2021 Violin - Polk County Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (750ml)

Violin Wine was founded in 2013 by Will Hamilton, whose name for the label nods both to the word vino and to his son Olin. Hamilton came up through some of Oregon's most respected cellars, with stints at Erath, Evening Land, and Walter Scott, before striking out on his own as a small, one man operation without an estate vineyard, instead building close relationships with a handful of top growers across the valley.

The Polk County Cuvee blends fruit from four vineyards in the southern Eola Hills, Temperance Hill, Witness Tree, Justice, and Sojeau, all sitting on vines that average around twenty five years old. Hamilton favors minimal new oak and gentle handling, aiming for purity and balance rather than power, and this bottling reflects that restraint while still drawing on some of the region's most storied old vine sites. The blend captures a range of textures and personalities from across Polk County in a single wine.

The wine shows bright red fruit character with real freshness, layered with the kind of savory, structured depth that these older vines tend to deliver. It carries fine tannins and lively acidity that keep the wine lifted rather than heavy. It pairs nicely with roast poultry, grilled duck breast, or braised veal.