Today we share all things Willamette Valley Riesling. Brooks producers some of the finest New World Riesling that can rival some of the greats out of Germany. One of the finest producers of Riesling in Oregon, Brooks was founded by Jimi Brooks, a Portland native who came to wine through his passion for history and philosophy. Jimi previously worked in Beaujolais, and eventually returned to Oregon to focus on crafting great Riesling and Pinot Noir. Brooks farms twenty acres in the Eola-Amity Hills, a sub-region of the Willamette Valley characterized by higher altitudes and the ocean winds that blow through the Van Duzer Corridor. Head winemaker Claire Jarreau took over for Chris Williams in 2024. Jarreau has been with Brooks since 2014. I loved the new wines and they make a truly novel 2019 Brooks ‘Extended Tirage’ Riesling Sparkling Wine (OB, 93) which is rich and viscous with great tension and salty nuances. Check out the new 2023 Brooks ‘Ara’ Riesling (OB, 94) which is one of the great rReslings I have tasted from the Pacific Northwest in the past year. Learn about this fantastic new lineup at https://www.brookswine.com/ Here are the outstanding new wines by Brooks.
2019 Brooks ‘Extended Tirage’ Sparkling Riesling- Coming rom this slightly cooler vintage, the 2019 ‘Extended Tirage’ Sparkling Riesling is a truly one of a kind wine that could only come from Oregon. Barrel fermented for 54 months before disgorgement, this stands golden in the glass, offering white tea and star jasmine aromatics that combine with ripe pear, honeydew melon and nutty accents. The palate is concentrated and very refined with serious weight and salinity, alongside loads of citrus and melon fruits. This is the real deal and the finest edition of this wine that I have tasted yet. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2024 Brooks ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Blanc- The 2024 ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Blanc offers a fleshy texture and smooth sense of mouthfeel, with peaches and nectarines alongside bright pear and nutty accents on the palate. Silky and elegant, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2024 Brooks ‘Amycas’ White Wine- The 2024 ‘Amycas’ is a kitchen sink blend of mainly Riesling and Muscat, as well as Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc. This is fresh and lithe stuff with a gorgeous mouthfeel and loads of citrus and melon fruits. Drink 2025-2031- 91
2023 Brooks ‘Willamette Valley’ Riesling- A seriously good wine at the entry level, the 2023 ‘Willamette Valley’ Riesling offers baked pear and lychee notes alongside hints of kerosene. Neatly-textured, and made in the Trocken style, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 91
2023 Brooks ‘Orchard Fold Vineyard’ Riesling- The 2023 ‘Orchard Fold Vineyard’ comes off with a kiss of sweetness and is from this site planted back in 2007. Star jasmine water and Japanese pear flavors combine with shades of papaya on the palate. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2023 Brooks ‘Hyland Vineyard’ Riesling- Coming from this site planted on Jory soils, the 2023 Brooks ‘Hyland Vineyard’ Riesling is made in the Kabinette to Spatlase style. Dense peaches and juicy kiwi flavors combine with shades of white rose water on the palate.This is seriously good stuff, with loads of body and tension. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2023 Brooks ‘Bois Joli Vineyard’ Riesling- The 2023 ‘Bois Joli’ Riesling comes from this location set on Willakenzie soils. Refreshing and neatly-textured, this offers loads of nectarine and pineapple flavors on the palate, with petrol and stony accents. Impossible to put down once opened, enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2023 Brooks ‘Lone Star Vineyard’ Riesling- The 2023 ‘Lone Star Vineyard’ comes from this location in the Eola-Amity Hills that is set on ancient volcanic soils. Green apple, green papaya and shades of sour mango all combine on the palate, with flinty accents. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2023 Brooks ‘Royer Vineyard’ Riesling- The 2023 ‘Royer Vineyard’ Riesling comes from this acclaimed site in the Eola-Amity Hills, farmed by Mark Royer. Bone-dry and made in the trocken style, this offers green herbs and freshly cut limes on the palate, with wet stone accents with serious underlying freshness. Drink 2025-2033- 92
