Using classic, low-stress winemaking techniques and careful aging in low-yielding, mature vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley, we have managed to fully express the character of these vineyards and bring out the purity of this noble grape variety.
FORAGER tells the story of how growing, selecting and blending small amounts of delicious Pinot Noir in small batches can result in authentically flavored and interesting wines.
In addition to our well-maintained LIVE certified vineyards, we also use carbon neutral Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified biodegradable natural cork.
A properly managed natural field absorbs about 1/2 a ton of carbon per year.
Our FSC-certified recycled paper labels use compostable inks, and we've switched to lighter (490 gram) recycled glass bottles.
The new label features a vintage Polaroid of Oregon's bounty, chanterelle mushrooms.
This gorgeous Pinot Noir opens with aromas of ripe cherry and delicate rose.
Its youthful, lively and complex palate offers hints of ripe blood orange and cola.
Soft tannins and what we call "chewy" acidity combine with a rich texture to give it a surprisingly long, savory finish.
As this is a naturally made red wine with minimal intervention, some harmless, natural sediment may occur.
The 2021 Deep Pinot Noir is sourced from two vineyards in the Willamette Valley.
The first is a LIVE-certified dry farm with Jolly (red volcanic) soil, located at approximately 152m above sea level.
The second is the rolling hills of Tualatin, with Willakenzie (alluvial) soils.
Both are pruned and harvested by hand.
The 2021 growing season began with a dry, mild spring.
Rain during flowering reduced yields and there was a short heat wave in June.
September brought favourable rains and cool nights which encouraged flavour development.
A small but great vintage, one that will be remembered for a long time.
The small Pinot Noir grapes were hand-picked between the 9th and 14th of September and were handled with great care in the cellar.
They are hand-selected, and about 40% are whole bunches.
After crushing, the material was cold soaked in a 5-ton open fermentation tank.
A small amount of natural SO2 was added during crushing and fermentation was initiated with indigenous wild yeasts.
Moderate fermentation temperature (29.4°) and one punch down per day helped to develop structure, and after gentle pressing (<1 bar), malolactic fermentation was carried out in barrel, followed by 11 months of ageing to give the wine a spicy, velvety mouthfeel.
Supported by 10% new French oak barrels.
After a light "polish" filtration, 38 barrels (~950 cases) will be bottled in July 2023.
Jonathan Pay moved to Paris, France with his family as a teenager and fell in love with the beauty of wine. After returning to the United States and earning a bachelor's degree in agriculture from university, he worked for a French wine importer and further deepened his knowledge of wine.
After having the opportunity to work with Robert Mondavi, he learned more about Napa Cabernet and founded TEXTBOOK in Napa Valley in 2004.
The wine quickly garnered critical acclaim and a loyal following.
In 2019, he sold it to an international wine group, but continues to act as an advisor to them.
FORAGER was founded in the midst of the chaos of the 2008 financial crisis when a neighboring winery terminated its grape contract with its contracted farmers one week before the harvest. In an effort to help the farmers in their situation, FORAGER agreed to buy the grapes, even though there was no clear destination for the finished wine.
Currently, we aim to produce delicious wines that make the most of the characteristics of the land and produce small quantities of wine.
In 2003, after working with a winemaker at Penfolds in Australia, SPICERACK became fascinated with the depth of Syrah, which can grow in both warm and cool climates, and began making wine with it.SPICERACK's wines are made from grapes grown in Sonoma, which has warm, sunny days and surprisingly cold nights.
As the name suggests, this is a wonderfully balanced wine that allows you to taste a variety of spices.