The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Meunier | 2019

So many Oregon wine bottles and stories begin with the Letts. David Lett, founder of Eyrie, died in 2008, but his legacy continues with his son, Jason. Since taking over as winemaker in 2005, Jason has introduced new grapes, wild yeast fermentations, biodynamic farming, and library releases, but his father's hardcore soil-to-glass fundamentals have remained constant. In true Lett style, these are wines that are unapologetically pure, spoken by the vine, its foggy terroir, and the personality of a vintage.

Meunier means Miller in French, referring to the flour-like dustiness typically found on the leaves. Like Pinot Noir, it's high-acid and thrives in colder climates, but in the glass, it's different. Meunier has distinct floral tones, and on the palate, it's extra juicy and a little more tutti-frutti. It’s like drinking Pinot Noir with a dose of Riesling. Sourced from the Dundee Hills Eyrie and Daphne vineyards, the vines are biodynamically farmed in deep red clay soils. In the cellar, wild yeast fermentation, with a tiny percentage of stem inclusion, is followed by 18 months of resting in mostly used French oak barrels. Bottled without fining and filtration, the palate delights with fresh red berries, pastel flowers, chanterelles, and rainy forest floor. It feels effervescent (without being effervescent) and finishes with a peachy Riesling-like acidity. Low in alcohol, and big in flavor, Eyrie makes one of the best expressions of Pinot Meunier, anywhere. ~Allegra A