September 2007: The New York Times Heralds Portland, Soter
We were honored to be the only winery mentioned in Eric Asimov's September 26, 2007 New York Times article about Portland's vibrant food scene. He also claimed "Among my favorite producers from the Willamette Valley are Soter Vineyards, Brickhouse Vineyards, The Eyrie Vineyards, Ponzi Vineyards and Domaine Drouhin Oregon." Click here to read the full article.

February 2007: Tony Soter shares his views on trends in viticulture and winemaking.
Read Tony's recent essay prepared for an interview with The Wine Spectator.  This article gives the reader an insight into Tony's viticultural philosophy, his opinions about high-octane wines, and much more. Click here to read the article as a .pdf.

View a slideshow on Harvest 2006!
Harvest 2006 was certainly one to remember. Click here to view the Powerpoint Slideshow and learn about this superb vintage. View Adobe .pdf

June 2006: The Wine Advocate Tastes a Vertical
"Soter served me a vertical of his Beacon Hill Pinots during my visit to his estate. The 1998, while revealing notes of cedar still appeared youthful (91); the 1999, like many Oregon Pinots from this vintage, requires patience but is outstanding (91); the 2000 surprised me the most due to its expansive, seductive fruit (92); the 2002's ever so slightly bitter tannin has melted away, making it even better than I’d originally predicted (92). " - Pierre Rovani, The Wine Advocate June, 2006

October 2005: Soter Vineyards Delivers On Our Promise!
We were elated in 2003 when Food & Wine Magazine named us America's Most Promising New Winery. Today we're proud to announce that in Food & Wine's 2005 American Wine Awards, our 2002 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir was named America's Best Pinot Noir over $20: "Oregon winemaker Tony Soter turns out cellar-worthy Pinots like the firm-bodied Beacon Hill, which is just now beginning to unwind. Soter's rigorous pruning practices makes the superb Beacon Hill Vineyard a particularly low-yielding site, producing only two tons of intensely flavored grapes per acre. "

Tony Soter Takes the Floor at erobertparker.com
Click here to check out the archive of Tony Soter's December 2005 comments in the Wine Talk forum of erobertparker.com. The archive contains some of Tony's thoughts on viticulture and winemaking, plus the latest developments here at Mineral Springs, and much more.

Harvest 2005 Slideshow
See firsthand images from the harvest at Beacon Hill and Mineral Springs Vineyard from September 2005: View Powerpoint Slideshow - View Adobe .pdf

General Articles

San Francisco Chronicle
Food and Wine Magazine "Most Promising New Winery 2003" (.pdf)

Reviews

2005 Mineral Springs Pinot Noir
2005 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
2003 Beacon Hill Brut Rose
1997 Beacon Hill Brut Blanc de Blancs
2005 North Valley Pinot Noir
2003 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
2003 Little Creek Cabernet Franc
2002 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
2002 Little Creek Cabernet Franc
2000 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
1999 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
1998 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
1999 Beacon Hill Brut Rosé
1998 Beacon Hill Brut Rosé
1997 Beacon Hill Brut Rosé

2005 Mineral Springs Pinot Noir, Estate
"There's a gentle firmness to the texture, with fine tannins underlying focused black cherry and ripe currant fruit that lingers beautifully against leafy notes on the nicely balanced finish. Has integrity and impressive length. Best from 2009 through 2013. 500 cases made. 92." - The Wine Spectator

1997 Beacon Hill Brut Blanc de Blancs
"(disgorged in the spring of 2007) Yellow-gold, with a strong, steady bead. Musky pear and buttery brioche aromas are complicated by hazelnut, iodine and pungent herbs. Rich dried pear and apple flavors boast impressive vivacity for the age of this wine, picking up toasty lees and baking spices on the back end. Extremely impressive and one of the most complex New World bubbly wines I've ever drunk. 92." - Josh Raynolds, - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, April 2008

