2018 Amity Vineyards Bass Hill Pinot Noir

Black cherry, baking spices, & sandalwood

BASS HILL VINEYARD

Bass Hill sits at roughly 600ft elevation just outside of the Van Duzer Corridor in the McMinnville sub-AVA of the Willamette Valley. This eight-acre vineyard’s position is on a south-facing slope in ancient marine sediment soils which creates the right conditions for the growth of world-class Pinot Noir. The 115, Pommard, and Wadenswil clones of Pinot Noir each offer their own unique contributions to the blend. Dry-farmed and own-rooted, these grapes truly provide a sense of place. With naturally low-yields and small berries we are able to craft wines that have powerful tannins and concentration along with a brilliant backbone of acidity creating focus and tension. A truly special spot and one of our favorite vineyards that we farm. We take a hands-off approach to make these wines and do not fine or filter them in order to allow full expression of the site. Each year we select a handful of our favorite barrels from Bass Hill to produce a vineyard designate wine that represents the best of the vintage.

A wet cool April made for a late bloom but with warmth in the summer, veraison caught up quickly and was about on average. Similar to 2016, it was warmer than average, but temperatures stayed in the low to mid-90s with few heat spikes. Although we experienced warm days, we also had cool nights allowing the vines to rest and retain acidity and complexity. Low rainfall during late September and into October allowed for a generous picking window giving us the ability to pick grapes when we wanted to, resulting in fruit composition with sugar levels, acidity, and pH all in balance.

Vineyard Sources: 97% Bass Hill 2% Bald Peak 1% Amity Vineyards

Cellar Treatment: Barrel Aged in 11% once-used French Oak, 89% Neutral French Oak

Alcohol Content: 14.5% 

Residual Sugar: Dry

PH: 3.46

TA 6.5 g/L