FRIENDS & FAMILY FALL 22 ALLOCATION
Hello Friends and Family -
Greetings from the Hazelfern fam! Hope that you had a great Summer and are as excited for the Holiday season as we are.
After a beautiful September and October here in the Willamette Valley, the rain has finally set in. All the grapes are in the barn happily fermenting into some beautiful new wines! After a very wet and cold Spring in the Willamette Valley, we are in the middle of one of our latest harvest seasons to date. Although it’s a very late harvest, we were blessed with an incredibly warm and sunny October, and the resulting grapes were epic this year! In a few weeks, we’re looking forward to putting the new wines into barrels and cozying up, sharing some delicious wine, and cook & eat some amazing food with good people.
As we patiently wait for the 2022 vintage to finish fermenting and the 2021 vintage to be bottled, we’ve held some VERY special wines to share with you this Fall!
Follow along on Instagram for regular updates from the farm!
Fall Friends & Family Wine Allocation:
This Fall, we have some really special wines that we've been holding for you guys!
First up is our very first Pinot Noir from the vineyard Bryan and I planted here at the Hazelfern barn. It’s been so fun to see this dream of growing our very own wine from the vines we planted become a reality, and we’re SO EXCITED to share the delicious results! The 2019 “The Hazelfern Vineyard” Pinot Noir is a stunner (and was just awarded 95 points in its very first critic review!).
We’re also excited to share a very special Sisters bottling from the 2019 vintage. In 2019 we had the chance to farm a block of old vines at Yamhill Springs Vineyard where the vines literally produce BOTH Pinot Noir and Chardonnay clusters from the same vines. Say what?! Yes, due to a grafting error 20 years ago, the same mother vines literally have some canes with Chardonnay on them, and some canes with Pinot Noir on them. We were inspired to harvest the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay separately, and make individual wines that honor our two daughters, Adalyn and Ava. Same mama, but two very different personalities. From the Same Vine, Born and Raised.
Last, but certainly not least, is a single-vineyard Syrah from Les Collines Vineyard in Walla Walla. As much as we love Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, we have fallen in love with terroir driven, single-vineyard Syrah. This Fall we are featuring Syrah from Les Collines Vineyard – a high elevation vineyard in the Blue Mountains east of Walla Walla. We pick our Syrah on the early side to retain freshness, acidity, and elegance, and the new Les Collines Vineyard Syrah will be a perfect addition to your holiday tables.
The Fall Friends & Family allocation includes six very special bottles:
(qty. 2) 2019 Pinot Noir, The Hazelfern Vineyard (Friends & Family $55/bottle)
(qty. 1) 2019 Pinot Noir, “Adalyn” (Friends & Family $45/bottle)
(qty. 1) 2019 Chardonnay, “Ava” (Friends & Family $45/bottle)
(qty. 2) 2020 Syrah, Les Collines Vineyard (Friends & Family $45/bottle)
Be sure to check-out Bryan’s winemaking and tasting notes below.
In addition to the wines we’ve made for Friends & Family, we’re excited to offer some limited edition wines for your holiday tables including this year's release of Winter Rosé, and our brand new Gamay Noir!
'Tis the Season for Winter Rosé! Rosé isn't just for Summer you guys, and we've purposefully been making this barrel-aged rosé to pair with heartier winter meals since 2015. This barrel-aged rosé is fresh and fruit forward yet savory, with vibrant acidity and a fuller-bodied texture – perfect for pairing with roasted meats and winter vegetables. Winter Rosé is also perfect for Holiday gifting!
