It seemed appropriate to bring out the Whole Cluster Pinot Noir with Beaujolais Day ’09 still fresh in our memories. Even though the flowery cases are still stacked high in local wine stores, and the more than a few fingers of juice that remained untouched in the bottom of our Drouhin bottle eventually found its way to the kitchen sink, there is no denying that Beaujolais is an important celebration of vineyard fruit in a very pure form—free from meddling, buttering, extreme blending, and oaky shenanigans.
But, like the Great American Smokeout (which ironically shares a calendar square with Beaujolais Day), B-day lasts for 24 hours and, after mild fanfare, is forgotten—because old habits die hard, and before we know it, we’re back on the smokes and oak.
Willamette Valley Vineyards has gained serious momentum behind the Whole Cluster Pinot Noir over the last ten years. Lean, fruit-maximized and stainless steel fermented, this wine has a grace and structure that sets it apart from more emotionally hyper Gamay-based Beaujolais Nouveau wines and understandably makes it a star in Willamette’s own tasting room. [Learn about whole cluster fermentation/carbonic maceration.]
A very light red wine or a deep rosé? I say this jokingly, but an argument probably could be made for either solely on the basis of appearance. Regardless, I was delighted by the vibrant, candy-red colored body, dusty rose rim, and magnifying glass-like clarity and transparency.
An expressive, fruity structure, firm strawberry and pomegranate footing, and a slight fuzzy peachiness on the finish opened up my initial tasting notes moments after the cork was removed. I found the subtle plantain flavors (far different than the big banana costume that the Drouhin wore this year) very appealing—usually an exotic end result of the carbonic maceration fermentation process (in case you missed the first link).
Tannins and acid keep this wine grounded. This presence of structure, acid, and juicy textures—as a trio—separates the Whole Cluster dramatically from Beaujolais Nouveau wines. For such a light wine there is a nice heft in the mouth, a spicy tingle in the cheeks, and a juicy, bitable flesh that induces teeth clicking.
[Fontina, Cheddar, and Gruyère BBQ chicken flatbread with green onions.]
There is something so teachable about a wine like this—it is an exercise in true vineyard character and fruit purity. Fancy blending, assorted oak species, and years of maturity aside, Whole Cluster is accomplished with ripe grapes, a few short months, and a lot of know-how.
Enjoy!
-Rob
Disclosure: This wine was received as a sample.
Very well done write up! I’ll look forward to trying this one. Nice touch with the clarity shown through the glass.
I’ll drink to that!!
Very nice. At first I was a little offended by the carbonic macceration, but after reading about it in a positive light, I see how it could be a good thing. And people can drink it earlier without letting it age.
I’m drinking the last glass from a bottle right now! Delicious and will look for it again.
So glad you enjoyed this wine! Surprisingly, there are very few Oregonian wineries producing a whole cluster red—I think they are so classically young and delicious, and responsive right out of the gate. If you like this wine, look for the Brick House Gamay Noir—a slightly different grape, but stylistically very similar. For about $22, it’s a true gem.
Thanks for the comment!
-Rob