Amalie Robert Estate: A-List Release - 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay!

Hello and Welcome, 

  

Big News! We just received word from Punxsutawney Phil. That big fur bearin’ rodent says that they will have 6 more weeks of lockdown! A FLOG communication from Dena and Ernie @AmalieRobert Estate. 

  

While masks are all that have been called for in Oregon, other jurisdictions of the US are taking a more authoritarian or “Full Body” approach to your Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) i.e. the “FBC-PPE.” You are free to choose your own PPE. In farming we say, “If it looks stupid but it works, it is not stupid.” Certainly, we are not here to judge.

Meanwhile spring has sprung, and we have a new A-List release, the 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay! The winery will be open for wine pickups and perhaps a bit of tasting from 10 am through 3 pm on Saturday and Sunday, May 2nd and 3rd.

Look for an E-vite from Dena to schedule your pickup time. You can also request any last-minute wine needs to replenish the Oregon section of your Adult Recreational Beverage cellar and read the latest updates on any socially unacceptable behavior. We look forward to seeing you and your choice of PPE.

If you need ground transportation (UPS or FedEx) to co-locate with your wine, we can make that happen. The outer box will be inconspicuous brown cardboard. Each bottle in your order will come individually wrapped in its own PPE. We recommend setting the bottles upright and at the correct temperature for a minimum of 24 hours before opening them. Visit Amalie Robert Direct to place your order, discretely.

Let’s get right into it. We are very proud to introduce to you our estate grown 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay! Kinda rocks your world, we know. Here is what didn’t change. Ernie still grows this wine in block 24. The block still has 1,089 vines of Dijon Clones Chardonnay, with the field blend favoring clone 76 over 95. The rootstock is still that mother of all rootstocks, 5C. And yes, we still produce the BFC Heirloom Cameo. Starting to feel the hairs on the back of your neck relax, maybe just a bit?

Besides, how can you have Champagne Deconstructed without Chardonnay? If you have time for a little home schooling, pick up a six pack of Champagne Deconstructed. Your order will contain 2 bottles each of 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay, 2018 Pinot Meunier and 2012 iPinot Pinot Noir, complete with examination sheets. Don't delay, order yours today and shipping will be included through Mother's Day!

So, what’s new about the 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay? We have retired the Her Silhouette fanciful name in favor of a more informative name. The Dijon Clones of Chardonnay are the new vines on the block. The vines were brought into Oregon direct from Burgundy just about the time we were establishing the vineyard at Amalie Robert Estate. And they make a damn fine wine. It also

eliminates any confusion that we are growing that much maligned 108 clone out of California (where you can see some of the most unusual self-quarantine PPE - ever.)

The primary fermentation of sugar to alcohol is still done without oak influence. Stylistically, the Her Silhouette was colloquially known as “No Oak, No Malo”. We have moved on. And you can too! All it takes is a little bacterium and all of that malic acid becomes lactic acid. If that sounds yummy, it’s because it is. Lactic acid is the acid in goat's milk, and you get yummy goat cheese from goat's milk. Malic acid is from your granny’s “screamin’ greenies” green apples that she grew out on Boone’s Farm road. Remember her? That was before cellphones, and cellphone cameras, fortunately.

The Malo to Lactic (ML) conversion happens virtually all the time in red wines. In white wines winemakers typically have a choice to encourage or discourage this conversion. Mistakes (known as uncontrolled experiments or, sometimes, successful failures) happen all the time in winemaking. In some circumstances, you will have the ML conversion whether you want it or not. The opposite is also true. You can wish in one hand and wait in the other, but it’s just not going to happen. Maybe next year, but that’s a long time to wait.

We made the stylistic (and intentional) choice to change our ML program in 2019. Over the last 20 years or so, we have noticed our site affords a bit of a Sancerre expression in our Chardonnay that provides some intrigue. Ernie wanted to try and expand on that, while better integrating and softening the screamin' greenie experience. That, and Dena said we are not planting any Sauvignon Blanc.

So as part of our unquenchable thirst for knowledge and unabated appetite for risk, Ernie said, “What the Hell, let’s give it a try!” And that is how we arrived at the 2019 Dijon Clones Chardonnay - "No Oak, Full Malo".

Tasting Notes: Cold Fusion Yellow releases Meyer lemon zest, star fruit and guava aromas delineating an unadulterated and pure expression of Dijon Clones Chardonnay. Integrated, viscous and expansive, the mid-palate is wholly enveloped with a lingering silken texture before the smooth and palate cleansing delivery of tempered acidity.

