White Walnut Estate, Dundee Hills Pinot Noir 2022

Grower: White Walnut Estate
Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Grape Varieties: 100% Pinot Noir
Viticulture: Organic, Biodynamic
Category: Red
Size: 750ml

White Walnut Estate is a certified organic and biodynamic winery in the Dundee Hills of Oregon. The winery was founded in 2007 by winemaker Chris Mazepink, who previously worked at Archery Summit, Shea Wine Cellars, and Benton Lane. The property that Chris Mazepink is farming for this Worden Hill Road vineyard is a secret he's loathe to divulge before the final deal is sealed--a much rockier vineyard than his other holdings that he's quite excited about. The winemaking for this bottling uses nearly entirely destemmed fruit that ages in a wide variety of vessels (concrete for freshness and immediacy, terracotta for aromatic detail, and wood for texture and complexity). Only a tiny portion of the oak is new, and the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered. 

The gateway to White Walnut's brilliant Pinot noirs, a step up from last year's release (2021, a tough act to follow). Brimming with Dundee Hill red fruits bolstered by a blue fruit layer bottom note, what begins as an elegant initial impression quickly shows a voluminous expansion. This finish sails with spiced complexity, raspberry sauce, and lavender. A dynamic teeter totter of silky, sultry energy.