Today is filled with only Oregon features. We share one of the oldest estates in Oregon, dating back to 1971. Adelsheim’s roots began in the north of the Willamette Valley in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. 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 met with their talented head winemaker, Gina Hennen, several times who has been at Adelsheim for more than a decade. 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.
Her new wines were brilliant across the board. I was very impressed with her 2020 Adelsheim ‘Staking Claim’ Chardonnay (OB, 93) which is a beautiful wine made from a tough vintage. Even better is the incredible I was really impressed by her 2021 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is incredibly salty and shows a gorgeous core of very pure red fruits. Learn more about these beautiful new releases at http://www.adelsheim.com Here are the excellent new release wines by Adelsheim.
2022 Adelsheim Rose- Made entirely from Willamette Valley Pinot Noir grapes, this 2022 Rose offers red raspberry and red cherry alongside kiwi notes on the palate. Drink now while the brightness remains intact. Drink 2023-2028- 90
2021 Adelsheim ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay- A nice warm vintage value, the 2021 ‘Willamette Valley’ Chardonnay offers baked pear and apple flavors alongside bright acidity on the palate. Medium-bodied, and neatly textured, with cardamom and salty accents, enjoy now. Drink 2023-2028- 91
2020 Adelsheim ‘Staking Claim’ Chardonnay- A great wine made in a tough vintage, the 2020 ‘Staking Claim’ Chardonnay was entirely sourced from the Chehalem Mountain AVA. Beautifully textured, this comes off very clean with fresh cut lime, vanilla cream, buttered French bread and shades of banana on the palate. Don’t serve too cold to take in the outstanding range of flavors. Drink 2023-2030- 93
2021 Adelsheim ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir delivers plenty of juicy ripe pomegranate and guava fruits from this warm vintage. Layers of citrus rind and tobacco leaf add to the intrigue, as this beautiful wine is best enjoyed now and over the next few years. Drink 2023-2028- 91
2021 Adelsheim ‘Breaking Ground’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Breaking Ground’ is a tribute to the Chehalem Mountain AVA where David Adelshiem first planted back in 1978. This is a lively and delicious 2021 Pinot Noir, loaded with tart cranberry and black raspberry flavors alongside stony undertones, with hints of black truffle. Delicious and showing good range both on the nose and mouth, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2023-2033- 93
2021 Adelsheim ‘Ribbon Springs Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Ribbon Springs Vineyard is the largest of the Adelsheim estate vineyards and is set on marine sedimentary soils. This scintillating 2021 Pinot Noir comes off very pretty and wonderfully salty on the palate, yielding tart pomegranate seed and salmonberry flavors that combine with ripe strawberry and blood orange zest notes. Beautifully textured, this deep and concentrated Pinot Noir is an absolutely gorgeous effort from this warm vintage. Drink 2023-2038- 95
2021 Adelsheim ‘Laurel Leaf Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The Laurel Leaf Vineyard is neighboring Bald Peak which is the highest point in the Willamette Valley. Set on Laurelwood soils, this beautiful 2021 Pinot Noir displays plenty of stony tension once on the mouth. Sandalwood and crunchy red fruit flavors greet you alongside shades of wet stone and pink grapefruit zest on the palate. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2021 Adelsheim ‘Boulder Bluff Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2021 ‘Boulder Bluff’ Pinot Noir comes from this site that is set on a steep, southern aspect in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. This shows stony tones on the palate, with rich huckleberry and wild blackberry tones alongside shades of wet gravel. Highly enjoyable now, this will live on for another decade or more. Drink 2023-2038- 94