One of Oregon’s outstanding producers of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, Bergström Wines was founded by John and Karen Bergström as they planted their Bergström Vineyard on a 13-acre, south-facing slope overlooking the Willamette Valley back in 1999. One of their sons, Josh Bergström, moved back to reign after completing a postgraduate program in Viticulture and Enology in Burgundy in 1999. That fall Bergström Wines harvested their first vintage of Pinot Noir from purchased fruit and the rest has been history. Josh serves as general manager, winemaker and vineyard manager at Bergström Wines, and has been rather quietly producing some of the top wines in Oregon.
2019 was not the easiest vintage to navigate with rain at harvest but I adored what Josh did with this beautiful, slightly cooler vintage. I adored his range of Chardonnays, none more so than the 2019 Bergström ‘Sigrid’ Chardonnay (OB, 95) which is deep, mineral driven and beautifully concentrated. Just as good is the scintillating. 2019 Bergström ‘Bergström Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) displaying dense red and dark fruits with plenty of nuance and a silky texture. Learn more about these sensational wines at https://www.bergstromwines.com Here are the beautiful new wine releases by Bergström.
2019 Bergström ‘Silice’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Silice’ Pinot Noir shows really good range aromatically from teaberry, allspice and cardamom tones alongside orange marmalade and hints of dusty, volcanic soils. The palate is lighter to medium-bodied with great tension and a good core of red and dark fruits, with beautiful length. Enjoy this outstanding bottling over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92
2019 Bergström‘Le Pre du Col Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The outstanding 2019 Bergström ‘Le Pre du Col Vineyard’ Chardonnay is a sensational, limited production effort, that immediately commands your attention. On the nose this shows seriously good range from toasted hazelnuts and wild mushrooms to bitter lemon and baking spice dusted sourdough bread. The palate is silky, elegant and downright seamless, effortlessly gilding throughout the drinking experience. With dazzling minerality and a long, highly gratifying finish, this gorgeous new Chardonnay will cellar well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95
2019 Bergström ‘Old Stones’ Chardonnay- The 2019 Bergström ‘Old Stones’ shows off plenty of flinty tones with lighter vanilla cream, pear and cantaloupe flavors alongside some racy acidity. Medium-bodied, this beautiful wine has another ten or more years to go in the cellar. Drink 2021-2031- 92
2019 Bergström ‘Bergström Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Big, bold and delicious, the 2019 ‘Bergström Vineyard’ Chardonnay shows a nice sense of salinity and volcanic terroir upon entry. Pretty Japanese pear, lemon curd and lemon oil dusted shortcake flavors combine with stony minerals on the palate. This finishes exceedingly long. Gratiftying to enjoy in its youth, this outstanding bottling will cellar well over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 95
2019 Bergström ‘Silice’ Chardonnay- The 2019 ‘Silice’ Chardonnay is an extraordinary wine that shows great verve and tension. Stony and mineral-driven, the wine has gobs of mouth-watering acidity and lemon oil flavors with beautiful length. This is already drinking beautifully now and will continue to evolve over the next ten to twelve years. Drink 2021-2033- 93
2019 Bergström ‘Sigrid’ Chardonnay- The ‘Sigrid’ is a barrel selection wine crafted by Josh Bergstrom which was all sourced from their estate vineyards and then aged sur lie for 18 months in French oak. The oak influence aromatically is really nice as vanilla and baking spices combine with shades of shortcake and melon with wet stone undertones. The palate is dense and rich with an oily texture. With beautiful length this outstanding bottling will cellar well for another fifteen years. This might not be the densest edition of ‘Sigrid’ but the combination of finesse, mouthfeel and range is downright stunning, Drink 2021-2036- 95
2019 Bergström ‘Silice’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Silice’ Pinot Noir shows really good range aromatically from teaberry, allspice and cardamom tones alongside orange marmalade and hints of dusty, volcanic soils. The palate is lighter to medium-bodied with great tension and a good core of red and dark fruits, with beautiful length. Enjoy this outstanding bottling over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92
2019 Bergström ‘Cumberland Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The. 2019 ‘Cumberland Reserve’ is an earthy style of Oregon Pinot Noir that is already beautifully evolved. Shitake mushroom, blackberry and forest floor flavors mingle with orange rind accents and bright acidity. Enjoy this beautiful wine over the next seven to nine years. Drink 2021-2028- 91
2019 Bergström ‘La Spirale’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘La Spirale’ means “the vortex” as this vineyard was first planted by the Redman family in 2005 and then purchased by the Bergstrom family in 2018. The nose comes off very pretty with red florals and baking spices alongside shades of orange blossom. Silky, elegant and gratifying, this shows incredible finesse and a soft mouthfeel. On the lighter side in terms of fruit flavors, this highly Burgundian bottling will provide drinking enjoyment over the next fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 94
2019 Bergström ‘Winery Block’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Winery Block’ is another beautiful expression of Oregon Pinot Noir. Fresh and focused, with bright acidity and a soft mouthfeel, you are guided through a beautiful array of strawberry, guava and red raspberry fruits, alongside stony minerals and shades of wild mushroom on the palate. Deftly balanced, this is already drinking beautifully and will continue to evolve its earthy core for another fifteen years. Drink 2021-2036- 94
2019 Bergström‘Gregory Ranch’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Gregory Ranch’ is a 21-acre estate set in foothills of the Oregon Coast Range in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. The wine needs considerable air before consuming and comes off a touch more linerar than the other single vineyard bottlings, displaying pretty red rose petals with pine needles, wild mushroom and damp earthy tones on the palate. Enjoy over the next decade, Drink 2021-2031- 92
2019 Bergström ‘Le Pre du Col Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA, the ‘Le Pre du Col Vineyard’ means the 'field on the hill' or 'the meadow on the mountain pass’ and is owned by the Hill family. The wine shows a very pretty expression of Oregon Pinot Noir with its layers if delicate red fruits. A seamless texture greets you as a dusting of white pepper and tobacco leaf nuances complete this sensational new bottling. Drink 2021-2035- 94
2019 Bergström ‘Temperance Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- This famed site located in the Eola-Amity Hills Vineyard sources fruit for many of Oregon’s top wineries. This 100 acre site is actually believed to be the caldera of an ancient volcano. A nice whiff of volcanic earth greets you, as very pretty red florals, menthol and baking spices collide on the nose. The palate shows really good viscosity and length, as this outstanding new bottling will cellar well for another fifteen years — and potentially more. Drink 2021-2038- 94
2019 Bergström ‘Bergström Vneyard’ Pinot Noir- Big and rich considering some of the challenges of the vintage, the 2019 ‘Bergström Vineyard’ is a glorious effort that is already nicely evolved at the two year mark. Sourced from this south-facing, 13 acre site located in the Dundee Hills with expansive views of the Willamette Valley. Once on the nose this takes on rich dark fruits with dried herbs, volcanic earth and shades of cardamom. Rich and nicely astringent from the sour red and dark fruit/citrus rind profile, this is already showing some earthy secondary tones. Complex, novel and delicious, the 2019 ‘Bergstrom Vineyard’ will provide drinking enjoyment over the next twenty years. Drink 2021-2038- 95