Additional wines available this Fall:
2021 Winter Rosé, Willamette Valley (Friends & Family $20/bottle: Regularly $29/bottle)
2021 Gamay Noir, Chehalem Mountains (Friends & Family $29/bottle: Regularly $39/bottle
2019 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley (Friends & Family $29/bottle: Regularly $39/bottle)
2019 Chardonnay, Prime Cut (Friends & Family $62/bottle: Regularly $75/bottle)
UPDATE YOUR SHIPPING ADDRESS, CREDIT CARD, AND/OR ORDER ADDITIONAL WINES HERE
FRESH NEWS:
NEW HAZELFERN WINE REVIEWS: We are honored to share that our 2019 wines received very high marks in this year's James Suckling Oregon Report, and the International Wine Report:
"We came across a couple newcomers to the upper echelon of the Oregon Wine Kingdom including Hazelfern Cellars"
97 Points - 2019 Pinot Noir, Prime Cut
97 Points - 2019 Chardonnay, Rock Block
96 Points - 2019 Pinot Noir, Silvershot Vineyard
95 Points - 2019 Chardonnay, Prime Cut
94 points - 2019 Gamay Noir, Willamette Valley
94 Points - 2019 Pinot Noir, Yamhill Springs Vineyard
94 points - 2019 Chardonnay, Little Hells
94 Points - 2019 Chardonnay, Willamette Valley
Boutique Winery of the Year: Hazelfern Cellars
"One of the best Chardonnays that I've had from Oregon in the 2019 vintage"
97 Points - 2019 Chardonnay, Prime Cut
96 Points - 2019 Pinot Noir, Prime Cut
95 Points - 2019 Pinot Noir, The Hazelfern Vineyard
95 Points - 2019 Pinot Noir, Yamhill Springs Vineyard
95 Points - 2019 Chardonnay, Little Hells
We are truly grateful for all your continued support and enthusiasm for Hazelfern! Hope to see you in the barn this Spring.
Thanks!
-Laura, Bryan, Adalyn, Ava, Gus & Sadie
Fall Wines and Bryan's Tasting Notes:
About the 2019 Vintage in the Willamette Valley:
Cool Climate Wine Fans, we see you! In a departure from our modern “hot” summers, the 2019 growing season marks the return to an old school and classic Willamette Valley vintage, and a cool and elegant vintage in Walla Walla!
Willamette Valley: The 2019 vintage was set-up with a cold February and March with snow here in the Willamette Valley in mid-March, followed by a warm and wet Spring. Even with the cold/late winter, bud break occurred on April 20th averaged across our multiple vineyard sites which is pretty normal timing.
Things got weird in June and July with near record levels of rainfall. Late summer of 2019 saw fewer than average heat spikes, and it feels like we just hovered around 78 degrees all summer with lots of cloudy and humid afternoons/evenings and very little wind. BBQ season was super disappointing in my humble opinion – haha!
With cooler weather, more rainfall, and plenty of stagnant humidity, disease pressure remained intense in the vineyards all summer. Laura and I doubled down on our time in the vineyard and stayed on top of timely leaf pulling and fruit thinning to increase air flow. September brought early rains and a rapid cool down, and harvest occurred in early to mid-October. With all the challenges in the vineyard, Laura and I constantly reminded each other that 2019 was providing us an opportunity to really stress the details and produce some exceptional wines!
About the 2020 Vintage in the Walla Walla Valley:
Walla Walla Valley: Bud break occurred in mid-April (average) followed by wet, windy, and cool temperatures into late May setting up a lower-than-average fruit set. The summer remained warm and extremely dry. Due to poor weather during fruit set and the extremely dry summer, berry size was smaller than average and yields were extremely low. The resulting wines are full of flavor and concentration and the 2020 vintage is considered spectacular in Walla Walla.
(qty. 2) 2019 Pinot Noir, The Hazelfern Vineyard, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley
*$65 / $55 (Friends & Family)
I’m so excited to share our first ever Pinot Noir from the vines we planted here at the Hazelfern barn in 2015. It’s been very rewarding to see these vines grow up and discover the personality of this wine.
