Bryn Mawr Knows How To Make Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley in Oregon has an esteemed reputation for making some of the finest wines in the United States or in the world for that matter. They are renowned for their Pinot Noirs and Riesling. Many natural factors influence this greatness. Grown on volcanic soil striations which snake through the region imparts a smokiness and minerality. The steep, hilly terrain and altitude all play a part in the sun exposure to aid in warming the soils and ripening the grapes. Incredibly strong maritime winds roaring through the Van Duzer Corridor add cooling influence in hot summer Bryn Mawr, which loosely translates to “high hill” in Welsh, is a 26 acre estate, located 650-890 feet high up a hill in the the western Eola-Amity Hills. Owners Jon and Kathy Lauer, formerly lawyers in San Diego. Jon started growing grapes in their garden in San Diego. Through family California winery vacations, food and wine dinners with their circle of friends, their passion and love grew, as did their dream to make wine. In 2010 They decided to follow their dream, packed up their family and headed to Oregon to make wine in which they took over Bryn Mawr Winery. Even though Jon had studied winemaking at UC Davis, he realized they needed greater expertise to grow the difficult Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes in this area. A twist of fate brought them together with Rachel Rose as head winemaker and vineyard manager. Their children, now adults are also involved in the family business. The winery is made up of many small block vineyards, imparting a variety of diversity and character in the wines. They have pretty much every clone of Pinot Noir known growing in their vineyards. Sustainable farming is their viticulture practice. Their goal is to produce smaller yields that reflect the true character of the varietal and care of the land.

This particular wine is a gorgeous medium ruby colored wine. Upon opening the aromas of cherry pie jumped out at me. I thought - did someone just bake a pie? Nope! It’s the wine! This wine is packed with cranberry, cherry, strawberry, blackberry, baking spices of cloves & cinnamon, smoke, earthy and savory. It’s a rustic yet finesse of a Pinot Noir. It packs a punch and is delicious slightly chilled on a hot day or with an equally flavorful meal.

This wine begs to be paired with roasted portobello mushrooms, grilled chicken or spiced salmon.