Evesham Wood constantly delivers one of the greatest values in the world of Pinot Noir and although we strongly encourage all newcomers and students of wine to discover why these can go 12 rounds with Burgundy’s finest village wines, we must first stress the rareness of today’s offer. Just 75 cases were produced, the equivalent of three barrels, and we have a fraction of what little remains. Meaning, take what you can now and read the rest later because there’s not nearly enough to satisfy demand. Got what you need? Let’s continue.
At this very moment, we are witnessing the evolution of Willamette Valley’s world-class terroir and the widespread adoption of Oregon Pinot Noir. Like Burgundy, elite producers here handcraft Pinots that shine with distinction, nobility, and pure finesse so what Evesham Wood accomplishes in their remarkably priced wines is truly special. And yet, today’s 2018 “Illahe Vineyard” raises the bar—again. What you’re getting in this dimension-bending value is organically farmed Pinot Noir, an outstanding single-vineyard site, unrivaled craftsmanship, and generous aging in French barrels. It’s a lot to take in for a $32 bottle of A-list wine, and it feels grossly unfair for prices to remain this low. Trust us when we say the price hike is inevitable. Until that time comes, we’ll make sure to offer these small-batch gems as often as humanly possible. Buy a case and you’ll congratulate yourself with each pull of the cork.
Erin Nuccio’s backstory is by now well-known to SommSelect subscribers: He started his career in wine retail 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, remains a model of sustainability and small-scale perfectionism. Over the years, Nuccio evolved into head winemaker at Evesham Wood while also launching another SommSelect-favorite, Haden Fig. In 2010, Nuccio and his wife Jordan purchased Evesham Wood outright. Nuccio continues the Raney tradition of crafting single-vineyard bottlings from sustainably farmed sites across the Willamette Valley, and today’s offer is a perfect example of why his wines are among the finest domestic Pinot Noir values around.
Just west of Salem, the “Illahe” Vineyard is a sprawling, south-facing slope planted to roughly 50 acres of Pinot Noir. The site as a whole is generally regarded as a warm area by Willamette Valley standards, although it does take advantage of cooling winds funneled from the Pacific through the Van Duzer Corridor. The soils are a mix of marine sedimentary types with patches of volcanic “jory,” and elevations ranging from 250-440 feet. It’s a gently rising slope with a full-south aspect, so it tends to bud and flower earlier than most vineyards in the region. Even in warm vintages, Nuccio remains true to form (without utilizing irrigation) by harvesting meticulously at precise times and coaxing out finesse and balance in the winery.
With the passion and dedication of their predecessors to fuel them, Erin and Jordan strive to maintain consistency of quality by successfully allowing the vineyard to speak for itself and not being too involved in the winery. As with all of Evesham Wood wines, this minuscule-production, vineyard-designate wine was made entirely by hand: It’s farmed, harvested, and “punched down” (pushing the cap of skins into the juice during fermentation) manually. The wine was then funneled into French barrels, just 15% new, for 18 months of maturation. Our parcel has remained untouched since it was bottled in mid-2020.
Evesham’s Pinots are constantly flirting with perfection. Master Sommeliers, including myself, have blinded these wines Burgundy or Burgundian in style more times than I can count. This 2018 “Illahe” falls in the latter, and is nothing short of sensational: It’s bursting with ripe bramble berries, wild strawberry, juicy cranberry, and pomegranate and bolstered by finely crushed rock, forest floor, mushroom, a touch of baking spice. Its vibrant, medium-bodied palate is decidedly plush yet firm, with a long finish that melds muddled berries and savory earth. This will continue evolving over the next 5+ years, but it’s fully ready to drink now after a 30-45 minute decant. Serve this around 60 degrees in Burgundy stems and make sure you spend ample time relishing this affordable, world-class Pinot Noir. Cheers!
