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Walnut Ridge Vineyard 2018 & 2019 Pinot Noir
Something Old
...or in this case...something aged....
We had such great feedback on the vintage comparison of Malbecs that we showcased in April that we thought we would showcase these two beautifully aged Pinot Noirs that are so incredibly unique to to the very different growing vintages. After a series of very warm vintages in this AVA, 2019 was a cool, wet year.
Which expression do you prefer? May the discussion flow and may we raise a glass to Mother Natures lesson on how what is different about us makes us unique and through our uniqueness we can find balance. The crossroads of where climate and the Winemaker's influence on the fruit meets is what brings us the deep, yet delicate complexity expressed in both of these vintages. Also interesting is that 66% of the fruit from these two vintages come from a very small micro-AVA called the Lower Long Tom.
With the ever growing popularity of and acclaim for the Willamette Valley, we find it is harder and harder to find these older vintages of Pinot Noir. It is not uncommon to be visiting tasting rooms and restaurants to find them serving the 2022 or in some cases even the 2023 vintages that have had little to no time to go through Élevage.
Cellar 503 Tasting Notes
Walnut Ridge Vineyard, Junction City, Oregon
2018 & 2019 Pinot Noir
A true love story that spans the test of time....
In 1946, our grandfather, Elmer Young, along with his growing family, established a farm in Dewey, Arizona. What started as a traditional food crop and animal venture eventually became one of the most beloved gathering places in Northern Arizona.
While being a family-oriented and welcoming farm, the full recognition of Young’s Farm was found in its sensational sweet corn and delicious holiday turkeys. Young’s Farm operated for 60 years before being faced with new state laws changing the historic use of water rights in Arizona. In 2006, we sold the farm and left our home in the Southwest in search of independence, beauty, and a challenge.
We found Oregon.
Landing in Paulina, high in the desert of Central Oregon, our family began farming anew. Blue Mountain Ranch sits on the south watershed of the Ochoco Mountains, where an 800 cow herd grazes across emerald meadows, producing delicious grass-fed and grass-finished beef. With the new ranching operation, we dove deeper into the world of soil biology and water reclamation to ensure the health of family, animals, and the earth.
After almost a decade of the family ranching business, we realized we missed the day-to-day interactions with customers and wanted more. With the blessing of our family, we were ready to strike out again in search of something new.
We found wine.
Well, that makes it sound a little too clean. What we found was a bit of time on the Oregon coast, watching our kids continue to grow, building a retail business, and waiting for the next opportunity. And it came, not in a moment, but in a series of events that started and stopped, taking two steps forward and one step back.
In 2020, with the world shut down and our retail business in good hands, we took off with the kids to travel the United States and live out our nomadic dream. We spent most of the year living in our Airstream, seeing all that there was to see including an inspiring stay in New Orleans, where we fell in love with the food, the music, and the history. Returning to Oregon, we were inspired to go back to our roots, back to the soil, back to farming.
And That’s when Walnut Ridge found us.
And now, we are here, fully entrenched in the Willamette Valley, nestled in the Lower Long Tom Sub Appellation (AVA) with our kids, a dog, the vines, and hope for the future.
The journey has been winding, joyous, challenging, upending, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We are excited to be in a community that believes in the connection between family and farming- and has supported us as we have come from our family ranch in Paulina, Oregon to now grow grapes and produce wine in the Willamette Valley.
We hope you will join us at Walnut Ridge to enjoy our wine and deepen our life together.
– The Youngs, Alisha, Aaron, Harper, Lincoln & Ruby
Walnut Ridge Vineyard, owned by Aaron & Alisha Young, is located 10 miles directly west of Junction City, Oregon in the South Willamette Valley’s only nested AVA, Lower Long Tom. Planted to seven grape varieties including Pinot noir, Gamay noir, Chardonnay, Pinot gris, Sauvignon blanc, Riesling, and Pinot blanc, Walnut Ridge offers a breadth and depth of wines rarely seen from a single estate vineyard.
Prior to Walnut Ridge, the Youngs spent time raising cattle in Paulina, Oregon. Working in the high desert led them to the thoughtful care of soil and water resources, and Aaron’s farming at Walnut Ridge reflects the valuable lessons learned in eastern Oregon. Great care is taken to ensure soil health through low/no tillage, no herbicide use, and encouraging flora & fauna biodiversity.
These deep, complex wines made from grapes grown in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Walnut ridge Vineyard grows high-quality fruit in harmony with nature on their dry-farmed, hand-tended vineyards. The grapes were transformed into wine by fermenting in small open-top fermenters and aging in French oak barrels. Both not fined or filtered.
Walnut Ridge works hard to keep their vineyards sustainable because they live there, love them and believe that keeping their healthy natural equilibrium will make the highest quality wines – now and in the future.
The 2018 and 2019 Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs are comprised of multiple selections of Pinot noir from Walnut Ridge Vineyard and winemaker, Jerry Sass’, Wild Winds Vineyard. The respective combination of Bellpine and Jory soils from each vineyard allows for the fruit purity of both vintages to shine.
Vineyards Vineyards: Walnut Ridge; Wild Winds Elevation: 450-700 ft; 500-570 ft Grape Variety: 100% Pinot noir Farming: Dry-farmed with no herbicides Certification: Walnut Ridge - LIVE Certified Soil: Bellpine; Jory Vine Age: 15-27 years old
Harvest Date: 2018: Sept 15-24; 2019: Oct 1-5 Winemaking: Spontaneous fermentation Open top tanks Fermentation: 100% destemmed On skins for 12-14 days Aging: 16 months 100% used French oak Production: 100 cases of each vintage
A Cellar 503 selection in June 2024, Something Old, New, Borrrowed & Blue Lower Long Tom | Pinot Noir
