Placeholder Image

Authentique, “The Corridor” Pinot Noir

Oregon, United States 2016 (750mL)
$38.00
/
Your cart is empty.
  • In stock, ready to ship
  • Inventory on the way
Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Authentique, “The Corridor” Pinot Noir

Though we’d love to take the credit for introducing the world to Authentique, there were many prominent names that beat us to the punch: Food & Wine proclaimed “... it won’t be long before Authentique joins the ‘cult’ category of brilliant wines from Oregon,” and other publications, like Forbes and Wine & Spirits, have rejoiced in these stunning, but still somehow ‘underground,’ Pinot Noirs. Authentique is one of the names you rattle off when you want heads to turn with intrigue. France and Italy are full of these inconspicuous yet hard-to-obtain labels—turns out, Oregon is too! 
The man behind Authentique, Nicholas Keeler, has become a sensation almost overnight, and the little he does produce is largely absorbed by those on his restricted mailing list. Thankfully, some of it manages to slip through the cracks and that’s why we’ve been able to offer two of his wines in the past. Today, we’ve got a remarkable one for you: Though this isn’t his estate-vineyard bottling, “The Corridor” (as in the Van Duzer) isn’t lacking for anything. Coming from three scrupulously sourced, sustainably farmed vineyards within Eola-Amity Hills, it’s a refined Pinot Noir that exudes breathtaking fragrance, vividly textured fruit, and savory minerality. Maybe we’re spoiled, but top vineyard sites, Burgundian-style winemaking, and the best French oak is what we’ve come to expect from Authentique’s brilliant wines. From Oregon to your door, today’s affordable beauty is yet another cellar-direct offer with perfect provenance. Have at it!
Nicholas Keeler is the son of Craig and Gabriele Keeler, who run their own Keeler Estate Vineyard. At the time of their purchase in 1990, this forgotten land was occupied with wild berries and undergrowth, so Craig and Gabriele began a multi-year process of vineyard conversion. Today, it is a fully-functioning ecosystem, a biodynamic sanctuary filled with wildlife, streams, ponds, and woodland. The flagship label for Nicholas’ own brand (Authentique) is sourced from here, but he also produces a range of small-batch wines from various sites throughout the valley, like today’s “The Corridor,” which is sourced from three vineyards within the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. He currently uses his parents’ winery for production, aging, and storage. 

The three sites in today’s wine all enjoy two of the hallmarks that make Eola-Amity Hills so enviable: the cooling maritime breeze that flows through the Van Duzer corridor and its ancient soils. Stepping into vineyard territory here is a massive leap into the ancient past. For 35 million years, this served as the Pacific Ocean’s placemat and when the land finally came up for air, it was rich in volcanic and marine sediment.

Hand harvesting across all sites was carried out in October of 2016 and, according to Nick himself, the grapes were “just-ripe.” After one week of cold soaking (to gain color and complexity), an all-natural fermentation occurred in several oak and stainless steel uprights, with up to 50% whole clusters retained. The wine was then transferred into a number of (30% new) oak vessels: tightly grained French oak; 500-liter puncheons; and 600-liter demi-muids. Nick may be a jack of all trades, but having worked for cooperage Tonnellerie Allary for 12 years and running, he's also the king of high-end French barrels. 

Sixteen months of undisturbed maturation in various French oak vessels, no fining upon bottling, and an additional year of bottle age means one thing: This Oregon Pinot is on fire! It reveals a vibrantly deep ruby core with soft pink hues along the rim and blasts out mellifluous, crystal clear notes of just-cut flowers, juicy fruit, savory earth, and baking spices. Throw a basketful of spiced plums, fresh cherries, and various other wild berries into a flower/herb garden lined with crushed stones, and that’s “The Corridor” in a nutshell. Despite its infancy, this 2016 is already beautiful, showing off satisfyingly crunchy tannins and a svelte backbone of polished, ultra-refined fruit. If opening now, I recommend pulling the cork and decanting for at least 30 minutes before enjoying in Burgundy stems at 60-65 degrees. Those who are patient will be handsomely rewarded on the wine’s fifth birthday and beyond. We love these wines and cannot wait for you to share them with your eager friends—just be sure to do it with a great dish. Like any elite Pinot Noir, it wants food! You can never go wrong with a medium-rare duck breast, but the attached recipe ventures just outside the standard routine with its redcurrant and onion relish. Try it out! 
Placeholder Image
Country
United States
Region
Oregon
Sub-Region
United StatesEola-Amity Hills
Soil
Volcanic & Sedimentary
Farming
Certified Biodynamic
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.9
OAK
French Barrels, Puncheons & Demi-Muids (30% New)
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Large Burgundy Stem
Drinking
Now-2026
Decanting
30+ Minutes
Pairing
Duck w/ Redcurrant & Onion Relish

United States

Washington

Columbia Valley

Like many Washington wines, the “Columbia Valley” indication only tells part of the story: Columbia Valley covers a huge swath of Central
Washington, within which are a wide array of smaller AVAs (appellations).

Oregon

Willamette Valley

Oregon’s Willamette Valley has become an elite winegrowing zone in record time. Pioneering vintner David Lett, of The Eyrie Vineyard, planted the first Pinot Noir in the region in 1965, soon to be followed by a cadre of forward-thinking growers who (correctly) saw their wines as America’s answer to French
Burgundies. Today, the Willamette
Valley is indeed compared favorably to Burgundy, Pinot Noir’s spiritual home. And while Pinot Noir accounts for 64% of Oregon’s vineyard plantings, there are cool-climate whites that must not be missed.

California

Santa Barbara

Among the unique features of Santa Barbara County appellations like Ballard Canyon (a sub-zone of the Santa Ynez Valley AVA), is that it has a cool, Pacific-influenced climate juxtaposed with the intense luminosity of a southerly
latitude (the 34th parallel). Ballard Canyon has a more north-south orientation compared to most Santa Barbara AVAs, with soils of sandy
clay/loam and limestone.

California

Paso Robles

Situated at an elevation of 1,600 feet, it is rooted in soils of sandy loam and falls within the Highlands District of the Paso Robles AVA.

New York

North Fork

Wine growers and producers on Long Island’s North Fork have traditionally compared their terroir to that of Bordeaux and have focused on French varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Merlot.

Others We Love