An urban Oregon winery, Boedecker dates back to 2003 with its founding by Athena Pappas and Stewart Boedecker. Stewart began making wine in 1992 while at Cornell University. In Oregon, he later volunteered in exchange for knowledge at several well-established Oregon wineries, enrolled in wine-making classes at UC Davis and Chemeketa CC and eventually founded Boedecker Cellars with Athena in 2003. Athena is a native Portlander who also studied wine-making at UC Davis and Chemeketa CC.
The new wines that I tasted came from the 2017 vintage which was a touch cooler than 2015, 2016 and 2018. The wines all showed good finesse. I loved the 2017 Boedecker ‘Stewart’ Pinot Noir (OB, 91) which was sourced from a host of outstanding vineyards in the Willamette Valley. Learn more about this great winery at boedeckercellars.com and here are my reviews of the new Boedecker wines.
2017 Boedecker Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2017 Boedecker Cellars ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir shows off a soft mouthfeel with straightforward red cherry, red raspberry and damp earthy tones on the palate. Forward and juicy, enjoy in the short-term. Drink 2022-2028- 90
2017 Boedecker Cellars ‘Stewart’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Cherry Hill, Finnigan Hill, Hirschy, Shea and Stoller Vineyards, this 2017 Pinot Noir underwent 40% whole cluster fermentation. Red raspberry and pomegranate seed flavors mingle well with a soft mouthfeel and good sense of verve, with salty undertones. Enjoy this beautiful new Pinot Noir over the next decade. Drink 2022-2032- 91