Amalie Robert Estate: Harvest Intermezzo
Hello and Welcome,
The Great Cluster Pluck Vintage 2022 is taking a brief pause. While we have most of the wine berries stewing in their own juices (aka fermenting), there are still a few things we are hanging. Most notably Ernie’s acre of Syrah and Viognier, along with a little Chardonnay.
We just had a GLORIOUS 2 weeks of cluster plucking under glass blue skies and gentle breezes. But as this graphic clearly demonstrates, we are in for a bit of a lashing. They call it a dip in the jet stream, but what it means is that we are going to get wet, cold and wet. Dog nose weather in the Pacific Northwest.
And that is actually a good thing. The first best thing about it, is that we are getting some soil moisture. Just over an inch so far in the last week, with a little more soon to follow. This helps rehydrate the wine berries, thus reducing their sugar concentration and lowering their potential alcohol levels.
The cold part of the scenario means that any late season Botrytis will be very slow to grow. Chardonnay and Botrytis seem to have a natural affinity to each other. When it starts to rain, we have about 7 to 10 days to get those clusters plucked. Much beyond that and our beautifully honey colored clusters begin to turn mauve and then they rot right before your very sorry eyes. It is not a pretty sight. But it is farming, where it may be unfortunate, but it is not uncommon.
Another tell-tale sign is The Torch at Amalie Robert Estate. Right on cue again this year, the leaves began to senesce as the wine berries were aroma and flavor ripe to be plucked from their mother vine. As we see here, there are still some leaves hanging on to Vintage 2022. As brother Bluto so clearly stated, “Nothing is over until we decide it is!”
It is certainly NOT uncommon for Ernie to hang his Syrah into November. More like de rigueur. Time on the vine brings aroma and flavor ripeness to the wine berries. Sure, most of the leaves have departed to become one with the soil, but who needs them now? Their only contribution at this point in the growing season is to help build sugar, which we already have plenty of. Ernie is hanging for fully developed cool climate Syrah aroma, flavor and texture. But if you are going to hang it out into November, you are going to need nets. The birds are here, and they simply will not be denied.
While we have this brief time together, we thought it might be worth taking the time to review the upcoming holiday menu planning from a wine point of view. Kind of a “Let your inner Sommelier run wild” sort of a thing.
If any of these wines pique your interest, please contact Dena for availability. Of course, any questions on the wines, or the agrarian experience in general, can also be directed to Dena at cuvee@amalierobert.com.
Sometimes the focus is the exemplary culinary genius of an expertly implemented multi-course menu. Other times a good meal plan well executed is better than a great meal plan that just doesn’t seem to come together the way it should have. There are wines for both scenarios. May we recommend the following wines and how they may fit into YOUR holiday plan:
Necessity is the mother of invention, and Pinot in Pink Rosé gets those creative synapses firing! A notepad and a pen along with a chilled stem of Pinot in Pink Rosé can provide all the menu planning inspiration you will need. Note: A second stem may be required, before you find yourself fully inspired.
Sometimes you have had THAT kind of day, and the world can just go pound sand. Maybe that’s just us after 20+ years of “living the dream” in the agrarian endeavor. But if you happen to find yourself at the end of your string at the end of your day, we know just the thing. The Heirloom Cameo Chardonnay is our BFC (Barrel Fermented Chardonnay). After 16 months in new French oak, it has mastered the ability to be there for you without being there ON you. And that’s nice…
Pinot Meunier takes us to our happy place! A dazzling Charcuterie board splashed with colors and textures is a great way to get the party started! Meats, cheeses, nuts, olives, pickled somethings and toasted garlic crostini. And you can eat it with your fingers!
Pinot Noir is pretty much the only wine that is not blended with another variety. Pinot Noir stands alone with complex aromas, flavors and textures. It does not require the supporting role of another variety. It does benefit from whole cluster fermentation, at least we think so.
However, blending 5 Dijon Clones of Pinot Noir together has the tendency to elevate that experience. This is the “go to” bottle for us when Ernie’s new culinary inclination is still in beta testing... and likely to remain there for some time to come.
Our Pommard and Wadenswil clone bottlings are more of a targeted affair. Dena is a Pommard kind of girl - elegant, spice and everything nice. When the time is right, Ernie is on the hunt for a whole duck to roast, served up with Delicata squash, sauteed Brussels sprouts and wild chanterelle mushrooms.
While Ernie can appreciate a fine Pommard clone bottling, he is a sucker for the Wadenswil clone. Maybe it was that wild Montana upbringing (aka misspent youth) or taking the time to learn about wine with Dena when they were transferred to Europe. These were our formative years in developing an old-world palate favoring balance, restraint and acidity. No one really knows the reason, but when lamb, or wild game is on the menu Ernie goes for the Wadenswil clone every time!
It’s not always the Pinot Noir clones that matter, sometimes it’s what you do with them that counts. Blending outside of the clonal lines allows for Pinot Noir to express more than what a single clone can offer. Think cassoulet, ossobuco or risotto. Each of these dishes incorporate a variety of flavors and textures and slowly melds them together. It is a different experience than a filet of salmon or cut of meat.
Amalie’s Cuvée is Dena’s palate in a bottle and it favors the Pommard clone. Blending begins after about 18 months in barrel. Beginning with her core barrels of Pommard, she adds some spice from the Dijon clones and horse-trades for a little Wadenswil from Ernie. Like all of our Pinot Noirs, the wine is bottled unfined and unfitered.
Ladies first, and then Ernie finds his core barrels for Estate Selection and accessorizes with a little bit of this and some of that. Dena approves the final blend. Or doesn’t, then it’s back to the blending trials. She has veto power. And knows how to use it.
And somewhere along the way, there is usually this barrel of wine or sometimes two that captivate both of us. From aromas to flavor and texture through palate weight and balance and elegance of length, it has it all in one package. It’s not just good, it’s really farming good! We mark it accordingly and continue our evaluations. If at the end of all the barrel evaluations, we both want it in our individual blends, then we do the only rational thing we can think of. We bottle it separately and call it The Reserve.
We did produce a one-off bottling of Mistletoe Ridge™ Pinot Noir for those who are interested in commemorating a milestone. Our original AVA petition was completed and submitted in 2016 with the name Mistletoe Ridge. It was promptly rejected in 2017 because Mistletoe Ridge does not exist on a map, and thereby cannot be used as an AVA name. Instead, we ended up with this word salad “Mount Pisgah, Polk County, Oregon AVA.” So, we kept the Willamette Valley AVA and used Mistletoe Ridge™ as a fanciful wine name.
Mistletoe Ridge™ Pinot Noir is a 4 barrel selection of Pommard clone Pinot Noir. We selected these barrels and made the blend specifically for the momentous occasion when our AVA would be approved. 97 cases produced.
If we may be so bold, please let us suggest our cool climate Syrah and braised beef short ribs (or lamb shanks) with cippolini onions, garlic mashed potatoes (or riced cauliflower) and braised broccolini. There are other pairings that work quite well with the cool climate texture and acidity of our Satisfaction, or Top Barrel Syrah. But this relatively simple plan is easy to execute. And they will love you for it! Especially so if you follow up with a nice little cheese board.
Kindest Regards,
Dena & Ernie