedEx and UPS make a living doing just that. And get this, it is completely legal! Even in The Keystone State! State and local taxes, of course, are unavoidable and must be remitted in a timely manner even if no one is there to collect them. If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, it still falls and the governor gets a cut.


If you are ready to replenish the Oregon section of your Adult Recreational Beverage cellar, we are ready and standing by to assist you. Our full production of wines, blends and vintages awaits your thoughtful perusal at Amalie Robert Direct. Purchase: Amalie Robert Direct



While you are pondering your selections and filling your cart, we would like to provide some time sensitive ordering information.

Discounts: We’ve got ‘em! Any 12 bottle order receives a 10% discount through the month of April.

Shipping: Our standard shipping fee is $3 per bottle. If you can manage to find 6 bottles (or more) to put in your Amalie Robert Direct cart, we will include continental ground shipping at no extra cost. Wines may be shipped via FedEx or UPS and delivered to your address, a FedEx or UPS pickup location, or in some cases your essential Walgreens. Winery pickup is also available (we are about a 45 hour drive from Philly). Your shipping promotion code is: WhoistheGovernorofPennsylvania. Or you can use: SHIP6 through the month of April.

Order Confirmation: Dena confirms every order before shipment. This provides her an opportunity to ensure all pricing, discounts, delivery logistics and ship date are in order. You can expect her call prior to shipment. Ernie packs the boxes.

Our affinity program is the A-List. When you join the A-List, Dena will confirm your selections from full portfolio, reds only, Pinot Noir only or whatever suits. The discounts are better and the fulfillment costs are lower. And at the end of the day, you are on the A-List. So is Captain Kirk. Check it out here:

So until this passes, we recommend following all federal, state and local ordinances to the best of your ability. And if you must SIP, we hope you are sipping some very fine Oregon Pinot Noir. And Pinot in Pink Rosé Lip Sanitizer. Lips are very important.

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie

No comments:

Post a Comment