2021 Quandary Vineyard Pinot Noir

Tasting Notes

Ancient marine soils paired with 100% Wadenswil clone produced a dark-fruited, juicy expression of Pinot Noir—notes of tart black cherry and black plum, creamy creme de cassis, spice cake, and purple flowers. Only 197 cases were made!

About Quandary Vineyard

An exciting young vineyard in the rolling hills just west of Yamhill. Quandary Vineyards started as the dream of four good friends from Colorado who fell in love with the Willamette Valley. The property boasts two stunning guest houses surrounded by beautiful vineyards with sweeping views of the Yamhill Valley farmland.

Located nearby several of our favorite Yamhill-Carlton AVA vineyards - Matteri Vineyard, Bishop Scott Vineyard & Mt. Richmond Vineyard. We are thrilled about the potential of this vineyard site, especially as the vines continue to dig deeper into the ancient marine sediments.

100% Wadenswil Clone: A Pinot Noir clone of Swiss origins, Wadenswil has a long history in the Willamette Valley. As one of the original Pinot Noir clones (along with Pommard) planted in our region, it has been proven to work exceptionally well when planted in marine sediments, producing intensely fragrant, dark-fruited Pinot noirs with bright acidity.

2021 Vintage

The 2021 vintage was an exceptional year. The timing of weather events was key to our success in 2021. We experienced a bit of rainfall during bloom which helped to lower yields by producing some hens and chicks (variable-sized berries). Then a historic heat event happened during late-June which brought worrisome temperatures at a time that luckily did not result in any damage to our grape crop. Growth resumed normally once temperatures cooled with average heat from July through September bringing even ripening to the plentiful small, loose clusters. For Pinot Noirs, expect intense color and flavors bursting out of the glass, while white wines and rosés are fruit-forward with great acidity and balance.