2024 Amity Vineyards Pinot Blanc

Tasting Notes: Canvas, Apricot, Wheatgrass

2024 kicked off with a bang with a mid-January ice storm that engulfed much of the Pacific Northwest and all of the Willamette Valley for the better part of a week. This freezing weather was followed by cool temperatures through bud break in early April for the warmer parts of the state and the third week of April in the Willamette Valley. The growing season warmed up in April and May, with growing degree day accumulation slowing through Jun (and July in some parts of the state), though by the time September arrived, temperatures and growing degree days thrust us into the harvest season tracking warmer than average, though without much of the extreme heat that has characterized seasons within recent memory. Another notable difference from recent vintages were the handful of precipitation events throughout the summer, harkening to Oregon weather patterns 15-20 years past. Because the weather surrounding these rain events was otherwise dry and warm and the rain came while the berries were still firm, disease pressure remained in check and these passing showers simply served to rinse the dust from canopies and recharge a little soil moisture. The heart of the harvest season itself, September and October, saw limited wet weather and moderate temperatures, allowing for a comfortable and measured season full of pristine, ripe grapes.

The vines producing the Amity Pinot Blanc are some of the original plantings established by Myron Redford. The 2024 Pinot Blanc was hand picked on October 3rd and pressed whole-cluster and fermented slowly in stainless steel over the next 3-4 weeks. Malolactic fermentation was prevented to preserve acidity with 4 months of aging on the lees to build body and complexity. The 2024 vintage showcases apricot with herbal and earthy notes of canvas and wheatgrass.