Willamette Valley WILLAMETTE VALLEY, OREGON
As a child of the Pacific Northwest, when Brion Wise wanted to round out his Pinot Noir project, he looked to the Willamette Valley, the origin of some of the best New World Pinot Noir.
Looking mainly to the north of the valley, where a section of small mountain ridges provides the kind of slopes that promised his preferred flavor profiles, he began working with a number of smaller vineyards in 2011. With the cooler, wetter climate compared to California, and the shorter growing season, the wine shows a beautiful restraint, with fresh acidity and its own distinct minerality that lends itself to savory food.
B. Wise Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley comes from three vineyards. Blended primarily from Bramble Hill in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, the marine sediment soils and Pommard and 115 clones provide beautiful fruit and structure. Nearby to Bramble Hill, Omero Vineyard is a very low vigor site, and this fruit gives more bass tones to the wine. A little deeper color comes from the 777 clone at La Colina, in the Dundee Hills AVA.