2014 Lewis Rogers Lane Pinot Noir - Ayres Vineyard

Rich dark cherry, fallen pine cone, pomegranate reduction. Tart marionberry, candied violet, fresh raspberry puree. Morel mushroom and tree bark, vanilla powder and sea salt. Sweet strawberry, cranberry compote, and huckleberry preserve lead a deep and surprisingly dark-fruited attack offset subtly by fragrant natural tones of spruce and forest floor. Iris, chocolate orange, and cola converge with nutmeg and holiday spice to complement just a tinge of decadence that contrasts pleasantly against black olive and lightly savory notes. Sandy loam and dried seafloor impart impressions of soil that play well into the pretty, poised, and polished profile. While still quite young, primary, and driven largely by its fruit there is plenty palate weight to balance out ample structure. Nicely tart and dry sitting squarely at medium in body with elevated levels of both tannin and acidity. This 2014 Lewis Rogers Lane Pinot Noir by Ayres Vineyard is a layered and complex archetypal Ribbon Ridge red.

Located near the northwestern edge of Oregon's Willamette Valley just outside of Portland, Ribbon Ridge is a unique highly delineated subappellation that is putting out a slew of absolutely incredible wine. This bottling, crafted by Ayres Vineyard using Pinot Noir sourced from their estate in Ribbon Ridge, is an excellent example of the character of this small but interesting region. This wine exudes Ribbon Ridge's typical dark yet elegant fruit profile along with intriguing natural essences and even a bit of salinity from the area's marine sedimentary soils. At 6 years old it is barely starting to reveal delicate tertiary components thus promising many years of graceful improvement in the cellar. This is an excellent wine that precisely defines the delicious personality of Ribbon Ridge.