2005 North Valley Pinot Noir
"Dark red. Ripe, deep aromas of dark berries and cherry, along with an exotic black cardamom note. Round and velvety, with sweet raspberry, cherry and plum flavors perked up by a hint of cinnamon. Finishes long and gently tannic, with striking delicacy and excellent palate coverage. This seduces with finesse rather than power." - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/Jun 07

2003 Little Creek Cabernet Franc, Napa Valley
"Good dark red. Captivating nose combines red fruits, tobacco, iron, tree bark and flowers; like a hypothetical blend of sangiovese and Bandol. Sweet and creamy but juicy, with lovely inner-mouth energy and spice character. Very tactile, elegant wine with insinuating persistence. I'm not sure I would have picked this as coming from the New World." -Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, May/Jun 07

2002 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
"Hugely rich yet fresh aromas of black cherries, brambleberries, blueberries, and candied blackberries emanate from the glass of the 2002 Pinot Noir Beacon Hill. A bold, opulent effort, it slathers the mouth with layers upon layers of jammy black fruits. This concentrated, seamless effort is velvety-textured, plush, and reveals a long, harmonious finish that is heavily laden with ripe, ever so slightly bitter, sweet tannin. This wine should be drunk over the next 6-7 years." - The Wine Advocate, October 2004

"Deep red-ruby. Thoroughly ripe nose combines currant, black raspberry, cola, mocha and sexy oak tones; showed an enticing floral element with aeration. Dense, fat and spicy, with very ripe flavors of raspberry and chocolate. Distinctly velvety pinot, finishing impressively long, with very smooth tannins and noticeable oak. This began with a lush, high-pH mouth feel, but with time in the recorked bottle lost some of its baby fat and showed a more impressive spine and a more restrained sweetness. I would not be at all surprised if this wine merited a higher score with additional bottle aging. And it won't even be released for at least a few months. (Incidentally, Tony Soter will not release a 2001 pinot, as he was not happy with the quality of the vintage.)" - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, March 2004

“Ripe, round and generous, firm in texture, with lots of plum, cherry, currant and spice flavors, finishing on a cedar note as the fruit lingers nicely. Should get better with time. Drink now through 2010. 92 points." - Wine Spectator, November 2004

“Complex aromas deliver scents of earthy wild blackberry fruit, freshly mown autumn grass, dried basil mintiness, and campfire woodsmoke. . .The finish is wonderful, with a lingering smooth succession of dark cherry flavors and drying tannins so silky they can’t be described. . .This is one of those rare wines I taste and decide it is so good I have to stop all other tasting and simply enjoy the wine for the rest of the day. Grade: A; [Wine of the Vintage].” - Oregon Wine Report, 2004

“Everything about this wine, from its very dark color to its deep, well-concentrated, outgoing cherry-and-oak aromas and its highly extracted flavors bespeak a special sense of outgoing richness and generosity not typically found in Oregon Pinots. Solid and somewhat muscular in style, it sports a bit more tannin than is the varietal norm, but in all ways is suggests that very good things will come to those with the patience to set it aside for another 3-5 years. 94 points.” - Connoisseur’s Guide to California Wine, February 2005

"The expressive and very pinot nose is quite ripe, in fact riper than its alcohol level would suggest but it’s neither roasted nor jammy. The big, rich, bold, authoritative flavors deliver plenty of volume underpinned by deceptively firm tannins plus outstanding finishing complexity and length. There is an undercurrent of coffee and chocolate fused with ample pinot and cherry extract that make for a seductive and appealing flavor profile that seems very forward yet the buried tannins should permit this to improve for 5 to 7 years, perhaps longer. In particular, I like the fact that the phenols are completely ripe yet there is no trace of warmth on the backend, which is relatively rare in 2002. 91/2008+" - Burghound, October 2004

2002 Little Creek Cabernet Franc,
Napa Valley
"A brilliant Cabernet Franc from Tony Soter, this dense ruby/purple-colored 2002 boasts aromas of spice, sweet black cherries, cassis, licorice, and flowers, medium body, and an exceptionally pure, elegant style. It caresses the palate with significant depth, yet is light on its feet. Concentrated and flavorful yet ethereal, drink this beauty over the next 7-10 years, although I suspect it will last even longer. 92 points." - The Wine Advocate, December 2005

