About our Single Block Pinot noir
One of the magical properties of Pinot noir is the way the wines can reflect their origins: the soil, slope, and elevation of the vineyard where they are grown creates wines with unique aroma, flavor and structure. The wines from different parts of our vineyard are consistently different from each other, and helping each block of the the vineyard express it’s unique character is one of the most gratifying parts of winemaking.
Our 26 acre vineyard is made up of over a dozen different blocks, ranging in size from less than half an acre to 5 acres. Each block has unique characteristics such as elevation, slope, and the rootstock and fruiting wood of the vines. Each block is unique, and so are the wines that they produce.
We created the Single Block Series to capture those differences and allow our guests and members to enjoy and appreciate them. Each of our Single Block wines is made up of a few barrels selected from one particular block. We select different blocks in each vintage, depending on which wines stand out as truly exceptional.
Tasting Notes
Block 8: Wadenswil Clone of Pinot noir. Intense garnet. Black cherry with herbal tea perfumes. Texture driven, fruit and stems combine in a briar patch palate. Mouth-watering red juice finishes with polished tannin grains. Cellaring will be rewarding.
Block 9-Center Cut: Mix of Dijon 114 & 115 clones of Pinot Noir from the center section of Block 9. Brilliant ruby color. Fresh raspberry and fruit punch aromas. Mid-palate builds with depth, volume of berry, and hints of barrel caramel. The finish lingers with fine tannin structure.
Block 9-Pommard: Pommard clone of Pinot Noir from the upper section of Block 9. Scarlett color. Fresh dried rose petals and floral notes. Vibrant pie-cherry and graham cracker burst out early. A rich mid-palate gives way to firm structural tannins from both berry and oak. Most age-worthy and pairs with game meats.
Block 10 Pommard clone Pinot Noir. Deep Boysenberry color. Nose with tangerine and white flower blossoms. Fresh ripe berries build a plush mid-palate. Finishes with plump, juicy acidity. Very approachable now.
2019 Winter’s Hill Estate Block 8 “This block, on a south-facing slope, is a 1990 planting of the Wädenswil clone. It gives a wine with a floral quality, a hint of earth, and acid-driven, red-fruited lift. It has the plushness of the vintage, holding fresh and lively, balanced for plank-roasted salmon. —P.J.C.” 92 points. Wine & Spirits.
2019 Winter’s Hill Estate Block 9 Pommard Clone “Earthy aromas such as Ponderosa pine bark and wet pavement are encircled by notes of bright red cherries and freshly laundered sheets hanging on the clothes line. The wine’s peach and blackberry flavors complement an all-butter pie-crust note. The tannins are sturdy, suggesting a fresh-brewed cup of strong black tea. The Dundee Hills-Pommard combination is hard to beat.” 90 points Wine Enthusiast
2018 Winter’s Hill Estate Block 9 115 Clone “Glistening magenta. Spice-tinged red fruits and candied flowers on the fragrant nose. Lively cherry, raspberry and spicecake flavors steadily deepen as the wine stretches out. The spicy quality carries strongly through a very long, gently tannic finish that leaves bitter cherry, white pepper and rhubarb notes behind.” 93 points. Josh Raynolds, Vinous.
