Several vintages have passed since we last offered Evesham Wood’s stunning “Le Puit Sec,” and we’re sorry for keeping it from you all this time! As Pinot Noir lovers know well, this small Willamette Valley label has become something of a fixture here on SommSelect—because it epitomizes everything one could possibly hope for in a classic region.
Every single-vineyard Pinot Noir they bottle, and subsequently every one we offer, is a smashing success, and for good reason: Their purity, spot-on terroir expression, and mesmerizing elegance is tantamount to the absolute greats of Burgundy. Evesham Wood’s long-lived “Le Puits Sec” comes from an organic, dry-farmed, ‘own-rooted’ site, which further cements my belief there are few places (and producers) that can rival the price-to-quality radiating from Oregon. So, of course we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to dole out a small allocation of their newest “Le Puits Sec” in the record-books vintage of 2016—a pitch-perfect growing year that
Wine Spectator summarized in one headline: “Oregon Strikes Gold with 2016 Pinot Noirs.” It’s unequivocally true, and with legend-in-the-making Erin Nuccio at the winemaking helm, this is the one of the smartest ways to spend your wine buck.
This should come as no surprise to those of you who’ve enjoyed the many excellent wines we’ve offered from Evesham Wood (and Haden Fig, for that matter). Erin Nuccio’s rapid rise through the wine ranks has been documented here: He started his career in wine at a retail shop in Washington, DC; moved west with his wife to attend enology school and apprentice at wineries; then landed a job with Evesham Wood founder Russ Raney, whose vineyard, first planted in 1986, was (and is) a model of sustainability—it was certified organic way back in 2000. Over the years, Nuccio became winemaker at Evesham Wood while also launching Haden Fig (a SommSelect’s subscriber favorite), and in 2010, Nuccio and his wife, Jordan, purchased Evesham Wood outright. In addition to bottling wines from Evesham Wood’s jewel-box estate vineyard, “Le Puits Sec” (“The Dry Well”), Nuccio continues the Raney tradition of crafting single-vineyard bottlings from sustainably farmed sites across the Willamette Valley.
Russ and Mary Raney first cultivated the treasured Le Puits Sec vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills back in 1986. The complex soils, rich in volcanic basalt, coupled with the east-facing slopes of 300-plus-feet elevation of this advantageously situated vineyard, offer the perfect site for world-class Pinot Noir. Russ and Mary embraced organic viticulture early on along with the traditional, minimal interference techniques of Burgundy. They do not irrigate their prized “old vines;” instead they dry farm in an effort to allow their vines to dig deep in the earth for nutrients, which further concentrates the fruit. Back in 2010, Russ and Mary finally retired and sold their estate to Erin and Jordan Nuccio, who have soaked their knowledge up like a sponge and have worked to maintain the Raney’s classic way of doing things through Certified Organic viticulture and minimal intervention. With the passion and dedication of their predecessors to fuel them, Erin and Jordan strive to maintain the consistency of quality on the estate in the same manner that Russ and Mary did by successfully allowing the vineyard speak for itself. With a long fermentation and 18 months of aging in French oak (15% new), the result is a refined Pinot Noir that captures the charming qualities of Burgundy.
Evesham Wood’s 2016 “Le Puits Sec” Pinot Noir reveals a dense ruby core moving out to a distinguished magenta-pink rim. You can immediately sense the wine’s power and elegance, but to fully understand the sheer aromatics at play here, it needs a bit of air. After 30-60 minutes in a decanter, this Pinot Noir bursts with muddled black cherries, black raspberries, wild strawberries, tangerine blossoms, rose petals and stems, violets, forest floor, and baking spices, alongside other classic Burgundian notes of orange peel, tea leaf, wet moss, and crushed stones. This is neither light nor heavy, but there is a serious concentration to the fruit and earth that accompanies the medium-bodied palate. It’s perfectly balanced with crunchy tannins that push their way to the fore, as well as a wonderfully refreshing presence of acidity. It all culminates with textural earthiness and light touches of wild berries and herbs. Simply stated, it’s a master class on high-end Oregon Pinot and a sure-fire alternative to the pricey Premier Crus of Côte de Nuits. Serve in large Burgundy stems just above cellar temperature and take your time enjoying a bottle. As for your remainders? Hide them away in a dark, cool place and they’ll provide 10+ years of wonderful drinking. Match it alongside the attached balsamic cherry-glazed salmon recipe if you’re looking for smiles across the board. Cheers!
