2021 Gamay - Tualatin Estate Vineyard

tasting notes pomegranite, cranberry, black pepper & spice—balanced fruit and acidity, with gentle framing tannins—a youthful & highly versatile wine offering much pleasure
 
ava: Tualatin Hills (northwestern corner of the Willamette Valley) elevation: 300-400 feet
aspect: south-facing slope
soil: Laurelwood—compacted windborne alluvial dust (loess)
vine age: Planted 2003
clonal selection: 284 from Beaujolais
farming: Dry-Farmed, no chemical pesticides / herbicides harvest: Oct. 8, 2021 elevage: 9 months (6 months without sulfur), sur lie, old neutral cooperage
bottled: without fining on July 28, 2022
 
the Terroir
Tualatin Estate is situated in the far northwestern corner of the Willamette Valley, with the coast range moutains to the immediate west creating a strong diurnal shift from warm days to cool nights, preserving mouthwatering acidity. The fine-textured, well-drained Laurelwood soil provides balanced stress to the vines, reducing vine vigor and crop yield. This produces concentrated red fruit, floral aromatics and ripe skin and stem maturity, giving fine structure and rich color. The Willamette Valley is truly a home-away-from-home for Gamay, which is beautifully matched to the cool-climate terroir.
 
the Growing Season
A classic shift to cooler temps and occasional moisture of moderate intensity in late-September and early October brought the 2021 growing season to a beautiful conclusion. Despite some significant heats spikes in mid-Summer, the vines supported a good crop of clean fruit (medium-small berries with thick skins) with balanced flavors and phenolic maturity. We were immediately pleased in the winery with what we thought promised exceptional quality...which has proven true. The vintage has always shown a precocious resolution of structure that makes the wines delightful in youth, while also certainly possessing long cellaring potential.
 
notes on Winemaking
picked October 8, 2021. 40% whole clusters sandwiched in small open top 1.5 ton fermenters. 3 weeks on skins. Spontaneous fermentation, no yeast introduced. Once daily punchdowns started on day 12. Peak temps, 78-83F. Aged for 9 months (6 months without sulfur) on lees in old neutral cooperage. Bottled without fining on July 28, 2022. Diam 10 corks. 13.0% Alc. / 5.6 TA / 3.50 pH / O.O g/l RS
 
about Martin Woods
Martin Woods is hidden in the oak-forested foothills of Oregon's Coast Range, within the cool-climate McMinnville AVA, Willamette Valley. Martin Woods is both the home and winery for winemaker/vigneron Evan Martin, who has been driven by a passion since 2009 for discovering the most compelling terroir in Oregon. Elegant Pinot noir and Chardonnay are the focus of the portfolio, but Riesling, Gruner, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and Syrah are more than proving extremely exciting for exploration. Evan’s small team farms according to sustainable, wholistic principles and the growers he partner's with are of the same mindset. The winemaking methods are delicate and natural, but of greatest importance is that a Martin Woods wine promotes the classic qualities of purity, balance, complexity and fine structure that can only result from great terroir combined with wholehearted dedication to art and craft. Above all, it is the hope that the wines evoke a consistent and inspiring sense-of-place, an authentic Oregon voice.