Sass Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Oregon 2022

Tucked into the folds of Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley, small vineyards flourish on land once thought unsuitable for anything but grasses or Christmas trees. Each year, the struggling vines produce tight clusters of grapes that gradually ripen during the long, dry summer. The hazy, warm days and cool nights of autumn help the fruit develop intense, complex layers of flavor and aroma that produce wonderfully rich, elegant and forward wines. Sass Winery is one such place, producing small amounts of handcrafted, high-quality pinot noir, pinot blanc, pinot gris, chardonnay, riesling, sauvignon blanc and rose of syrah.

Elegant, nuanced, aromatic pinot with aromas of dark cherry, red raspberry, cranberry and peppery spice. Well balanced with silky texture and mature tannins. Grapes were hand-harvested and de-stemmed, leaving about 80 percent of the berries uncrushed, then fermented for two weeks before a gentle press. Indigenous yeasts and malolactic fermentation. Wines were barrel-aged with fine lees, then bottled unfined and unfiltered.