At Evesham-Wood, Erin Nuccio turns out some of the most lauded, and some of our favorite, Pinot Noirs in the Willamette Valley. He began working for Evesham-Wood’s original owners in the early 2000s, and was instrumental in propelling the estate to the forefront of a burgeoning scene in the cooler Eola-Amity Hills subzone. Erin started the Haden Fig label while working at Evesham, granting him the opportunity to work with fantastic sites around the Valley. In 2010, Erin wound up taking over Evesham, but he’s kept Haden Fig going all along. The reason is simple: if with Evesham-Wood, Erin seeks to express Eola-Amity, with Haden Fig he seeks to express himself.

And few viticulturalists in the Willamette – heck, in America – are as in-demand as Jessica Cortell. With her vineyard management company, she’s changed the face of Oregon grape growing, introducing regenerative practices like zero tillage and grazing animals. Despite overseeing the farming of some of the Valley’s most important sites, she still has time to farm her own vineyard, which she calls “Cortell Rose.” High elevation, organically farmed, and with heirloom pigs shepherded through for weed control, it’s one of the most distinctive terroirs in the region. We couldn’t ask for a better interpreter of it than Erin Nuccio. 

Why You’ll Love It

• Located at 600 feet in elevation, buffeted constantly by cooling Van Duzer Corridor winds, Cortell Rose vineyard is primed to offer up some of the most elegant and Burgundian stylings the Willamette can produce.

• Erin Nuccio’s winemaking has always been hands-off, emphasizing Pinot’s purity rather than its power. With Jessica’s home vineyard, he’s found the vineyard perfectly suited to his style.

• The nose is just drop-dead gorgeous – crushed red cherries, blackberries, pomegranate, cherry liqueur, orange peel, rose petal, black tea, cola spice, and mushroomy turned-earth tones, all in synchronous harmony.

• On the palate it’s succulent, juicy, medium-bodied and fleshy but with brilliant freshness and a very fine coating of tannin. It’ll be hard to keep your hands off it now, but there’s no doubt this wine will also reward up to ten years of aging. 

How To Serve It

• Serve just above cellar temp to emphasize the more lithesome refreshing qualities, around 60 degrees.

• You will definitely want a Burgundy bowl here to fully experience the gloriously heady aromatics on display.

• Best to enjoy this slowly and watch it unfurl over an evening, alongside something classic like some pan-seared duck breast and mushrooms.