Today we share one of the historic estates in Oregon that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. It is just remarkable that this Chehalem Mountain estate was founded back in 1971. Visionary David Adelsheim had previously worked in Beaune as well as The Eyrie Vineyards before starting his own winery in Oregon. Having spent time in Burgundy, he saw the potential for producing Pinot Noir in Oregon. Today Adelsheim now owns nearly 200 acres of land, with 180 acres of vineyards as they produce a brilliant range of wines — from Rose to stony Pinot Noir. Vineyard sites range from high elevation to low elevation, as well as volcanic and sedimentary soils.
I’ve had the chance to visit with their talented head winemaker, Gina Hennen, several times, who has been at the Adelsheim helm for more than ten years. Gina previously worked as semiconductor engineer for seven years in both Oregon and Dublin, Ireland. A former graduate of Reed College, Gina knew that her roots were in the Pacific Northwest and found her calling in winemaking.
I adored the new wines and was very impressed with her 2019 Adelshieim ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay (OB, 91) which is downright awesome stuff for the price. Even better is the rich and viscous 2017 Adelsheim ‘Staking Claim’ Chardonnay (OB, 93). I was really impressed by her 2018 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is very pretty with its ripe red fruits and earthy tones. Learn more about these beautiful new releases at http://www.adelsheim.com Here are the excellent new release wines by Adelsheim.
2019 Adelsheim ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay- Right away a whiff of nectarine peel with baking spices entices as sourdough bread undertones add to the intrigue. The palate is soft and fresh with good density and finesse. Layers of lemon zest and French bread combine with nutty undertones on the palate. Drink 2021-2026- 91
2018 Adelshiem ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, this site is the largest of Adelsheim’s estate vineyards. Ripe apricot tones mingle with starfruit and suggestions of peat moss and salted almond on the nose. The palate is plenty of finesse and weight with Meyer lemon zest dusted sourdough bread and plenty of salty and savory tones with excellent length. Glorious now, this has another eight to ten years of life ahead of it. Drink 2021-2029- 92
2018 Adelsheim ‘Staking Claim’ Chardonnay- Sourced from the Chehalem Mountains AVA, the 2018 ‘Staking Claim’ shows intense honeysuckle notes aromatically with ginger, baking spices and suggestions of Japanese pear. The palate is soft and refined with good length and viscosity. Layers of ripe citrus fruits collide with salted pear, minerals and smoky undertones. This is highly refined stuff that has another ten years to go. Drink 2021-2033- 93
2019 Adelsheim ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir is a beautiful effort from this storied estate. Once on the nose this takes on layers of tart red fruits and citrus rind undertones alongside smoky and salty accents. The palate is soft, displaying lighter to medium-bodied red cherry and pomegranate seed flavors alongside shades of blood orange zest and salty tilled soils. While obviously not a dense wine, this has gobs of finesse and shows really good value in what was a for many a challenging vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir.Drink 2021-2027- 91
2018 Adelsheim ‘Calkins Lane Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Calkins Lane Vineyard’ Pinot Noir was aged in 31% new French oak barrels for ten months before bottling in August 2019. The wine is comprised of mostly Dijon clones 667 and 115 with a touch of clone 777. Rich dark fruits and exotic spices mark the nose alongside shades of Shitake mushroom and pine needles. The palate is dense and plush with great tension and flavor density. Ripe dark fruits collide with red currants, orange rind and earthy undertones. Very refined even at the three year mark, this has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2038- 93
2018 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a fantastic new effort that collects momentum with its combination of weight and verve. Showing a much more red fruit profile than the ‘Calkins Lane’ bottling, the wine unveils salty red fruits alongside kumquat zest, smoke and shades of cardamom on the palate. This is really elegant Pinot Noir that beautifully showcases the AVA. Drink 2021-2038- 93
2016 Adelsheim ‘Breaking Ground’ Pinot Noir- Considerably older than the other single vineyard Pinot Noirs, this 2016 bottling was aged for only eleven months in 29% French oak barrels but has seen extensive time in the bottle. Sourced from a range of soil types, the wine shows off pretty red florals and red currants alongside peat moss and wild mushroom accents on the nose. The palate is beautifully textured with a great combination of red and dark fruits. The impressive length really adds to the enjoyment here. Drink 2021-2038- 94
