2021 Koosah Vineyard Pinot Noir
The Terroir:
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. At the very top elevation of the ava sits Koosah Vineyard‒in the Coast Salish dialect the name "koosah" means "beautiful ceiling of the sky". This "magnum opus" project of grower Kevin Chambers is without question one of the most thoughtfully planted (and riskiest) vineyards in the Willamette's history. Ripening here is patiently late and Fall rains will almost always threaten the harvest...yet that risk also offers rewards. The high elevation makes for strong diurnal shifts between cold nights and warm daytime temps with extra uv intensity. This alternation gives concentrated fruit density matched to bright acidity, with aromatics that are highly expressive. The Parrett soil (rocky volcanic basalt with shallow topsoil) provides balanced stress to the plants, resulting in sparse canopies and loose clusters, good wind and sun exposure, and ultimately small berries with thick skins‒all of which combine to give the wines structure, framing and definition. Martin Woods is one of
Recent Reviews:
98 - Jeb Dunnuck "The medium red 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard is outstanding and really in a great place, with notes of pristine ripe cherries, raspberries, preserved roses, and all the layers of the previous wines. It’s seamless on the palate, with plush, velvety tannins, clean, even acidity, and a lovely, tapered finish, which floats away ever so slowly. This is another outstanding wine from this site, which was purchased by Resonance (Jadot) in 2022. Drink it over the next 20 years."
95 - Wine Advocate "The 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard, from vines planted in 2016 at 900 feet in elevation, was matured for 14 months. The nose features wild blackberries and blueberries with nuances of blood orange, lilac, and earth. The medium-bodied palate is supple and mouthwatering, with finely grippy tannins reminiscent of steeped black tea. It has surprisingly concentrated, floral fruit and a fan of spice across the long finish. This expressive Pinot Noir, from relatively young vines, is delicious right now, yet it will age gracefully over the next decade.” September 2023
95 - Decanter "‘Koosah’ is from the Coast Salish dialect meaning ‘beautiful ceiling of the sky.’ This site, grown at 280 metres, is the highest in the AVA and planted on its own roots in rocky basalt and shallow top soils. This wine offers up effusive aromatics of alpine scrub and pine bough, followed on by cut persimmon aromatics. There is ample, fleshy blue fruit and a savoury spiced backbone to this elegantly knit Pinot Noir. Bramble berries, juicy blood orange, and plenty of signature Eola-Amity spice carry into the finish.” May 2023
93+ - Vinous "The 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard opens slowly in the glass as dusty rose, mint leaf and hints of sage give way to peppery wild berries and green olive nuances. Silky-smooth yet lifted and refined, this glides easily across the palate, slowly saturating, with tart red and blue fruits expertly lifted by fresh acidity. A sensation of liquid stones and black tea-like tannins linger along with chalky mineral tones, touches of lavender, and contrasting sweet spice. The 2021 is structured yet not aggressive, leaving an utterly harmonious sensation. It's impossible to ignore.” January 2024
Our Tasting Notes:
Red/black cherry and pomegranate fruit—floral, spice and alpine accents—fine-grain structure perfectly framing and woven into the mouth-filling palate—long and resonant finish—remarkably pleasing balance.
The Terroir:
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. At the very top elevation of the ava sits Koosah Vineyard‒in the Coast Salish dialect the name "koosah" means "beautiful ceiling of the sky". This "magnum opus" project of grower Kevin Chambers is without question one of the most thoughtfully planted (and riskiest) vineyards in the Willamette's history. Ripening here is patiently late and Fall rains will almost always threaten the harvest...yet that risk also offers rewards. The high elevation makes for strong diurnal shifts between cold nights and warm daytime temps with extra uv intensity. This alternation gives concentrated fruit density matched to bright acidity, with aromatics that are highly expressive. The Parrett soil (rocky volcanic basalt with shallow topsoil) provides balanced stress to the plants, resulting in sparse canopies and loose clusters, good wind and sun exposure, and ultimately small berries with thick skins‒all of which combine to give the wines structure, framing and definition. Martin Woods is one of
Recent Reviews:
98 - Jeb Dunnuck "The medium red 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard is outstanding and really in a great place, with notes of pristine ripe cherries, raspberries, preserved roses, and all the layers of the previous wines. It’s seamless on the palate, with plush, velvety tannins, clean, even acidity, and a lovely, tapered finish, which floats away ever so slowly. This is another outstanding wine from this site, which was purchased by Resonance (Jadot) in 2022. Drink it over the next 20 years."
