Teutonic Alsea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015

Teutonic Alsea Vineyard Pinot Noir is a cool-climate Oregon red from the only coastal vineyard in the northern Willamette area.

The Alsea site was planted in 2005 on a friend's farm by Barnaby and Olga Tuttle, to plenty of scepticism: it lies on the western flank of the Coast Range, just 30 kilometres from the ocean and outside the Willamette Valley AVA boundary, so it runs cooler and wetter than anything on the eastern side. Bellpine soils and the rainfall together make dry farming possible, and the farming is organic, with cover crops and seed balls doing the fertilising. 2015 was warm and generous in Oregon, and the site's elevation and ocean proximity held the style cool. Fruit hung as long as possible, was mostly destemmed, and fermented in open-tops on a vineyard pied de cuve for three weeks before old barrels.

With a decade in bottle this carries a touch more weight and structure than the 2016, and the fruit has turned savoury: red cherry, forest floor, dried orange peel. Serve at 15 degrees. Try it with roast duck, mushrooms or a soft washed-rind cheese.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.