Cherry Hill 2016 Pinot Noir Estate, Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Vly.

Cherry Hill Winery is a tiny family owned winery in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Here the moderating influence of the Van Duzer corridor through the coastal range, combined with the bowl-like shape of the site, provides ideal growing conditions for Pinot Noir.

They produce less than 2,000 cases of estate-grown Pinot Noir each year from their 90-acre estate vineyard planted to Pommard and Dijon clones on phylloxera-resistant rootstock. The vineyard lies on south and southwest slopes at elevations from 250-450 feet, which offers the maximum degree days for fruit ripening.  All of the vineyard work is done by hand, yields are kept low and the grapes are all hand harvested.

This wine from the excellent 2016 vintage aged 18 months in French oak barrels. Wine & Spirits Magazine scored this 91 points saying "Quiet and mellow at first go, this has notes of dark spice and cracked  grain  to  go  along  with  the  strawberry  flavors. Pleasingly  crunchy  and  bright,  with  lean,  lithe  tannins,  it’s  a well-priced Pinot for fennel-rubbed pork loin."