Ayoub

As we draw near to the end of another fantastic Oregon Wine Month, we bring you one of the Pacific Northwest’s top boutique producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Mo Ayoub planted his namesake vineyard in 2001. Mo began producing wines in 2004 and has wonderful earthy terroir in each bottle. Mo works with one of the great winemaking talents in Oregon, consulting winemaker Robert Brittan. I’ve been enamored by Robert’s wines for years and his very special vineyard. Ayoub has a spectacular Pinot Noir sourced from the Brittan Vineyard that embodies that wonderful stony character that you see in the Brittan portfolio.

I am consistently amazed by the overall quality of this lineup and the wines from 2017 are no exception. The 2017 Ayoub Vineyards Chardonnay (WWB, 93) is a brilliant new Chardonnay that has an unctuous character and wonderful brightness. This brilliant wine can cellar for a decade or more. Even better was the 2017 Ayoub Vineyards ‘Brittan Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 94) which has the wonderful stony terroir mixed in with the vibrant sense of minerality and ripe red fruit flavors. Learn more about the beautiful Ayoub wines at https://www.ayoubwines.com Here are the great wines by Ayoub.

2017 Ayoub Chardonnay- Superstar winemaker Mo Ayoub crafts some incredible Chardonnay and this new edition is amongst the best that I have sampled from this great Oregon winery. The nose is simply gorgeous with bright green melon and lemon oil tones that fill the glass. The palate shows off an exotic appeal with the rich, almost unctuous mouthfeel. Silky smooth throughout the Chardonnay unveils bright starfruit, cantaloupe and green apple flavors with lemon cream and mineral accents. Outstanding in its youth, this will evolve well over the next decade or more. Drink 2019-2032- 93

2017 Ayoub ‘Memoirs’ Pinot Noir- The 2017 ‘Memoirs’ Pinot Noir features a photo of winemaker and proprietor Mo Ayoub’s parents back in the 1970s. Sourced from a host of vineyards in the Willamette Valley, the 2017 ‘Memoirs’ opens to bright bing cherry with raspberry cordial and Mandarin orange zest alongside some lighter peat moss tones on the nose. The texture is silky smooth and truly entices once on the mid-palate. Exotic spices alongside copious red and dark fruits all mingle with minerals and earthy undertones. While beautiful in its youth, this still has a decade or more to go. Drink 2019-2032- 93

2017 Ayoub ‘Anonimo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Dundee Hills, this is the second release of the ‘Anonimo Vineyard’ Pinot Noir. A small percentage (18%) of this wine underwent whole cluster fermentation. On the nose this takes on dark cherry compote with shades of potpourri, teaberry, and wild mushroom that all collide in the glass. The palate is round and generous, evoking rich red fruits that connect with the citrus zest and earthy accents. While a delight to savor in its youth, this will evolve well for a decade or more. Drink 2019-2032- 93

2017 Ayoub ‘??? Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘??? Vineyard’ as it suggests, is a secret site only known to Mo Ayoub. My guess from the aromatic and flavor profiles is this does not come from the Dundee Hills. A whiff of salinity glides through this wine that shows brilliant red fruits that mingle with forest floor, more specifically pine accents on this expressive nose. The palate has tremendous verve and freshness as this wine displays intense red fruit flavors that glides across and lead to an exceedingly long, cherry cream and mineral-driven finish. While the range is excellent, the sense of balance absolutely exudes class. Enjoy this fantastic bottling over the next ten plus years. Drink 2019-2032- 94

2017 Ayoub ‘Brittan Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- One of the great vineyards of the Willamette Valley, I have been enamored by the stony terroir of the Brittan Vineyard for quite some time. The 2017 ‘Brittan Vineyard’ Pinot Noir opens with an intense bouquet of white truffle alongside wet stone and shades of cran-orange that all build on this expressive nose. The palate shows a vibrant sense of minerality, as the lip-smacking acidity truly entices once on the mouth. Shades of blood orange rind, cigar ash, cran-pomegrnate and a lovely wet stone character all impress on the palate. This beautiful wine has at least a decade ahead of it. Drink 2019-2032- 94

2017 Ayoub ‘Estate Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2017 ‘Estate Vineyard’ by Ayoub is a show-stopping Pinot Noir that marvelously showcases this special vineyard in the Willamette Valley. The aromatic range is seriously good from the citrus zest to pomegranate seed to bright bing cherry and red raspberry to shades of rose water that all build in the glass. The silky smooth texture impresses once on the mouth. Black and red fruits dance with minerals, orange zest and damp earthy tones on the palate. Seductive, yet wonderfully poised, this sensational new wine will cellar well for the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2019-2032- 94