"Pinot Noir is the most appropriate vehicle with which to study winegrowing, precisely because of its demanding nature, but also for its delicacy and transparency." - Tony Soter

Inspired and encouraged by a chance meeting in his cellar with Lalou Bize-Leroy in 1980, Pinot Noir has long been a source of fascination for Tony Soter. It is through Pinot Noir that the voice of the earth - a vineyard's terroir - is transmitted most clearly. The goal of Soter Vineyards is therefore to produce elegant, complex, emotionally thrilling Pinot Noirs that express the individuality of their sites, and in the case of North Valley Pinot Noir - our Willamette Valley blend - deliver impeccable value.

Pinot Noir, Mineral Springs Vineyard
Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard
Pinot Noir, "North Valley"

Pinot Noir, Mineral Springs Vineyard
(Inaugural Bottling, the 2005, Debuts in Fall 2007)
The site of Mineral Springs, located east of the town of Carlton, is a source of great excitement to us. This is the home base of operations for Soter Vineyards; it is the site of our prize vineyard, winery, tasting lodge, and eventually the Soter home. In short, it is the entire domaine.

Planted to 30 acres of Pinot Noir, this beautiful ridgetop just east of the town of Carlton has commanding views of the valley, with mature stands of oak trees and Douglas firs lining the road. Beginning in 2005, the vineyard is producing nicely distinctive fruit.

The Site
As a vineyard site, Mineral Springs has an extremely compelling confluence of prime exposure, and uniform, well-drained, fractured siltstone soils. Imagine half of an upside-down bowl facing due south - here the vines absorb the sun from an ideal aspect, from morning through twilight. Unlike many vineyards with small depressions and moist swales, this is a gentle, highly uniform slope. We think this is Eden for Pinot Noir, and our high expectations were confirmed with the inaugural 2005 bottling, scheduled for release in 2007 - it's a knockout, very distinct, perhaps even unique among Oregon Pinot Noirs. Click here to read more about this thoroughly interesting site.

Vinification
Harvest decisions at Mineral Springs are based primarily on taste. The grapes are loaded into fruit bins which are brought down the hill on a tractor, and gently poured into a destemming machine. With the help of some dry ice, the grapes then begin a 3-4 day cold soak. A short, warm fermentation ensues, and then the wines are left in the vats for an additional 7-10 days for an "extended maceration" to soften and harmonize their tannins. The new wine is then drained off to approximately 60% new and 40% neutral oak casks. After spending around 12-15 months in cask, then 6 months in the bottle, the wine is released. The total annual production is about 1000 cases.

The Wine
Our Mineral Springs bottling features notes of blackberry, black cherries, white pepper, floral notes that recall freesias and roses, and a distinctively exotic personality. We think these wines will tend to be sappy and fruit-driven, with seamless balance.

Tasting Notes and Facts
2005 Mineral Springs Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton District (.pdf)

Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard
The Beacon Hill Vineyard, named for a lighthouse-like structure at the top of the hill, is the source of Soter's first single-vineyard Pinot Noir. It is located on the north fork of the Chehalem Valley, near Yamhill, Oregon, approximately 30 miles southwest of Portland. Planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the vineyard totals 22 acres of gentle slopes, bounded by dense forest and farmlands.

Rootstocks and Clones
A quarter of the vineyard's Pinot Noir vines are Pommard and Wadenswil clones, planted on their own roots in 1988. The remaining sources were planted in 1998, 1999, and 2004. They represent Tony Soter's highly-informed decisions - gleaned over the previous 25 years - about optimum vine density and "heirloom" clones, chosen for flavor potential over productivity. Moreover, these vines are on devigorating rootstocks, which offer the bonus of earlier ripening. Rigorous pruning and crop thinning keep yields under 2 tons per acre.

Vinification
Harvest decisions are based primarily on taste. The fruit is hand-harvested in 30-pound baskets, sorted, and gently destemmed. The lots are vinified in small, temperature controlled open-top tanks. The grapes typically spend 20-30 days in the vats before pressing, which includes both pre- and post-fermentation macerations. After spending around 14-16 months in new and used French oak barrels from Burgundian coopers, then 6 months in the bottle, the wine is released. The total annual production is about 1600 cases.

The Wine
Because the vineyard was sold in 2005, the last Soter vintage from Beacon Hill will be 2006. Wines from this vineyard typically express themselves with appealing toast and baking spice aromas, highlighting copious dark fruit elements, suggestive of Oregon blackberries and blueberries, with lively top notes of raspberries and cranberries. Beacon Hill Pinot Noir is a structured, dense version of the varietal, built for medium to long-term cellaring. Any lots that do not enhance its stature are declassified, in Burgundian fashion.

Tasting Notes and Facts
2005 Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard (.pdf)
2003 Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard (.pdf)
2002 Yamhill County Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard
2000 Yamhill County Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard
1999 Yamhill County Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard
1998 Yamhill County Pinot Noir, Beacon Hill Vineyard

Pinot Noir, North Valley
First and foremost, Tony and Michelle Soter are Pinot Noir lovers.

And as a Pinot Noir lover, Tony has dedicated much of his career to producing versatile, seductively aromatic, and affordable Pinot Noir by blending fruit from numerous sites. His Etude Carneros Pinot Noir has become a beloved staple on restaurant lists across the country, and with the North Valley bottling, he intends to transcend that achievement in Oregon.

This is a strategy that has served Tony so well over the years: aim for excellence and value in a blended Pinot Noir. Blending from multiple sources helps ensure consistency and balance, and can often outshine many single-vineyard wines. In this regard, we feel the North Valley Pinot Noir is a truly compelling value.

We do not buy finished wine for the North Valley blend - rather, we secure contracts with growers and pay them by the acre, not the ton. This method allows the grower to prune for low yields - a practice that hastens the ripening process and enhances flavor concentration in the grapes - without losing money. Our viticulturalist Joel Myers and his team from Vinetenders ensure that our pruning and crop-thinning instructions are followed, and that these vineyards are farmed sustainably. Myers and his team pick the grapes on the date and time that we specify. From that moment on, the wine is made using similar methods as our estate wines.

North Valley Pinot Noir sees less new oak than the flagship wines. It is made in a more accessible and versatile format that will give pleasure early and over the medium term. The wine features notes of orange blossoms, cranberries, blackberries, sweet cream, cocoa, minerals, and has a markedly silky and supple mouthfeel. Long and lush, the wine leaves big, thick tears in the glass and its soft entry invites sip after sip. Pour this wine alongside its peers at the same price - you'll be taken in by its winsome charms and remarkable price/quality rapport. Better yet, pour it against your favorite single-vineyard Oregon Pinot, and understand why North Valley is already featured at some of the finest restaurants in the country.

Tasting Notes and Facts
2005 Oregon Pinot Noir "North Valley" (.pdf)
2004 Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir "North Valley" (.pdf)
2003 Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir "North Valley" (.pdf)