93pts Wine Spectator

Vibrant and generous, with lilting raspberry and tart cherry flavors highlighted by green tea, forest floor and sandalwood tones as this gathers tension and structure toward refined tannins.

93pts Jeb Dunnuck

From their 15-acre estate vineyard, the deep ruby-purple 2021 Pinot Noir Estate Vineyard is forward with aromas of graphite, black cherry liqueur, and dark spices of anise. Full-bodied but not weighed down, it retains its pure dark fruit through the palate, with ripe tannins and a savory edge that’s quite attractive. It is another wine where its primary fruit makes it quite appealing now, but it will have a solid 5-6 years of prime drinking ahead.

Winemaker Notes

Aromas of spiced raspberries and ripe Hood strawberries gently fold into warm vanilla oak. Rainier cherry and cocoa provide a savory sweetness and weight on the palate leading to a lengthy finish.

Vineyard Notes

The Penner-Ash Estate Vineyard is located in the northern part of the Willamette Valley, in the Yamhill-Carlton sub-AVA. Founding duo, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash, were inspired to plant the southeast facing hillside in part due to its proximity to Shea Vineyard, one of Oregon's most prized sites. Soil surveys were used to choose rootstocks and Pinot Noir clones by block to optimize the unexpected soil diversity on the 15 planted acres at the property. Clone 114 was planted on sedimentary soil for spiciness, Clone 115 on volcanic soil to bring red bright fruit, as well as the Pommard for mouthfeel and texture. Dijon 667 and 777 throughout the vineyard bring red and black fresh fruit notes.

Winery Notes

Penner-Ash Wine Cellars embodies the spirit and passion of small producers focusing on Pinot Noir in the northern Willamette Valley, Oregon. After working for some of Napa's premier wineries and Rex Hill Vineyards in Oregon, winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash and her husband, Ron, started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 1998. In the winery, the focus is on small-lot indigenous yeast fermentation with extended cold soaks to extract a rich, fruit-focused, textured mouth feel. Each lot is treated individually and depending on the outcome, either blended into their reserve quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir or bottled separately as a vineyard designate.

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