2022 Patricia Green "Reserve" Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

ABOUT THIS WINE

The Reserve, as always, is a great place to begin the discussion of any vintage of Patricia Green’s. Traditionally they have pulled the majority of this wine from good, but not necessarily great, vineyard sites. In some ways this wine, and the thought behind it, was modeled after Bourgogne Rouge which generally comes from non-classified vineyards that produce less amazing if still nice fruit.

There is also a bit more use of new barrels on this wine if for no other reason than that these wines were more than capable of handling that sort of structural and flavor component without it intruding aggressively into the nature of the wine. There will, of course, be some spice and barrel tannin, but this wine has way more than enough guts and stuffing to handle the 33% new barrel with 51% of the barrels being completely neutral there is a balancing yin to the yang.

ABOUT THIS PRODUCER

Patty Green and Jim Anderson started Patricia Green Cellars in 2000 after walking away from a very successful winery that they had built up since its inception in 1993. As karma would have it they were offered the opportunity, out of almost nowhere, to purchase a winery and vineyard that were located in the area that would become to be known as the Ribbon Ridge AVA. The winery was built on the idea that there were great vineyards in Oregon that could produce uniquely excellent wines if people dedicated themselves to the farming and winemaking necessary to do so. Over many vintages that ideal expanded as experience was gained, the winery grew and the sophistication of the vision adapted to the times. In 2017 Patty passed away. The winery has carried on both in her name and as a tribute to her as a person and an important historical figure in Oregon’s history.

From the producer: "All of our vineyards are either organically or sustainably farmed to produce textures, aromatics and flavors that are specific to the site from which they are born. It is foremost about making the best wines possible, but also about investing in, honoring and keeping alive the history of Oregon’s great, heritage vineyards."