Background: Brittan Vineyards was founded in 2004 by Robert Brittan, who had previously worked for 16 years as winemaker and estate manager at Stag’s Leap Winery in Napa.        

After years searching for an ideal site to grow Pinot Noir in Oregon, Robert and his wife Ellen purchased a 128-acre hillside property on the edge of the Coast Range in the McMinnville AVA. The existing 18 acres of vineyards had been planted in 2001 but after purchasing the property, they worked to improve and revitalize the original vines, replanting and fine tuning the clonal and soil combinations. Today their estate vineyard is farmed organically and certified sustainable by LIVE.

Wine details: 100% Pinot Noir, from Pommard, 777, and Swan clones, aged ten months in French oak, 23% new. Sourced from the McMinnville AVA. They made 245 cases of this wine.

Flavor Profile: The 2021 vintage, which was mostly warm and dry, also had occasional heat spikes, including a “heat dome” in June. Yields were lower, but the resulting wines have good intensity and richness. This Pinot has aromas and flavors of dark, brambly fruit and spice, with smooth tannins and balancing acidity.

Recommendation: You could give it a year or so to develop further, then enjoy anytime up to around 2029. The winery suggests pairing it with pork tenderloin with berry sauce or eggplant parmesan.

Background: Founded in 2008 by Ken Pahlow and Erica Landon, Walter Scott is based in the Eola-Amity Hills. Their first vintage was La Combe Verte Pinot Noir, which they produced in 2009 at Patricia Green Cellars. They later relocated to Evening Land, where Ken worked alongside the esteemed Burgundian winemaker, Dominique Lafon. Today they produce their wines right next door to Bethel Heights, in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. The winery is named for Walter, Ken’s grandfather, who was a living example for Ken to follow his dreams; and Scott, Ken’s nephew, whose all-too-short life taught Ken to act on his ambitions while he can.

Wine details: 100% Pinot Noir, sourced from Distraction, Sojeau, Temperance Hill, and Witness Tree vineyards, all in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA with volcanic soils; blended with old vine fruit from Freedom Hill Vineyard, located just outside the Eola-Amity Hills, with marine sedimentary soil. Aged ten months in French oak, 25% new. They made 1,480 cases of this wine.

Flavor Profile: It is a pretty, well-balanced Pinot, with notes of bright red and black fruit, soft tannins, and warm, earthy spice.

Recommendation: You could let this one develop for another two to three years, then enjoy by 2028. It’s a great Pinot for salmon.