"Aromas of blackberry, violet, bitter chocolate, mint and licorice. Dry, serious and penetrating but pliant, with flavors of dark berries and spices plus an exotic floral nuance. Finishes with firm tannins that avoid hardness. This should be terrific at the dinner table. 91(+?)." - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2000 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
"Sweet spicy black fruits can be found in the nose of the medium to dark ruby-colored 2000 Pinot Noir Beacon Hill. Seamless and angle-free, it offers lush layers of blackberries, dark cherries, and hints of cassis. A pretty wine, it is soft, well-structured, and harmonious. Drink it over the next 6 years. 90 points." - The Wine Advocate, October 2002

1999 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
"At first, the nose of the 1999 Pinot Noir Beacon Hill had aromas reminiscent of roasted bone marrow, a smell I adore. With aeration, black cherries and spices emerged. Medium to full-bodied and dense, this wine had fabulous concentration and depth. Cedar-laced black fruits and loads of ripe tannin can be found in this fleshy, complete wine. Projected maturity: 2005-2010. 92 points." - The Wine Advocate, October 2002

"Bright, saturated ruby-red. Black raspberry and blackcurrant pastille sweetened by sexy oak tones of sandalwood and nutmeg and complicated by a gamey nuance. Concentrated, layered and deep, with lovely sweetness and shape and cheekcoating fruit flavors. Quite oaky but has the creamy, dense fruit to support the wood. Finishes ripe but a bit tight, with dusty, fine tannins. 90(+?) points." - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, March 2002

1998 Beacon Hill Pinot Noir
"Tony Soter, who makes Pinot Noir under the Etude label in California, has quietly begun making Oregon wine in the Willamette Valley. This is his first, and it is an auspicious debut. Soter has focused on finding depth and distinctiveness, and his first wine offers a particularly wide range of characteristics. Enticing aromas and deep, complex flavors hit a lot of different notes, ranging from plum to mushroom, truffle and exotic spices. The texture has a hard edge, but the flavors win big in the end. This should be good through 2006. 91 points." - Wine Spectator, February 2002

"The hugely spicy, medium to dark ruby-colored 1998 Pinot Noir Beacon Hill is big, structured, powerful, and deep. At present tannic and angular, it has outstanding concentration of fruit and a long, flavorful finish. Projected maturity: 2004-2009." - The Wine Advocate, October 2002

"Perfumed aromas of cassis, blackberry, black raspberry, cola, smoke, chocolate and flowers. Dense, lush and suave, with lively spice character lifting the fruit. Plenty of underlying structure. Finishes with big, spreading, tongue-dusting tannins and excellent persistence. Already showing more mid-palate fat than it did a year ago, but built to age. This is the first release of Tony Soter new Oregon pinot noir. 91 points." - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, March 2002

1999 Beacon Hill Brut Rosé
"exhibits a peach-like color and a wonderfully elegant nose reminiscent of a perfectly fashioned Kir Royal (a drink made from sparkling wine and a cassis liqueur). Notes of cassis can be discerned in its floral, expressive aromatics. Medium-bodied, satin-textured and extremely flavorful, it coats the taster’s palate with notes of black cherries, violets, blackberries, and assorted flowers. This extravagant, beautifully crafted rose should be drunk over the next 2-3 years. 90 points." - The Wine Advocate, October 2004

1997 Beacon Hill Brut Rosé
"The peach/salmon-colored 1997 Brut Rose Beacon Hill was produced from 70% Chardonnay and 30% Pinot Noir that spent 3 years on their lees before being disgorged. Its toasty pear scents lead to a vinous, medium-bodied and silky-textured personality. This wine should be drunk over the next 2 years. 88 points." - The Wine Advocate, October 2002

"Pale salmon color, toasty on the nose, with delicate berry aromas and flavors in a generous, off-dry sparkler. It's a winey style that gets richer as the flavors persist on the round, refined finish. Drink now. 520 cases made. 89 points." - The Wine Spectator, May 2002