Culinary Inclination: Poached black cod or shark (if you are a little slow working the reel), in parchment with julienned green onions, fresh sliced ginger root, enoki mushrooms and artichoke heart. Add a thin slice of Habanero pepper if you want to add some color to your dining companion’s complexion.

Vintage Notes: It all comes down to September. It used to be October, but things have changed and as farmers we are along for the ride. Vintage 2019 was a moderate growing season with adequate amounts of sun, wind, rain and wind all properly folded into the mix. Until September. That’s when we recorded a record amount of rainfall from the beginning to the end of the month. Of course, it was just lovely from there on out and that is when we were out Cluster Plucking. Read all about The Great Cluster Pluck on the FLOG!

http://amalierobert.blogspot.com/2019/11/amalie-robert-estate-vintage-update.html

Fill out the RSVP on your E-vite for a time to come by and have a taste. Or maybe just gaze longingly at the label until you can get one home, squeeze out the cork and have a swig! Note: we do have a few Home Tasting Kits still available (including PPE stemware) if you are uncomfortable drinking straight out of the bottle. As with all PPE, get it while you can. And there is still a free cork in every bottle!

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie

Amalie Robert Estate: A Personal Note from Dena & Ernie

Hello and Welcome, 

  

A personal note from Dena & Ernie. 

  

The known number of people infected by the Corona virus is increasing at an alarming rate. The good news is that the rate of contagion is not exponential. The strategy to mitigate the virus seems to be to avoid any potential encounter with the virus whether from another person or in a social setting – like foraging at the grocery store. For now, that is our first, best defense. 

We were fortunate to conclude a winter sales trip and return home to Oregon before this pandemic unfolded. We both arrived safely back in Oregon on separate flights and it has been over two weeks of close quarters with no signs of infection. Based on the number of airplanes we were on, and number of people we came in contact with, we consider ourselves to be extremely lucky, and blessed. If you, or a loved one is quarantined or has tested positive, we recognize your path is a different one. We wish you a complete and uneventful recovery, Godspeed.

In the meantime, you are sitting there looking at your computer monitor. We are sitting here looking at our computer monitor. Maybe it is time to take a respite from the seriousness. Social distancing yes, but not socially distant. Except for Ernie, who spent most of last week sequestered in a 30 cubic foot glass enclosure. Not a big space, but that is the size of the cab on his Italian tractor. And we have Home Tasting Kits now available for direct shipping!

The first day of spring was March 19^th here in Oregon’s Willamette Valley and as if on cue brought

with it the first hummingbird. That is always a sign of good fortune. There are 7 species of hummingbirds in Oregon, and Anna’s was our first visitor. According to the Audubon Society, if you are fortunate enough to see a flock of hummingbirds, you are suggested to describe them as a bouquet, a glittering, a hover, a shimmer, or a tune of hummingbirds. Ernie prefers the term squadron.

The first day of spring in the southern hemisphere will be Tuesday, September 1^st. Right about now they should be thinking about getting harvest operations and logistics in order. While we are all in this together, we each have a different perspective.

And we celebrated national pi day on March 14^th with a freshly baked cherry pie. That was about the time Ernie ordered in 200 gallons of diesel and began preparing the vineyard floor for Growing Season 2020. This is Ernie’s time of year to get a leg up on things, and he rarely misses an opportunity. Note: We are still classified as “Dry Farmed, Non-Irrigated”.

It was two passes of flail mowing to chop up last year’s brush and a chisel plow pass to open up the soil and prepare for the Rotovator. The Rotovator is a German implement that does a wonderful job of aerating the soil and incorporating last year’s nitrogen fixing cover crop. But Rotovating alone can form a hardpan in your soil that acts like a barrier to nutrient recycling. Ah, but Ernie figured this out long ago and that is why the chisel plow makes its inaugural run before the Rotovator.

The chisel plow breaks up monolithic blocks of compacted soil and frees up the colloids to move throughout the soil profile. If you are a colloid, this is a big day for you. The rest of the year you just lay there waiting for something to happen. Maybe a gopher will tunnel by or a seed will germinate, or a bird will leave a dropping on you. That is “living the dream” in the soil profile.

The wild cherry trees are starting to bud out. We “bought the farm” in April 1999 when the cherry orchard was in full bloom. Montmorency cherries have big white flowers and they are clustered at the end of the branch. Ernie described driving the tractor through the orchard that first year like he was driving through a Montana blizzard in freeze frame.

