2022 Evesham Wood - Pinot Noir Cuvee 'J' Willamette Valley (750ml)
The 2022 Evesham Wood Cuvée J Pinot Noir is the flagship wine from one of Oregon’s most storied, principled producers. Crafted from Le Puits Sec, the estate vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills, this bottle represents a careful barrel selection drawn from the top six barrels and is aged in 50% new French oak, a deliberate choice that sets it apart from the winery’s neutral-barrel bottlings. With approximately 85% of the fruit sourced from own-rooted vines planted in 1986, Cuvée J stands as a poised, cellar-worthy expression of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
Terroir & Winemaking
- Region: Willamette Valley, Oregon (Eola-Amity Hills)
- Estate: Le Puits Sec, certified organic since 2000
- Vineyard size: 13.5 acres; elevation 300–420 feet; soils include Jory, Nekia, and Woodburn
- Vine density and clones: Pommard, 115, and 114
- Viticulture: non-irrigated, dry-farmed; Deep Roots Coalition member
- Fruit composition: approximately 85% own-rooted vines dating to 1986
- Winemaking: natural fermentation, hand racking, no filtration; minimal-intervention philosophy
- Aging: 50% new French oak
- Aged alcohol: 13% by volume
Tasting Notes
The nose invites savory and aromatic complexity, with rosehip oil, wild mint, and white pepper pairing with tart Montmorency cherry aromas. On the palate, the wine unveils earth tones—turned soils and damp pine needles—accented by intensely spiced blood orange pulp. The vintage is described as classically dense, layered with fresh and dried flowers and ripe berries, all carried by remarkably fine-grained, persistent tannins. This is a Pinot Noir built for the cellar as much as the table, offering depth and structure that reward patience across many years.
With characteristic elegance from the Eola-Amity Hills, Cuvée J exemplifies Evesham Wood’s minimal-intervention approach and its commitment to organic, dry-farmed farming. The result is a wine that remains distinctly Pinot Noir—transparent, intricate, and capable of evolving in bottle while remaining steel-forged yet refined at the same time.