Today we share the beautiful wines of TOIL and winemaker Chris Figgins. For my palate of the finest producers of Rose wines in Oregon, Toil Oregon is the brainchild of famed Leonetti winemaker Chris Figgins who planted his vineyard in the Willamette Valley nearly a decade ago. Toil Oregon started with a production of 200 cases then in 2016 Chris planted his estate vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. His first wine fully from his estate vineyard was the 2019 Rose.
These wines are getting better and better. Chris’s Rose wine is serious and beautifully textured with fantastic flavor range. I adored the new 2023 Toil Oregon Rose (OB, 93) which is one of the top Rose wines that I have tasted in the past year. Do not miss out on the 2022 Toil Oregon Pinot Noir (OB, 95) which I think is the finest edition of this wine to date. It is dense, chewy and is very concentrated with beautiful florals and underlying finesse. Learn more about this great winery at toiloregon.com Here are the brilliant new wines by Toil Oregon.
2023 TOIL Rose- The 100% Pinot Noir 2023 TOIL Rose was aged in stainless steel before bottling. A brilliant pink hue greets you, showing peat moss and bright guava fruit aromas alongside shades of pear and peach. The palate is bright and rich with copious minerals and a silky texture. The weight surprises you as this did not have any barrel contact. Rich red fruits parade with stony and earthy tones on the palate. A total stunner, don’t serve this too cold! Drink 2024-2030- 93
2022 TOIL Chardonnay- The incredible 2022 TOIL Chardonnay was stored in only 17% new French oak before bottling. It is very fresh, fragrant and viscous now at the two year mark. On the nose this takes on layers of honeysuckle, baking spice drenched pear and sourdough bread. The palate is very soft and refined, as this effortlessly glides throughout the drinking experience. Salty and savory with plenty of melon and citrus fruit flavors, this is a deep, concentrated and generous effort that is best consumed on the warmer side. This is the finest TOIL Chardonnay yet produced. Drink 2024-2035- 95
2022 TOIL Pinot Noir- The 2022 TOIL Pinot Noir was stored in only 7% new French oak barrels before bottling. Winemaker Chris Figgins calls this the ‘miracle vintage’ due to the lack of heat and damp conditions during the growing season which led to a beautiful September and October. This may be the finest Pinot Noir that Chris Figgins has yet produced. The color is a Syrah-like black. Very dark fruit-driven and brooding in its wild blackberry and black raspberry flavor profile, the stony and earthy tones, as well as smooth texture, give this a sense of opulence. Totally stunning, enjoy this heavyhitter of a wine now and over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2024-2038- 95
2022 FIGGINS Riesling- A dry, outstanding Riesling from the Walla Walla Valley, the 2023 FIGGINS Riesling was sourced from the high elevation FIGGINS Estate Vineyard. Weighing in at under 10 G/L (5.3), this delivers a fleshy texture with a fabulous sense of weight. White peach, star jasmine water and ripe cantaloupe flavors parade with copious minerals on the palate. A total joy to drink, don’t serve this too young to take in the beautiful sense of weight and verve. Drink 2024-2034- 94