Hundred Suns is a story by Grand Coulter and Renee Saint-Amour who left California for Oregon where Grant first worked as assistant winemaker at Hamacher wines and then spent the bulk of 10 years as assistant winemaker and then winemaker at Beaux Freres. Then in 2015 they both sold their Portland house and bought a house in the Willamette Valley to start their project, Hundred Suns. Grant became winemaker for Flaneur Wines and in 2018 they bought a 4.5 acre property in the Eola-Amity hills.
For years I have admired the wines. These wines are technically very brilliant, each showing a beginning, a middle, and and end. They tell you a story about each individual site. I was blown away with the value wine, their 2021 Hundred Suns ‘Old Eight Cut’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is a killer deal at under fifty bucks and gives you serious concentration and underlying acidity for a great price. One of the outstanding Oregon Pinot Noirs that I have sampled over the past year, the 2021 Hundred Suns ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 95) is a downright sexy wine with a brilliant core of bright red fruits and florals. Learn more about these outstanding wines at hundredsunswine.com and here are my reviews of the brilliant new Hundred Suns wines.
2021 Hundred Suns ‘Old Eight Cut’ Chardonnay- The ‘Old Eight Cut’ is a reference to a diamond cut which dates back to the 1400s. Stored in French oak, this 2021 Chardonnay offers brilliant flavor range and texture once on the mouth. Layers of Meyer lemon cream, nutmeg dusted brioche, green honeydew melon and suggestions of Japanese pear on the palate. Finishing very long with light cream and minerals, this is nothing short of world-class Chardonnay that will live on for a decade or more. Drink 2023-2035- 94
2021 Hundred Suns ‘Marianas’ Chardonnay- A barrel select wine from the 2021 vintage, the ‘Marianas’ is named after the deepest part of the ocean. Stored in French oak for 11 months and then an addition 4 months in stainless steel prior to bottling this shows off hazelnut and pie crust notes on the nose alongside suggestions of white peach. The palate is smooth and silky with amazing complexity. Nutty and flinty undertones give way to a very pretty core of citrus and melon fruits, with cardamom dusted brioche and copious minerals on the palate. Enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2019 Hundred Suns ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from this famed site located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, the beautiful 2019 ‘Shea Vineyard’ Pinot Noir opens with ripe Yakima cherry aromas alongside freshly tilled soils and cran-orange tones that all meld in the glass. The palate is plush and lithe with glorious length and weight. Enjoy this beautiful, finesse-driven wine over the next decade. Drink. 2021-2033- 94
2021 Hundred Suns ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- I am unabashedly enamored by wines from this site planted by Oregon wine legend Mike Etzel and located in the Ribbon Ridge AVA. The 2021 ‘Sequitur Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is loaded with bright underling acidity, reveling in its Bing cherry and pomegranate seed flavors alongside wet stone and a silky texture. The finish just won’t stop. Glorious now in its heady youth, enjoy this beautiful Pinot Noir over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Hundred Suns ‘Eola-Amity Hills AVA’ Pinot Noir- The brilliant 2021 Hundred Suns ‘Eola-Amity Hills AVA’ Pinot Noir comes mostly from the Big Cheese Vineyard (80%) as well as from the Koosah Vineyard with both sites having a strong Pacific Ocean influence. This is very concentrated and well-structured Pinot Noir with plenty of nuance. Wet stone and salty undercurrents combine with a gorgeous core of red fruits and baking spices. Complex and delicious, enjoy this delicious Pinot Noir now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2021 Hundred Suns ‘Carson Phillips Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- I will fully admit that this is the first that I have tasted a wine from this site which is located in the Dundee Hills AVA. This is beautiful wine that will age gracefully. Rich dark cherry and black raspberry flavors with freshly tilled salty soils all come together on the palate. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2021 Hundred Suns ‘Own Rooted’ Pinot Noir- Coming from the Bednarik, Noren and Koosah Vineyards, this delivers marvelous tension on the mouth with dazzling minerality. Rich red and dark fruits parade with wet stone, wild mushroom and tons of minerals. Complex and absolutely impossible to resist, enjoy this beauty now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2021 Hundred Suns.‘Old Eight Cut’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Old Eight Cut’ Pinot Noir is a gorgeous effort from this warmer vintage. This is concentrated and delicious Pinot Noir with a brilliant core of wild strawberry, red raspberry, salmonberry and plenty of beautiful finesse alongside red floral accents. Stony and salty, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2023-2033- 93