Reviews

95 pts, Wine Enthusiast
If you love ripe blackberries, you will fall head over heels for the way this wine smells. The berries are joined by aromas of cherry blossoms, wet stones and a touch of seared steak. There’s balance here, with silky tannins and snappy acidity backing flavors like blackcap raspberries, orange zest and cedarwood.

94 pts, Vinous
The 2021 Pinot Noir Momtazi Vineyard shows the dark nature of the variety, mixing depths of crushed blackberry with hints of pine, rosemary and dusty earth. This is a model of elegance on the palate, velvety in texture yet lifted in feel, with silken wild berry fruits and minty herb tones neatly balanced by cool-toned acidity. Notes of blood orange emerge toward the close as the Momtazi finishes tannic and crunchy in feel, leaving the mouth watering for more.

Vineyard

Momtazi Vineyard is located in the McMinnville AVA, 7 miles west of McMinnville, Oregon. The grapes for this wine come from four blocks at the top of the vineyard on steep, exposed and windblown hillsides. Planted in 1999 and 2004 on thin, poor soils, the vines have a south and SW exposure at an elevation of 680-760’. The vineyard is certified biodynamic by Demeter.

Production

The de-stemmed grapes were fermented in 4-8 ton stainless steel and Burgundy oak fermenters with no SO2 allowing the fermentation to proceed naturally. After gently pressing and settling the wine aged in French oak barrels, 20% which were new, for 16 months before bottling by gravity without fining.

Harvest

2021 began with a warm spring and a relatively early bloom, which was complete by the second week of June. A massive heat spell around June 27th had temperatures reaching up to 113 degrees. This significantly stunted growth in younger plants limiting their ability to ripen a normal crop. The younger vines at our estate essentially stopped growing as well as the Riesling at Temperance Hill. The summer continued with a heat spell in late June and mid-July. Because of these high temperatures mildew was not a significant problem in 2021. We began picking Chardonnay on 9/13 and the first Pinot noir on 9/15. A small rain event on September 18th and 19th brought much needed moisture to the vines. By the 24th all of the Chardonnay and most of the Pinot noir was picked. We finished picking in the first week of October with the exception of the Riesling which came in on 10/14. In the end we were happy with the fruit and very thankful that there were no fires to complicate harvest.

Winemaker’s Tasting Notes

Momtazi is our most textural, umami, wine. Lovely aromas of spice, smoky earth, and dried black fruit. Quite elegant on the mid palate with the finish blossoming to more floral notes with hints of cocoa powder. Will pair beautifully with winter stews and roasted vegetables. Great with cassoulet and mushroom dishes.