Current Pinot Noirs

NEW RELEASE

Years ago, Founder Jim Bernau began experimenting with Pinot Noir by gently dropping hand-picked whole clusters in a chilled stainless fermenter, pushing all the oxygen out with CO2 and sealing the vessel tight. What happened next was magical — the berries started to swell and turn pink. When they burst, they released the most aromatic, fermenting Pinot Noir.

Expressing the terroir of our three estate vineyards — the original planting by Founder Jim Bernau​ in the Salem Hills​, Tualatin Estate planted by Oregon wine pioneer Bill Fuller in the foothills of the Coastal Range and Elton ​Vineyard ​planted by Dick and Betty O'Brien in the Eola-Amity Hills.

95 points - Beverage Dynamics
93 points - Wine Enthusiast

Sourced exclusively from 15 acres of Pinot Noir from the first plantings at the Estate vineyard in the Salem Hills, Founder Jim Bernau planted these vines using a Christmas tree planter pulled behind his 33-horsepower tractor in 1983.

This single vineyard designate is sourced from Bernau Estate Vineyard in the Dundee Hills. Named in honor of our Founders Jim and Jan Bernau, this vineyard is the home of Domaine Willamette, our méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine facility.

Tualatin Estate Vineyard rests in the foothills of the Oregon Coast range and is one of the oldest vineyards in Oregon, planted in 1973 by Oregon wine pioneer Bill Fuller, and now in the newly approved Tualatin Hills AVA. The unique Laurelwood soil profile at the Tualatin Estate Vineyard contributes to the complex nature of the wines.

— Wine Club & Owner Exclusive —

Limited production and made only in the best vintages that highlight the stylistic vision for a classic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Sourced exclusively from the Tualatin Estate Vineyard and pays homage to Oregon wine pioneer, Bill Fuller who founded Tualatin Estate in 1973.

— Wine Club & Owner Exclusive —

The O’Brien Pinot Noir is made in extremely limited vintages when quality warrants. It has been produced just four previous times before in our history, in 2008, 2012, 2016 and 2018 vintages. All vintages of this exquisite Pinot Noir have received many awards, including 94 points for the 2008 vintage from Wine Advocate, 92+ points for the 2012 vintage from Wine Advocate and 93 points from James Suckling for the 2016 vintage.

92 points - James Suckling

Sourced from old vine plantings at our Elton Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills founded in 1983 by Dick and Betty O'Brien, a former schoolteacher and Executive Director of the Santiam Girl Scouts.

— Wine Club & Owner Exclusive —

Sourced from the Hannah Vineyard adjacent to Tualatin Estate, this site is protected by coastal mountains making this area warmer and drier than the rest of the Willamette Valley.

— Wine Club & Owner Exclusive —

Celebrating Bill Fuller’s milestone 49th vintage in Oregon, our 2022 Vintage 49 Pinot Noir is crafted by Bill from his favorite blocks at Tualatin Estate Vineyard using his traditional techniques.

Willamette Valley Vineyards was established in 1983 by a dedicated group of wine enthusiasts committed to producing among the highest quality Pinot Noirs while being good stewards of the land. As a tribute to these individuals, we have created this special blend of Pinot Noir.

Founder Jim Bernau traveled with the Oregon Governor's Delegation to Burgundy in the 1980s to seek out French clones to improve our state's quality. These vines were brought back and quarantined at Oregon State University before being propagated for use in Oregon vineyards. Naturally derived Dijon Clones from France being planted in the Willamette Valley was one of the greatest tipping points in Oregon wine quality.

This special wine was developed years ago by our late winemaker, Forrest Klaffke. Founder Jim Bernau loved to end his winery tours with a tasting of this wine from the barrel, but Forrest complained that he was giving away too much of this precious, limited-production wine. In an attempt to deter Jim, Forrest locked the Pinot Noir Port barrels away and wore the key around his neck. The day before his passing, he gave the key to Jim. Since then, we have continued to make this wine according to Forrest's methods and bottle it with the vintage label design.

92 points - Owen Bargreen

Domaine Willamette is dedicated to producing the highest quality sparkling wines. Our Brut Rosé is crafted from estate-grown Pinot Noir using méthode traditionnelle where the wine goes through secondary fermentation in this bottle. It’s then aged on its lees for 18 months to develop complexity while preserving vibrancy before disgorgement.

Sourced from our sustainably-farmed Elton and Tualatin Estate Vineyards, the grapes were gently whole cluster pressed and fermented in stainless steel to deliver expressive aromas and flavors with a crisp, dry finish.