2017 Brittan Vineyards "Gestalt Block" Pinot Noir, McMinnville, Willamette Valley, Oregon

ABOUT THIS WINE

The Gestalt Block, a two-acre parcel planted primarily to Pinot Noir selection 115, occupies the southwest flank of the estate hillside. The vines here are planted in shallow topsoil underpinned by a young, dense layer of intrusion basalt, and yield less than one ton of fruit per acre. The small, thick-skinned berries (a product of the Van Duzer winds) produce wines with a dark fruit core and pronounced phenolic intensity that showcase the essence of the vintage. The wine was aged for 12 months in French oak, 27% new.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Robert Brittan left Stags’ Leap Winery in Napa after 16 years as Winemaker and Estate Manager to fulfill his dream of making Pinot Noir and Syrah from unique sites in cooler climates. His winemaking career began in his dorm room at Oregon State University, where he was a physics and philosophy major.

Being both geeky and broke, he soon realized that alcohol was an attractant to co-eds, so he began his career in fermentation sciences in order to get a date. He ultimately completed his education at UC Davis and moved to Napa Valley, where he made wines for Far Niente, Saint Andrews and Stags’ Leap Winery.

With 45 years of experience growing grapes and making wine, he brings a significant amount of viticultural and winemaking knowledge to Brittan Vineyards. He has always had a passion for Pinot Noir, and hopes that with the fruit from the Brittan estate vineyard in the foothills of the Coastal Range, he can bring a new voice to the McMinnville AVA, and help form the style and definition of Pinot Noir from this recently designated wine growing region.

In addition to his own wines, Robert is also the winemaker for several other brands, to include: deLancellotti, Fairsing and Winderlea. As a result, Robert is now making wines from all six of the sub-AVA’s of the Willamette Valley and has learned first hand that Pinot Noir lends itself to many wonderful interpretations, depending on the soils and microclimates where it is grown.

While Robert oversees the vineyard and winemaking, Ellen Brittan manages the business operations for Brittan Vineyards. In addition, Ellen has worked as General Manager for the Carlton Winemakers’ Studio and as the Director of Wine Education at Linfield College. In order to give back to a wine community that has been so welcoming and supportive, she has also served as Chair of the Oregon Wine Board, President of the Oregon Winegrowers’ Association, and Chair of the International Pinot Noir Celebration. She currently sits on the board of Visit McMinnville and is a member of the Linfield Wine Education Advisory Council.