95 - Wine Advocate "The 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard, from vines planted in 2016 at 900 feet in elevation, was matured for 14 months. The nose features wild blackberries and blueberries with nuances of blood orange, lilac, and earth. The medium-bodied palate is supple and mouthwatering, with finely grippy tannins reminiscent of steeped black tea. It has surprisingly concentrated, floral fruit and a fan of spice across the long finish. This expressive Pinot Noir, from relatively young vines, is delicious right now, yet it will age gracefully over the next decade.” September 2023
95 - Decanter "‘Koosah’ is from the Coast Salish dialect meaning ‘beautiful ceiling of the sky.’ This site, grown at 280 metres, is the highest in the AVA and planted on its own roots in rocky basalt and shallow top soils. This wine offers up effusive aromatics of alpine scrub and pine bough, followed on by cut persimmon aromatics. There is ample, fleshy blue fruit and a savoury spiced backbone to this elegantly knit Pinot Noir. Bramble berries, juicy blood orange, and plenty of signature Eola-Amity spice carry into the finish.” May 2023
93+ - Vinous "The 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard opens slowly in the glass as dusty rose, mint leaf and hints of sage give way to peppery wild berries and green olive nuances. Silky-smooth yet lifted and refined, this glides easily across the palate, slowly saturating, with tart red and blue fruits expertly lifted by fresh acidity. A sensation of liquid stones and black tea-like tannins linger along with chalky mineral tones, touches of lavender, and contrasting sweet spice. The 2021 is structured yet not aggressive, leaving an utterly harmonious sensation. It's impossible to ignore.” January 2024
Our Tasting Notes:
Red/black cherry and pomegranate fruit—floral, spice and alpine accents—fine-grain structure perfectly framing and woven into the mouth-filling palate—long and resonant finish—remarkably pleasing balance.
The Terroir:
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. At the very top elevation of the ava sits Koosah Vineyard‒in the Coast Salish dialect the name "koosah" means "beautiful ceiling of the sky". This "magnum opus" project of grower Kevin Chambers is without question one of the most thoughtfully planted (and riskiest) vineyards in the Willamette's history. Ripening here is patiently late and Fall rains will almost always threaten the harvest...yet that risk also offers rewards. The high elevation makes for strong diurnal shifts between cold nights and warm daytime temps with extra uv intensity. This alternation gives concentrated fruit density matched to bright acidity, with aromatics that are highly expressive. The Parrett soil (rocky volcanic basalt with shallow topsoil) provides balanced stress to the plants, resulting in sparse canopies and loose clusters, good wind and sun exposure, and ultimately small berries with thick skins‒all of which combine to give the wines structure, framing and definition. Martin Woods is one of
Recent Reviews:
98 - Jeb Dunnuck "The medium red 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard is outstanding and really in a great place, with notes of pristine ripe cherries, raspberries, preserved roses, and all the layers of the previous wines. It’s seamless on the palate, with plush, velvety tannins, clean, even acidity, and a lovely, tapered finish, which floats away ever so slowly. This is another outstanding wine from this site, which was purchased by Resonance (Jadot) in 2022. Drink it over the next 20 years."
95 - Wine Advocate "The 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard, from vines planted in 2016 at 900 feet in elevation, was matured for 14 months. The nose features wild blackberries and blueberries with nuances of blood orange, lilac, and earth. The medium-bodied palate is supple and mouthwatering, with finely grippy tannins reminiscent of steeped black tea. It has surprisingly concentrated, floral fruit and a fan of spice across the long finish. This expressive Pinot Noir, from relatively young vines, is delicious right now, yet it will age gracefully over the next decade.” September 2023
95 - Decanter "‘Koosah’ is from the Coast Salish dialect meaning ‘beautiful ceiling of the sky.’ This site, grown at 280 metres, is the highest in the AVA and planted on its own roots in rocky basalt and shallow top soils. This wine offers up effusive aromatics of alpine scrub and pine bough, followed on by cut persimmon aromatics. There is ample, fleshy blue fruit and a savoury spiced backbone to this elegantly knit Pinot Noir. Bramble berries, juicy blood orange, and plenty of signature Eola-Amity spice carry into the finish.” May 2023
93+ - Vinous "The 2021 Pinot Noir Koosah Vineyard opens slowly in the glass as dusty rose, mint leaf and hints of sage give way to peppery wild berries and green olive nuances. Silky-smooth yet lifted and refined, this glides easily across the palate, slowly saturating, with tart red and blue fruits expertly lifted by fresh acidity. A sensation of liquid stones and black tea-like tannins linger along with chalky mineral tones, touches of lavender, and contrasting sweet spice. The 2021 is structured yet not aggressive, leaving an utterly harmonious sensation. It's impossible to ignore.” January 2024
Our Tasting Notes:
Red/black cherry and pomegranate fruit—floral, spice and alpine accents—fine-grain structure perfectly framing and woven into the mouth-filling palate—long and resonant finish—remarkably pleasing balance.
