Benton-Lane founders Steve and Carol Girard were longtime Pinot Noir lovers who finally decided on a 12 mile long area on the foothills of the Willamette Valley Coast Range. This is where they discovered Sunnymount Ranch, an old sheep ranch near the village of Monroe. Sunnymount Ranch had gotten its name over 100 years ago due to Prairie Peak to the west that protected the ranch from winter storms. The land sloped gently to the east so potential vines could catch the morning sun. The ranch was above the valley fog but below the windy hill tops.
The ranch is set on Jory soil, and was centered in the middle of Willamette Valley where milder weather allowed earlier ripening and more consistent high quality for grape vines. They purchased the 1,860 acre property in 1988 and planting of Pinot Noir commenced the next year. Steve and Carol’s first Benton-Lane wine was produced in 1991, which their friends and family helped consume. Benton-Lane’s first vintage was 1992 which was custom produced at another local winery. Their vineyard now has 142 acres planted to Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay and they recently have new ownership.
I recently had the chance to review their new release wines and was highly impressed. Check out their delicious 2019 Benton-Lane ‘First Class’ Chardonnay (OB, 92) which is dense and fresh with a lovely finish. Learn more about the Benton Lane story at https://benton-lane.com Here are the great new releases by Benton Lane.
2019 Benton-Lane ‘First Class’ Chardonnay- Sourced from the Benton-Lane Estate Vineyard, this was aged in 28% new French oak for ten months prior to bottling in August 2020. The resultant wine shows off a lush sense of mouthfeel, as honeydew melon and lime zest tones combine with toasty brioche and vanilla cream on the palate. Seriously good now, enjoy this generous style of Willamette Valley Chardonnay over the next ten years. Drink 2022-2032- 92
2019 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir- The 2019 Benton-Lane Pinot Noir saw 18% new French oak for ten months before bottling. Medium-bodied red fruits march on with blood orange zest and shades of forest floor on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2022-2027- 90
2019 Benton-Lane ‘First Class’ Pinot Noir- The nicely concentrated ‘First Class’ Pinot Noir saw considerably more new French oak (36%) and then another twelve months in the bottle before release. The finesse is really excellent as medium-bodied tar and cran-pomegranate tones combine with baking spices and salty undertones on the palate. This will easily cellar well for another decade. Drink 2022-2032- 91