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The Eyrie - Pinnacle of Oregon's Pinot Noir Legacy
"The Pinots at this historic estate have never been better."
The Eyrie Vineyards is without a doubt one of the most important, influential and leading estates of Oregon. For us, The Eyrie Vineyards is the DRC of Oregon.
The analogy makes sense. At 59 years old, The Eyrie is one of Oregon's oldest estates. It is the estate that paved the way for modern-day Pinot Noir in Oregon. It is the property and family that everyone in Oregon looks to for inspiration and guidance. Most importantly, The Eyrie Vineyards is the most consistent producer of the region for Pinot Noir where each of their vineyard selections reaches near perfection across the entire range. It is a quality marker that is rarely seen so seamlessly across a Pinot Noir estates range in Oregon, California or Burgundy.
David Lett is more than just the founder of The Eyrie Vineyards. David Lett was a dreamer, a visionary, a pioneer, and very lucky man whose convictions and dream came true in the Willamette Valley. If it were not for David Lett and his wife Diana, Oregon wine, specifically Pinot Noir would not be what it is today. The Lett's kicked off modern era grape growing and winemaking in the Willamette Valley and the rest is history as they say. However in the case of The Eyrie Vineyards "Legacy" is the more appropriate word.
The Eyrie Vineyards is one of the first and finest wine estates in Oregon. The importance and pedigree of The Eyrie is more important today than ever before, with the consistency and quality their best yet. Today the property is helmed by Jason Lett who is one of the most intellectual and thought grape growers and winemakers that I have had the pleasure of meeting. Jason in my humble opinion is by far a superior force in the cellar than his father David. The Eyrie Vineyards wines have always excelled, but Jason along with his family and team are crafting the most compelling expressions of Pinot Noir from the Dundee Hills at The Eyrie we have ever tasted.
The Eyrie single vineyard Pinot Noirs are simply magical like great red Burgundy. The unique expression of the grape to the place leaps from the glass, oozing class and refinement like never before. The transparency and grace of the wines from Lett these past five vintages are the epitome of the best of Pinot Noir. Seductive, silky, yet structured with alluring, complex aromatics that appear to change just at the right moment before it looses your attention. These are inspiring and captivating wines.
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