The vines are surely not far behind. Around April 15^th when you are finalizing your National Mathematics exam for the IRS, we should start to see our Pinot Noir vines bud out. And if you need a hand with your form 1040, we have about 40 million school aged young adults on waivers. Tom Brady was on waivers, for about 12 seconds, before signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

If you have any questions about farming, or wine growing or tractor repair, send Ernie a note. He would be more than happy to immerse you in the fine details and vagaries involved with our agrarian endeavor. And then if you have some time on your hands, you can check out what we will be doing in about 6 months –

The Great Cluster Pluck! http://www.vinestories.com/video.php?video=117974400

And that reminds us that most new monitors have built in cameras. Not Ernie’s of course because he went to school learning about computers and all of the data that they can collect (some involuntarily). He also spent many hours of his formative youth listening to George Carlin records. (Remember those? Records? The 7 dirty words monologue became a case that went to the Supreme Court.) George Carlin foretold of a time when your words would be captured and preserved until such a time that they could be sold back to you, at a significant profit. Today, we see all manner of media being captured (some involuntarily) and published on social media sites. Hey Aretha, Who’s Zoomin Who?

Amalie Robert Estate Home Tasting Kits are Now Available!

Free ground shipping with any 12 bottle order! Don’t delay, get yours today! Pinot in Pink Rosé Lip Sanitizer available for a limited time!

In these uncertain times, we can help provide a little clarity in your vinous journey. The Amalie Robert Estate Home Tasting Kit will help you determine if your wine tests POSITIVE or NEGATIVE. Each Home Tasting Kit includes all of the sundry items you will need including: 2 Amalie Robert logo Riedel burgundy glasses, a polish cloth (2 pack), a corkscrew for those deeply seated cork issues we all sometimes face, a necker drip ring, red and gold logo synthetic wine stoppers, and a set of Amalie Robert Estate evaluation sheets specific to each wine in your 12 bottle order.

Wines shown are an optional purchase

We recommend replicated tasting trials of each wine where possible. This exercise can be performed by a single evaluator or in situ with a small group according to the laws in your local community. Note: It is hard to perform this rigorous evaluation in jail, not that the authorities will throw you in jail for defying their community ordinances, more likely just a large fine. This means you will have less money to spend on wine. Check with the Spring Break crowd for further guidance on civil disobedience enforcement in your area. They post on social media, excessively.

The following 5 points of criteria should be evaluated independently. A binary result of POSITIVE or NEGATIVE will be the only outcome from each criterion. You may add additional sensory evaluation in the white space provided. After each criterion have been evaluated, or the wine is fully consumed, you may draw a conclusion as to whether the wine in question tested POSITIVE or NEGATIVE. Partial specimen bottles may be stoppered with an Amalie Robert logo synthetic wine stopper.

Note: This is referred to as a “Destructive Testing Procedure”. Whereby the sample wine is NOT to be returned to the specimen bottle after evaluation. This is an important distinction in a replicated tasting scenario. The procedure has been well thought out and is to be strictly implemented.

Aroma:                 _____ Positive                  _____ Negative

               

_____________________________________________________________

Flavor:                  _____ Positive                  _____ Negative

_____________________________________________________________

Texture:                 _____ Positive                  _____ Negative

_____________________________________________________________

Finish:                   _____ Positive                  _____ Negative

_____________________________________________________________

Perceived Length: _____ Positive                  _____ Negative

_____________________________________________________________

You may audio or video capture (or both) your evaluation session and post to social media. Please note the section above regarding the unintended consequences of such behavior. If you have any doubts as to how to proceed, just ask yourself what George Carlin would do. That ought to clear things up pretty quickly, and (if you are like Mr. Carlin) will earn you a file at the FBI.

Please follow this link to place your order for the Amalie Robert Estate Home Tasting Kit. Your $59.00 kit ships free with any 12 bottle order (discount will be applied manually with order confirmation). Note that all 12 bottle orders have shipping included if you are on the A-List.

Amalie Robert Estate Home Tasting Kits can be purchased separately for $69.00 and shipped direct to your home in all states with no signature required.

We recommend a perfunctory Lip Sanitizer such as Pinot in Pink Rosé before you begin your evaluation. A six pack of Pinot in Pink Lip Sanitizer delivered with ground shipping included is a sweet $100, but just $80 for A-Listers.

If you would like assistance with your evaluation wines, we would be happy to provide a recommendation based on our personal preferences.

You can reach Dena by email at dena@amalierobert.com and by phone at 503-88-CUVEE (503-882-8833).

Kindest Regards,

Dena & Ernie