Witnessing the evolution of Willamette Valley wines over the past couple decades has been nothing short of remarkable and the recognition of delimited sub-appellations in 2005/2006 solidified their spot on the world map of Pinot Noir. One of those appellations is today’s microscopic sub-AVA. From Oregonwine.com: “Geographically, Ribbon Ridge is a 3.5-mile long by 1.75-mile wide ridge that extends from the Chehalem Mountains. The ridge rises 683 feet from the Chehalem Valley floor, giving it an island-like appearance.” Additionally, it is home to only 20 vineyards that are spread out over 500 acres and with a heavy presence of organic-minded producers, this small appellation is, undoubtedly, an Oregonian gem. 

Founded at the turn of the 21st century, the small estate of Ayres focuses almost entirely on sustainably farmed Pinot Noir and with Brad McLeroy’s six years at Domaine Drouhin Oregon, it’s no wonder his wines radiate with richness, harmony, and purity. He says “My wines will always have a soul,” and with his focus on preserving terroir (Salmon Safe certified) and cultivating grapes naturally (LIVE certified), the future of Ayres is incredibly promising. 

Out of Ribbon Ridge’s 500 acres of planted vines, Ayres owns 18 of them. For “Pioneer,” they utilize a parcel that is planted to the Dijon 667 clone—a hard-to-cultivate clone that ripens later and needs many years before high quality fruit can be produced. Therefore, their “Pioneer” parcel contains the oldest vines. The soils here are famously known as “Willakenzie”—they are  mostly marine sediments and allow for proper drainage. Ayres is a staunch believer in sustainable farming and they also have organic practices in place; since the brand’s inception, no chemicals have ever been put into the soil. After hand harvesting a severely curtailed yield, grapes arrive at their neighboring winery and are fermented on their native yeasts in small, open-topped containers. The wine is transferred into French oak of various ages—new (about 10%), once-used, and neutral—for 11 months before bottling. 

The deep ruby core of Ayres’ 2015 “Pioneer” flashes with tinges of purple, yet you won’t be focused on its brilliant color: the nose delivers breathtaking aromatics that could never be mistaken for anything other than purely crafted Pinot Noir. Ripe black cherry and kola nut leads the charge, followed by black raspberry liqueur, huckleberry,  rose petals, violet, tree fruit blossoms, forest floor, crushed rocks, a sage-rosemary infusion, licorice, black tea, and various baking spices. The palate is dense and supple—there is “oomph”—but it remains fresh and refined overall, with more than a passing resemblance to warm-vintage red Burgundy. It finish long, with a bevy of spices and savory earth that entice you to take another sip. “Pioneer” is thoroughly impressive and complex with an underlying richness that speaks to its profundity. Treat it to large Burgundian stems around 60 degrees after a brief 30-minute decant. Should you want to save a few bottles, no worries: this has 5-7 years of positive drinking ahead of it. Try it paired with with the attached lamb preparation; it’s got the guts to stand up to it!