2023 Brooks ‘Ara’ Riesling- The 2023 ‘Ara’ is a halb-trocken style bottling that comes from a range of soil types throughout the Willamette Valley. It is big, round and beautifully-textured stuff that has some serious cellaring potential. White peach and shades of guava parade alongside Meyer lemon zest and sourdough bread accents on the palate. A stunning wine, enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2023 Brooks ‘Cahiers’ Riesling- The 2023 ‘Cahiers’ is French for Notebooks or Journals in remembrance and honor of Jimi Brooks, who loved to read and write. This is a beautifully-balanced riesling with plenty of verve and texture alongside citrus and orchard fruits. A touch of sweetness combines with copious minerals, creating a mouth-watering effect. Drink 2025-2033- 93
2024 Brooks ‘Willamette Valley’ Rose- The 2024 Brooks ‘Willamette Valley’ Rose is sourced from a range of sites utilizing Pinot Noir grapes. It is soft and very mineral-laden with delicate guava and strawberry fruit flavors alongside kumquat zest. Drink 2025-2031- 91
2024 Brooks ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2024 ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir delivers a soft mouthfeel with straightforward and juicy red fruits alongside salty soils on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90
2023 Brooks ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Pinot Noir is a fresh and also nicely dense bottling. Red florals lift the nose alongside Mandarin orange rind and shades of guava puree. The palate is soft and wonderfully salty with a smooth mouthfeel. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2023 Brooks ‘Temperance Hill’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Temperance Hill’ Pinot Noir comes from this location set on rocky soils. This is loaded with texture and bright red and dark fruits that parade with shades of sea salt dusted blood orange zest on the palate. Viscous and soft on the mouth, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Brooks ‘Sunny Mountain’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Sunny Mountain’ comes from this location set on Bellpine and Ritner soils, planted in 2005. This is a generous and rich bottling, loaded with bright red fruits alongside citrus zest and stony minerals on the palate. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Brooks ‘Crannell’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Crannell’ comes from this location set on Jory and Nekkia soils, farmed by Richard Crannell. This comes off wonderfully stony on the nose with beautiful red rose petals and potpourri notes alongside bright red fruits. The palate mirrors the nose and is also delicate and downright sexy in its core of red fruits. Drink 2025-2038- 94
2023 Brooks ‘Muska’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Muska’ come from this location in the Eola-Amity Hills, set on Gelderman and Jory soils and farmed by Carl Muska. Damp earth and wafts of dark truffle shavings mark the palate alongside peat moss, boysenberry compote and shades of stony minerals on the palate. Drink 2025-2038- 94
2023 Brooks ‘Eola Springs’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 ‘Eola Springs’ Pinot Noir comes from this location planted back in 2006. This is dense and chewy on the mouth with a smooth mouthfeel. Loaded with bright citrus zest flavors, this combines salty nuances with bright cranberry and guava fruits. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Brooks ‘Janus’ Pinot Noir- The 2023 Brooks ‘Janus’ Pinot Noir is a barrel selection wine from several sites in the Willamette Valley. Refined red and dark fruits mark the palate alongside fresh sage, wet rock and shades of damp earth on the palate. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2023 Brooks ‘Cahiers’ Pinot Noir- Made in memory of Jimmy Brooks, the 2023 ‘Cahiers’ Pinot Noir is a choice, dense and elegant bottling from this warmer vintage. It comes off wonderfully rocky and salty, with a smooth mouthfeel and loads of texture. Smoldering stones combine with bright loganberry compote and red licorice notes alongside Satsuma orange zest. This is seriously good. Drink 2025-2038 -94
2023 Brooks ‘Rastaban’ Pinot Noir- Coming from the Brooks Estate Vineyard’ the 2023 ‘Rastaban’ offers great flavor density and a silky mouthfeel upon entry. Heady Bing cherry and nectarine flavors mingle well with black raspberry, peat moss and shades of wild mushroom on the palate. Showing outstanding flavor range, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 94