2019 Gamay - Willamette Valley

tasting notes
crunchy cranberry & black cherry—mineral/spice/pepper/floral/herbal accents—palate is fresh, focused, tense with a lithe balance and framed by gentle tannin structure—a youthful and versatile wine offering much pleasure
 
vineyards Tualatin Estate (Tualatin Hills AVA) and Havlin (Van Duzer Corridor AVA)
elevation 300-400 feet
aspects mostly south-facing, gentle to moderate slopes
soils Laurelwood (Tualatin) and Steiwer Soil Series (Havlin)
vine age 11-17 years
clonal selection 284 from Beaujolais
farming Dry-Farmed
harvest Oct. 6 & 11, 2019
elevage 9 months sans souf, sur lie, old neutral cooperage
bottled without fining on August 18, 2020 with 30ppm Total SO2
cases produced 611
 
the Terroir
Tualatin Estate is situated in the far northwestern corner of the Willamette Valley, framed by the coast range to the immediate west and composed of Laurelwood soil that gives floral aromatics, red fruit and delicate texture. Havlin vineyard sits squarely in the mouth of the Van duzer Corridor, the air conditioning pathway through the Coast Range where marine air enters from the ocean to the west and cools the Willamette Valley. The consistency and intensity of these winds mean that Gamay from Havlin is more intense, deeply colored and structured. This bottling is a highly complementary marriage of the two sites.The Willamette Valley is truly a home-away-from-home for Gamay. It thrives here.
 
the Growing Season
The weather in September and October largely determines the character of the vintage in the Willamette Valley. 2019 wasn't a particularly hot or cold growing season, nor particularly wet or dry. but conditions turned cool and moist in early September, slowing the pace of sugar accumulation while allowing phenolic ripeness to advance. We patiently waited through multiple storm cycles before the sun came out again and a beautiful picking window opened up in late September and early October. A smaller than average crop reached a terrific balance with perfect phenolic maturity (browning seeds and lignified stems) achieved at low sugar accumulations (and therefore low alcohols levels). What that translates to is wines with both flesh and bones, wines that are lithe but energetic, structure-driven wines with complex textures, bright acidity and a core of elegant fruit. 2019 is a classic, cool-climate Oregon vintage and we couldn't be more excited about it. The wines are highly enjoyable now and also highly cellar-worthy for 10-25+ years
 
notes on Winemaking
picked October 6 & 11, 2019 at 21.9 - 22.4 brix, 3.19 - 3.27 pH. 40% whole clusters sandwiched in small open top 1.5 ton fermenters. 3 weeks on skins. Spontaneous ferments, no yeast introduced. No more than 8 punchdowns total. Peak temps, 76-79F. Aged Sans Souf for 9 months on lees (no stirring) in 228L barrels, average barrel age 12-15 years (0% new wood). Bottled unfined with 30ppm Total SO2 on August 18, 2020. Diam 10 corks. 13.0% Alc.
 
about Martin Woods
A secluded property in the wooded foothills of oregon's coast range, within the mcminnville ava. We farm and partner with highly distinctive, late-ripening vineyards in the willamette valley to produce Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay, among other varietals. We strive to find the soul of our wines in the vineyard, to produce authentic wines with a consistent sense-of-place. Our wines are most warmly embraced by sommeliers, chefs, wine geeks and collectors who recognize and appreciate honest and compelling wines presenting graceful balance, textural complexity, tension, freshness, clean aromatic lift and long cellaring potential.
 
Enjoy & Cheers—Evan Martin winemaker/proprietor