3-17-05
New Dundee Hills
Appellation-
First Wine Released
Sokol Blosser Winery has released the
first wine in Oregon to be labeled with the new "Dundee Hills" appellation:
the Sokol Blosser 2002 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir. In addition
to its historic labeling, the 2002
Pinot Noir represents the accumulation of several milestones
for this pioneering Oregon wine producer.
"We believe this wine is a flagship for the qualities of the Dundee
Hills winegrowing region," said winery vice president Alex Sokol
Blosser, who spearheaded the drive for distinct appellations
within the sprawling Willamette Valley -- an idea first put forward
by his father,
winery co- founder Bill Blosser, more than a quarter-century
ago. The Dundee Hills American Viticultural Area is in the northern
Willamette Valley, and has more than 1,200 acres planted to vines. The
area
was home
to the first plantings of Pinot Noir in Oregon in the 1960s,
and is widely considered among the top regions for this beguiling
grape in the United
States.
The AVA went into effect on January 31, 2005. Twenty-eight miles southwest
of Portland and 40 miles east and inland from the Pacific Ocean, the Hills
rise to an elevation of 1,067 feet in the rain shadow of the Coast Range,
providing the perfect combination of climate and soils for the production
of Pinot Noir.
"With 'Dundee Hills' on our label, we can now share with the world
what we've come to understand since first planting here so many years
ago: These hills produce unique and extraordinary wines," Alex added.
The 2002 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is also notable as the first wine made
from grapes under Sokol Blosser Winery's official organic transition certification.
"We live the credo that as stewards of the land it's our responsibility
to take care of it," said winery president Susan Sokol Blosser, long
known for her commitment to the environment.
"The payback is fulfilling in
terms of the low impact we're making on our 70 acres, and the
vines are healthier and rewarding us with incredible
flavors in the wines. The effects of organic practices and minimal
farming intervention shine through. "
In addition, this Pinot Noir is the first wine to spend its full barrel
aging term in the winery's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental
Design) certified barrel cellar. The new barrel cellar was the first winery
building awarded the exclusive LEED certification in the country.
For added complexity of flavor and aroma, the 2002 Dundee Hills Pinot
Noir includes the first wines from the new estate plantings of Dijon clones
115, 667 and 777 in its blend. These clones are new to the Sokol Blosser
vineyards, which were largely planted to Pommard and other traditional
clones on their own rootstocks. Furthermore, Sokol Blosser's new label
is printed on processed chlorine free, 30% post consumer waste recycled
paper.
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