Today we share an outstanding producer of Oregon Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Aubaine focuses on single vineyard and estate only wines. One of the great people in Oregon wine, Andy Lytle has a love of Burgundy and Champagne, as he is half of Lytle-Barnett. An iconic winemaker, Isabelle Meunier, has made a range of wines for producers across the Willamette Valley. Meunier is native of Quebec, and she studied winemaking and viticulture at the University of Dijon in Burgundy, as well as in New Zealand at Lincoln University. Following her eduction she worked at famed producers Felton Road in New Zealand, as well as Dominique Lafon of Domaine des Comtes Lafon. She has a more than impressive resume and has worked with Evening Land as well as LAVINEA.
The new wines from 2024 were outstanding. I love the 2024 Aubaine ‘Windfall Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (OB, 93) which is beautifully textured stuff with a lush mouthfeel. Learn more about this outstanding producer at aubainewine.com and here are my reviews of the new Aubaine wines.
2024 Aubaine ‘Windfall Vineyard’ Chardonnay- The 2024 ‘Windfall Vineyard’ Chardonnay offers honeysuckle and lychee notes on the nose with nutty and baking spice nuances. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth mouthfeel and great sense of weight and salty minerality. Drink 2026-2036- 93
2024 Aubaine ‘Windfall Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from this location in the Eola-Amity Hills, the 2024 ‘Windfall Vineyard’ Pinot Noir opens with a bright bouquet of red rose petals and exotic spices alongside hints of lavender and rocky soils. The palate is lush with serious texture, weight and stony character, as this is both broad-shouldered and quite nervy. A joy to consume right now, with terrific volume and texture, this is best enjoyed over the next ten plus years. Drink 2026-2038- 93
2024 Aubaine ‘L’Elu’ Pinot Noir- Also sourced from the Windfall Vineyard, the 2024 ‘L’Elu’ opens with beautiful red florals alongside wet gravel, orange peel and hints of bergamot with oud.The palate is lush, mineral-laden and refined with an earthy elegance in its peat moss accents alongside a terrific melange of red and dark fruits. This shows slightly more seamless character than the single vineyard bottling. Bravo! Drink 2026-2040- 94