Jessie James
Jessie James Vinyard
The picturesque vineyard of Jessie James is situated to the immediate east of the Van Duzer Corridor in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. We lease the vineyard from Jessica and James Lee, from whom the vineyard takes its name, and we farm according to organic principles.
During our 2024 harvest picks at Jessie James, winemaker Evan Martin takes a few minutes in this video to stand in the rows of the vineyard and talk about the special nature of this site and the signature wine we make from it’s beautiful fruit.
The Terroir:
Jessie James Vineyard - Pinot Noir
The Eola-Amity Hills is situated to the immediate east of the Van Duzer Corridor, the "air-conditioning" pathway through the Coast Range where marine air enters from the west and cools the Willamette Valley. the high-density (2,400 vines/acre), four-acre planting of vines at Jessie James is east-facing at a high elevation‒ripening here is patient and harvest is usually the first week of October. Furthermore, the vineyard is in a rain shadow, allowing the grapes to reach peak maturity with less risk of botrytis rot. The Nekia soil (shallow, rocky volcanic basalt) provides appropriate stress to the plants, resulting in sparse canopies and loose clusters with small berries and thick skins. The wines display exceptional depth and complexity of structure and fruit, with freshness and compact intensity.
The Wine
Jessie James Pinot Noir
AVA: Eola-Amity Hills
Elevation, Aspect: 675 ft, East-facing slope
Soil: Nekia (rocky volcanic basalt, shallow topsoil)
Vine Age: Planted 1996
Clonal Selection: Wadenswil & Pommard & Dijon 113/114/115
Farming: Dry-Farmed, Organic management