The enigmatic wines of Evesham Wood are easily among our most beloved, and best selling, bottles out of Willamette Valley for many years now. We hold these extraordinary Pinot Noirs in such high regard because they are (1) profound case studies on Willamette Valley’s hallowed terroir and (2) powerful persuasion pieces for those who have long been embroiled in the Oregon vs. France debate. We’ve featured their excellent “entry level” estate wines frequently, but it’s been a while since we delved into their top tier single vineyards. At the peak of that stellar lineup is “Le Puits Sec,” a limited production wine from one of Erin Nuccio’s most beloved parcels of vines that we believe exists as one of the world’s great Pinot values. True, it’s not the cheapest Oregon Pinot Noir out there, but when you compare it (rightly so) to top Premier Crus in Burgundy the value proposition is immense. Did I mention that it’s limited? Don’t wait to pounce!
Of course, all of that 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, Nuccio became winemaker at Evesham Wood while also launching Haden Fig (another SommSelect favorite), and in 2010, Nuccio 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 soils, rich in volcanic basalt, 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 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 several hot, and even wildfire smoke ravaged vintages in the Willamette Valley, 2022 brought a different challenge with very cold temperatures, March snow, and frost during bud break. This drastically reduced yields, but what grapes survived had amazing balance–concentrated yet perfectly balanced by structure and bright acidity. The result is a complex and refined Pinot Noir that captures the charming allure of Burgundy, but with clear Oregon charm. Give this beauty a nice decant and with time the wine will unwind with gorgeous, high-toned notes of goji berry, wild raspberry, red cherry, spiced plum, pu-erh tea, damp earth, and soft oak spice. Lifted acidity hums across the medium-bodied, red-fruited palate and ultra-fine-grained tannins allow the wine to glide into a gloriously long finish. It’s a paragon of high-end Oregon Pinot and an indomitable alternative to the much-pricier Premier Crus of Côte de Nuits. Enjoy now and over the next 10 years.
