Juicy wild raspberry, rose hips, tart pomegranate. Barely-ripe strawberry, pine needle, foraged blueberry. A vibrant medley of huckleberry, red currant, and sour cherry highlights a crunchy and fresh-fruited core lovingly complicated by wildflowers, cardamom, and white sage. Clean natural tones of poppies and evergreen advance the bright and juicy display while playfully enhanced by cinnamon and just a pinch of spice. Notes of iron and red earth manifest beneath the jovial and lighthearted attack revealing subtle glimmers of earth that do not detract from exceptionally pure and primary fruit. Straightforward, youthful, and expressive on the palate while remaining nicely restrained; exhibiting a sense of lovable and carefree drinkability that marries classic sensibility with a touch of contemporary flair. Medium in body with moderate tannin and well balanced acidity. This 2017 Bjornson Vineyard Gamay by Failla Wines Oregon is a unique, refreshing, and delicious Beaujolais-inspired red from the Eola-Amity Hills.

Although its latitude is frequently compared to France's legendary Burgundy wine region, Oregon's Willamette Valley in all actuality is directly equivalent in latitude to the more southerly French vineyards of Beaujolais and the northern Rhone. This bottling, crafted by Failla Wines Oregon using Gamay sourced from the Bjornson Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills sub-appellation of the Willamette Valley, proves that the under-appreciated Gamay grape of Beaujolais absolutely deserves a place alongside Pinot Noir in Oregon's finest vineyards. As soon as the cork is popped this wine immediately burst from the glass in an explosion of tart, vibrant, and crunchy berry fruit backed by clean forest tones and delicate spice. While it might not have the same ethereal aromatics of Pinot Noir it makes up for it with sheer enthusiastic verve; presenting itself with such wonderful honesty and authenticity that it is practically impossible not to love. It is no secret that Cru Beaujolais has experienced a surge in popularity in recent years and Oregon Gamay has proven it can absolutely compete.