2022 Antiquum - Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Luxuria (750ml)
Antiquum Farm was founded by winegrower Stephen Hagen in the South Willamette Valley, where he farms an estate of roughly 140 acres, with just over twenty planted to vine. Hagen pioneered what he calls grazing-based viticulture, a rotational system using horses, sheep, geese, and chickens to weed, fertilize, and manage the vineyard's biodiversity rather than relying on conventional inputs. This hands-on, animal-integrated approach to farming has become the defining philosophy behind every wine the estate produces.
Luxuria draws from select blocks at the base of the estate vineyard, an elevated site sitting near 800 feet, among the highest elevations considered plantable for Pinot Noir in the valley. The soil here is a slow-draining type known as bellpine, with thin topsoil that stresses the vines and concentrates the fruit. Grapes are hand harvested during cool nighttime hours to preserve acidity and structural integrity, then fermented with native yeast and hand punched down daily before aging in French oak, a portion of it new. The wine is bottled unfiltered and unfined in small quantities.
Luxuria shows a dark, richly layered character, with notes of exotic spice, incense, and rose petal wrapped around a broad, velvety texture. The tannic backbone gives the wine real depth and cellaring potential, while the underlying acidity keeps it from feeling heavy. It pairs well with roasted duck, mushroom risotto, or aged hard cheeses.