One of the great Oregon projects started by a Washington winemaker, Chris Figgins, of Leonetti fame, Toil Oregon was launched in 2012, starting with a little over 200 cases of Pinot Noir. Chris made wine in 2013 but never released it due to the extreme weather issues of the vintage. More recently Chris purchased more than 40 acres in the Chehalem Mountains which he will use for his future Toil bottlings. He purchased the land, set on Jory and Saum soils, after looking for the right site for roughly seven years. This is going to be a very exciting vineyard to follow in the future.
The new Toil wines by Chris are absolutely outstanding, just as they were last year. One of the best Rose releases from Oregon that I have sampled in the past year is their 2017 Toil Rose (WWB, 93) which is a stunner that has wonderful texture, mouth-watering acidity and bright red fruits. This is an effort not to be missed. Just as good is the excellent 2016 Toil Chardonnay (WWB, 93) which similarly shows off a silky texture and wonderful mouthfeel. Learn more about these outstanding new wines at http://www.toiloregon.com Here are the outstanding new wines by superstar winemaker Chris FIggins and his winery, Toil Oregon.
2017 Toil Rose- Following up the sterling 2016 Rose, the 2017 Toil Rose is another spectacular effort by superstar winemaker Chris Figgins. This shows off a beautiful orange-pink hue with rose petal, blood orange rind and a touch of honeysuckle on the nose. The mouthfeel is simply gorgeous, as the wine reveals wonderful rose water, red cherry puree, guava and cran-orange flavors. Delicate, refreshing, and downright delicious, this is up there with the best Rose wines in the northwest and is nearly impossibly to resist right now. Drink 2018-2024- 93
2016 Toil Chardonnay- Sourced from the Dupree Vineyard, this limited production wine was aged in largely neutral oak (80%) for 11 months prior to bottling. The vineyard is located towards the southern end of the Willamette Valley and is known for rather late ripening fruit. The nose impresses with a bouquet of ripe pear, nutmeg, starfruit and creme brulee. There is a good perception of mid-palate weight here, with challah bread, butterscotch and poached pear flavors that give this an exotic edge. Bursting with juicy acidity, this is going to be a long-ager. Drink 2018-2028- 93
2016 Toil Pinot Noir- The 2016 Toil Pinot Noir was aged in 32% new French oak prior to bottling. The nose is largely earthy and smoky with dark fruits coming into play. Silky smooth, with a wonderful texture, the wine reveals a good combination of red and dark fruits with forest floor elements. Seductive and delicious, the wine needs at least an hour decant prior to enjoying. Drink 2018-2028- 93