First, it was Ayres’ luxurious 2015 “Pioneer” and now it’s Evesham Wood’s transcendent 2015 “Les Puits Sec.” I know what I love—choice bottlings of perfumed, properly aged Pinot Noir—but even I don’t have enough vinous conviction, enterprise, or certitude to call a favorite here. Nor would I even want to: Today is all about showcasing two evolving, top-of-the-line 2015 Pinot Noirs as grown in the Willamette Valley micro-climates of Ribbon Ridge (marine sediment) and Eola-Amity Hills (volcanic basalt). Right now, we’re focused on the latter, and if you’re wondering why we selected a small library release from Evesham Wood, the answer is simple:

It’s a profound, cellar-worthy case study on Eola’s hallowed terroir and a powerful persuasion piece for those embroiled in the Oregon vs. Burgundy argument. Furthermore, “Le Puits Sec” is the highly limited peak of Evesham’s stellar lineup. It comes from their organic, dry-farmed, own-rooted estate vineyard, and it’s aged for 18 months in fine-grained French oak. If you’re a Burgundy aficionado, pay close attention: This is a Pinot of exceptional purity, filigreed terroir expression, and mesmerizing elegance that’s tantamount to the ludicrously priced legends of Côte de Nuits. It’ll age right alongside them, too, as this 2015 back-vintage release is beginning to prove. Because everyone around here goes wild for this darling label, we’re increasing the max to 12 bottles. Best of luck, these never survive long!

This should come as no surprise to those of you who’ve enjoyed the many excellent wines we’ve offered from Evesham Wood. Erin Nuccio’s rapid rise through the wine ranks has been documented here: He started his career in wine at a retail shop in 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, serves as a model of sustainability: it’s been Certified Organic since 2000! Over the years, Erin became winemaker at Evesham Wood while also launching Haden Fig, and in 2010, he 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, basalt-rich Jory and Nekia soils, coupled with east-facing slopes of 300+-feet elevation, offer the perfect site for world-class Pinot Noir. Russ and Mary embraced organic viticulture early on along with minimal intervention. They do not irrigate their prized old vines. Instead, they dry farm in an effort to allow their vines to “fight” and dig deep in the earth for nutrients, which further concentrates the fruit. With the passion and dedication of their predecessors to fuel them, Erin and Jordan strive to maintain a consistency of quality by allowing the vineyard to speak for itself. 

After a manual harvest and sort in September of 2015, the fruit underwent a three-week fermentation that consisted of a consistent pump-over and punch-down regimen. The wine was then transferred into French barrels, approximately 10% new, for 18 months of undisturbed aging before an unfiltered bottling. This parcel then continued resting and evolving in Evesham Wood’s care for 4.5 years. It only just left two weeks ago. The wine spills into a large Burgundy stem with a deep ruby core moving to flashes of magenta and returns just-ripened aromas of red cherry, cranberry, wet strawberry, and crushed red plum. There is beautifully delineated soil character here in the form of damp moss, rose, forest floor, and mushroom with a kiss of oak spice. The medium-bodied palate is graceful and supple with complex, spice-accented layers that continue evolving over the course of three hours. Enjoy now and over the next 7-10 years!