2016 Chapter 24 1st Stonecreek

Horizontal large fractures in the basalt are the hallmark of the smallest of our vineyard sites at 0.62 acres (0.25 ha). 600 feet (183 m) above sea level. Largely composed of oxidised red basalt, the vines are supported by an abundance of feathery roots which are found snuggled in the clay deposits within the horizontal rock fractures. 96 cases made. Dark, bright crimson. Sweet, concentrated and spicy. Ambitiously styled for future drinking. Quite a bit of fine tannin and bone dry on the end. It does indeed taste as though you are licking stones. A Pinot that demands decanting and bottle age. A little bit savage at this point in its evolution. (JR)

This is one of Rose & Arrow's "1st expression" bottlings, denoted with a "1st" on the label. Fruit comes from a very small parcel planted on red basalt at 600 feet in elevation. Medium ruby-purple colored, the 2016 Pinot Noir Amity Hills—Stonecreek opens with tarry/sulfury reduction that gives way with aeration to notes of dried red cherries and crushed blueberries with hints of wet leaves, mossy bark and blue flower perfume. Medium to full-bodied, it’s powerful in the mouth, offering lots of juicy blue and black fruits accented by notes of lilac, garrigue, damp soil and granite. It has a strong frame of grainy tannins and mouthwatering acidity to lift all that density of flavor on the long finish. This still retained a touch of reduction on the nose a day after it was opened, so give this time in bottle or plenty of air before you drink it. 96 cases produced.

The new project from the Chapter 24 team that focuses in on niche areas of Willamette Valley rather than creates regional blends as seen in the Chapter 24 wines. These are a surprising jump in quality and nuance thanks partially too to a shift in the local winemaking team, and the consulting work of Pedro Parra to identify unique blocks of vineyards in the area, which are then vinified and bottled in small quantities. Hits of smoke and gunmetal open the nose – the focus here is metallic and earthy – shift into a juicy, lean, impressively stony palate. Black and red fruits give mouth-watering flavours to a quite lean, mineral-driven palate generating an exciting tension. Chiselled and lengthy. Savoury, almost salty, and yet still carrying fruit. This is unlike any other wine I have tasted from the Willamette Valley and is quite exciting in its transparency, complexity and sense of clarity. This wine feels like it will age an impressively long time. Without suggesting that these wines taste like anything other than Oregon Pinots, but to give context, this wine is more of a Chambolle-Musigny compared with the Vosne-Romanée flesh of the Rose & Arrow Chehalem Highlands The Point. They are both excellent wines and it is simply a matter of preference. (ECB)