Winemaker Notes
At Tendril, Tony has taken a deep breath and scaled way back. While quality is at the uncompromising high level one would expect, quantity is limited to around 500 cases per year and to Pinot Noir only. Similar to Mike Januik's story in Washington State, there's hardly a great grower in Oregon who would not be happy to provide Tony with whatever fruit he desires, and the best possible fruit attainable he does indeed get. Though he managed a large cellar staff at Domaine Serene, Tony and assistant winemaker Samantha Poehlman, also a Domaine Serene alum, perform every task at Tendril themselves. The results have been breathtakingly beautiful.
Home of some of the planet’s most amazingly elegant and expressive Pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is a pastoral, mixed landscape of green, bucolic rolling hills, dramatic forestlands and small, independent, friendly wine growers. As a leader in environmental stewardship, the valley has some of the nation’s most protective land use policies, with two-thirds of its vineyards farmed sustainably and over half, organically. While the valley claims a cool, continental climate, and is heavily influenced by the cold, moist winds of the Pacific Ocean, its warm and dry summers allow for the steady, even ripening of Pinot noir.
The potential of Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to attract the investment of serious growers and winemakers both locally and from abroad, as naturally the finished wines bring accolades from professionals and enthusiasts. With a range of styles from delicate dried cherry, raspberry and hibiscus to stronger notes of truffle, mocha, plum and spice, a fine Willamette Valley Pinot noir is a perfect expression of both character and grace.