95pts Jeb Dunnuck

From the Zena Crown Vineyard, the 2019 Pinot Noir Warrior Princess is bright with dried roses, anise, and wild red raspberry fruit. The palate is medium-bodied, with fresh crunchy red fruit, and poppy, snappy, fresh acidity. Refreshing and pretty in style, it can be drunk now or over the next 10 or more years.

92pts Wine Enthusiast

There's complexity to the aromas, with notes of moist soil, mushroom, assorted dried herbs, red cherry, anise and various spices. The palate is fuller in feel, pretty and nuanced, showing detail. Fine-grained tannins provide support. 

Winemaker Notes

The wine has a deep ruby hue with complex aromas of Chinese five spice, sandalwood, and potpourri; the framework of the wine’s aromatic profile is dark blueberry, red plum, and blackberry. Focused aromatics are followed by complex flavors of fresh cherry, berry liqueur, violet pastille, allspice, and juniper. Fine-grain tannins shape the persistent, spiced finish.

The 2019 Warrior Princess Pinot Noir is sourced from the Eola-Amity HIlls in the Willamette Valley, coming from the renowned Zena Crown Vineyard. The site is situated near the Oregon ghost town of Zena, in the hills between Eola and Amity, Oregon. Our blocks are planted to several clones, including Pommard, Dijon 667 and 777.

The soils are predominantly basalt-based Jory series, which is volcanic in origin, mixed with marine sedimentary rocks and alluvial material. This soil tends to produce wines characterized by high tone blue and black fruits, with earth, allspice and tea components both in aroma and flavor. The wines have a firm tannin structure with density and weight.

The wines retain good acidity because of the influence of the Van Duzer corridor, which allows cool afternoon breezes to reach the Eola-Amity hills from the Pacific Ocean. 

Vineyard's Notes