Harvesting is the first step in making any wine. The moment the grapes are picked determines the acidity, sweetness, and ultimate flavor of the wine. The harvest date for each Halem Heights vineyard site is selected when the acidity and sweetness of the grapes at that location are in perfect balance. We always harvest each grape cluster by hand to ensure only the best quality grapes are selected during the process. The grapes used in the Halem Heights Willamette Valley 2017 Pinot Noir were harvested between September 27th and October 30th. Each site was evaluated scientifically and with some good old-fashioned grape tasting to maximize the flavor profile of the vineyard before harvesting. Clusters were removed at each site between 2 and 5 am to ensure the grapes were delivered to the winery for processing first thing in the morning in order to minimize the time between the vine and press.

After harvesting the best clusters, the process of making wine begins. At the winery, the best individual grapes for our 2017 Chardonnay were table sorted by hand to select only the best of the 2017 crop. Next, they were, de-stemmed and crushed into must – freshly pressed grape juice that also contains the grape skins, seeds, and solids. With our 2017 Chardonnay, we let the must ferment with the skins as long as possible to acquire the desirable flavors, colors and additional tannins. It is during this stage that the iconic Chardonnay color profile is achieved. Body and aroma elements are developed during this process to make the 2017 vintage more structured and complex.

The grapes were pressed and fermented in neutral puncheon (132gals) and barrels with about 31.7% new French oak inserts for 6 months. Barrel fermentation adds texture and depth extending into the finish. After the fermentation process was complete, a unique clarification step began in which the yeast cells, excess tannins, and proteins were removed. After filtering, the wine was then transferred or “racked” into oak barrels selected for their specific flavor profiles. The clarified wine was then racked into yet another vessel and prepared for future aging and bottling.

After the clarification and final racking, we aged our 2017 Chardonnay in oak barrels a full 17 months to soften the flavor profile of the wine before bottling. Aging the wine in oak barrels produces a smoother, rounder, and more vanilla-flavored wine as the wine absorbs aspects of the French oak barrels. Barrel aging also increases the wine’s exposure to oxygen, which decreases tannins and helps the wine reach its optimal fruitiness. After aging, our wine was bottled with first-rate Diam 10 corks in premium Burgundy glassware. Each bottle is labeled with gold embossed textures and gold foil on the neck.