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McKinlay Vineyards, “Special Selection” Pinot Noir

Oregon, United States 2015 (750mL)
$42.00
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McKinlay Vineyards, “Special Selection” Pinot Noir

It’s no coincidence that the world’s best Pinot Noirs are made by extraordinary people. It’s a blessing and a curse that the finicky Pinot grape reveals the character of the winemaker just as much as it expresses terroir. In today’s McKinlay Pinot Noir, Matt Kinne’s light touch is the final ingredient in a recipe for undeniable greatness. His loyal following knows what the rest of the world is still learning: Matt crafts some of the most honest, irresistible, expressive Pinots in Oregon.
Every drop concentrates the rugged terroir of the Willamette Valley on a completely new level. No corners cut, no shortcuts taken. Overheads are so low that McKinlay doesn’t even have a website. All the work (except for planting) is undertaken by Matt, his wife Holly, and their second-generation winemaking son, Jake. Their style has been called “Burgundian” for its restraint and age-worthiness, but their spirit is the stuff of pure American manifest destiny. Today’s 2015 “Special Selection” is Oregon to the bone: deep, expressive fruit polished to a gleam by careful winemaking. Unfortunately, the tradeoff for doing everything by hand is there’s simply less wine to go around...but that won’t be a problem if you act fast and snag a few bottles right now. If you love Oregon Pinot as much as we do, this is an essential bottle to add to your collection.
Small as it might be, McKinlay is far from a hobby for Matt Kinne. Their tiny production size and scrupulous methods reflect a desire to do things themselves, the old-school way. He and wife Holly don’t sell off blocks of their fruit, nor do they rely on day jobs to fund their winemaking efforts. McKinlay was built slowly, thoughtfully, and honestly—it’s not an accident that their family home sits directly above the winery. The Kinne clan has lived in the Chehalem Mountain Range since the early 1900s when they dry-farmed cherries, prunes, and nuts in the foothills. Matt took a slightly different approach and replanted a portion of those crops to wine grapes in the ’80s, quietly preparing for his lifelong dream of making wine on Parrett Mountain. He apprenticed in Sonoma County under the legendary Bob Sessions at Hanzell and carried his savvy home to establish McKinlay in 1987.

Today their 35 acres are deliberately low-yielding, and the entire production is limited to a few thousand cases even in the most prolific years. Matt is a meticulous farmer: they do all the vineyard work themselves except planting. Grapes are hand-harvested by the Kinnes (and a few willing friends!) before a strict native yeast fermentation. Matt aged the 2015 in neutral oak before bottling unfined and unfiltered. The Special Selection combines barrels from all vineyard sites to create McKinlay’s most complete expression of Pinot Noir. It features old-school charm balanced by deep, juicy, crystalline fruit that’ll ground you in Oregon immediately.

The 2015 is balanced on the cusp between rustic and sophisticated. It’s a difficult equilibrium to strike, but Matt does it without effort and the wine feels joyous, easy, and organic as a result. Aromatic fireworks really start to rise after 20 minutes of decanting. Waves of pliant raspberry and musky fig give depth and juiciness while notes of sappy herb and incense contribute freshness and spice. On the palate the wine is energetic and detailed—cherry stone, licorice, and dusty minerals all take turns coming into focus. The palate becomes softer and sweeter with air, but fine tannins and creep across your tongue with persistence. Kinne never loses sight of balance, savoriness, and textural complexity. This is entering its prime drinking window, and can be opened tonight or in the next five years. I love expressive Pinot Noirs with richly-flavored fish like rainbow trout. This recipe incorporates a little sweetness with a pile of tender salt-roasted beets and a generous pour of browned butter. It’ll melt in your mouth as quickly as the wine disappears down your throat. Enjoy!
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Country
United States
Region
Oregon
Sub-Region
United StatesWillamette Valley
Soil
Volcanic
Farming
Sustainable
Blend
Pinot Noir 100%
Alcohol
13.5
OAK
Neutral French
TEMP.
60-65
Glassware
Burgundy Stems
Drinking
Now-2025+
Decanting
15-30 Minutes
Pairing
Rainbow Trout w/ Roasted Beets

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.

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