Swick Wines Pinot Noir 2019

This Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is sourced from two organically farmed sites: Cancilla Vineyard in the northwest Willamette Valley, planted on alluvial and basalt soils, and Greyhorse Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, planted on Yamhill siltstone. Both vineyards are 100% Pommard clone. The wine is produced by Joe Swick, a 5th-generation Oregonian who started his label in 2013 after a decade of working harvests across Italy, Portugal, New Zealand, and Tasmania.

Grapes are hand-harvested and fermented as whole clusters using semi-carbonic maceration in 500-liter barrels with indigenous yeast. Pigeage runs once to twice daily for approximately 30 days of skin contact. The wine is then pressed into 500-liter, 5-year-old neutral French oak barrels for around 10 months of aging before bottling unfined and unfiltered, with a minimal addition of sulfur.

On the nose, expect black cherry, damp earth, and mushroom with a lift of raspberry. The palate is medium-bodied, fresh, and fruit-forward with bright, grippy acidity and soft tannins. This is a wine built for drinking now but with the structure to hold a few years in bottle.

No additives are used in the cellar. Swick sources exclusively from organic and biodynamic growers, keeping alcohol moderate and acidity central to the style.