The vineyard here is planted on Jory (volcanic) soil, and in the Willamette Valley, we like to say that red volcanic soils produce red fruited and elegant wines. Now that we’ve completed the 2022 harvest, and I’ve had a chance to make wines from these vines for a few vintages, it’s safe to say that the consistent fruit profile is spiced red plum and the wines are showing good depth and minerality on the finish.
This wine represents our entire journey as 1st generation farmers and winemakers, and I really hope you enjoy it!
Tasting Notes:
Elegance and grace. Aromas of farm fresh Santa Rosa plums, wild red currants, rose petals, and dried thyme, are accented by savory tones of salty prosciutto, walnut shell, rhubarb pie crust, and a rush of baking spices like cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg.
Delicious with: salty cheeses, olives, pork, and bacon
Acclaim: 95 points (IWR)
100% Pinot Noir
13.0% alcohol
Geek out:
Aged 12 months in 100% French Oak (25% new oak)
Featured clones: Pommard, Wadenswil, Mt Eden, and Dijon clones 113, 115, and 667
6-day cold soak
16-day fermentation
pH: 3.60
Unfined and Unfiltered
Vineyard Facts:
The Hazelfern Vineyard:
Located on-site at the Hazelfern Barn in Newberg, OR
Clones: Pommard, Wadenswil, Mt Eden, and Dijon clones 113, 115, and 667 planted by Bryan and Laura in 2015
Dry farmed using organic practices
Soil: Jory (volcanic)
Elevation: 475 feet
Adalyn and Ava, Pinot Noir & Chardonnay
From the Same Vine, Born & Raised
In 2019, we had the opportunity to lease and farm all of Yamhill Springs Vineyard with Jessica Cortell and her incredible team. By leasing the vineyard, we gained access to blocks we’d never had the chance to work with before including a block of old vines where the mama vines grew BOTH Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from the same trunks!
Say what?! This particular block was originally planted to Chardonnay back in the 1980’s, but after about 10 years, the vineyard owners decided to graft the plants over to Pinot Noir (a popular move in the Willamette Valley in the late 90’s and early 2000’s). The grafts in this block only partially took, and the result was vines that produce BOTH Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the same trunks.
With our love of both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, an idea was born. What if we farmed and picked the grapes separately and made individual wines to honor our daughters Adalyn and Ava? So that’s what we did. In October of 2019 we picked the Chardonnay and the Pinot Noir on separate days targeting the ideal ripeness, and vinified separate wines as Sisters. Pinot Noir & Chardonnay. Adalyn & Ava. From the same vine, born and raised.
These two unique wines are rare one-offs, and we printed special labels for each that feature images of Adalyn and Ava, and their unique personalities as captured by photographer, Dan Ostergren. Adalyn is serious, structured, and very smart with a strong intensity toward most things in life. Ava is fun, witty, sensitive, and creative. We feel like each of these wines reflect their personalities very well, and we hope you love them as much as we do.
(qty. 1) 2019 Pinot Noir, "Adalyn," Willamette Valley
*$55 / $45 (Friends & Family)
Tasting Notes:
Serious, focused, and structured. Aromas of raspberries, Mt. Hood strawberries, and blackberry bramble, are accented by scents of dried red rose petals, sandalwood, allspice, autumn leaves, and spiced earth tones. On the palate this wine is structured with firm tannins and a persistent finish. This wine is built to age and should hit its stride in 10 years (for Adalyn’s 21st birthday). Decant in its youth.
100% Pinot Noir
13.0% alcohol
Geek out:
Aged 15 months in 100% French Oak (30% new oak)
Featured clones: Dijon 113 & 777
6-day cold soak
14-day fermentation
pH: 3.60
Unfined and Unfiltered
Vineyard Facts:
Yamhill Springs Vineyard:
Dry farmed using organic farming principles
Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Coastal foothills west of Yamhill, OR
Soil: Jory (volcanic)
Elevation: 515 ft
(qty. 1) 2019 Chardonnay, "Ava," Willamette Valley
*$55 / $45 (Friends & Family)
Tasting Notes:
Charming, whimsical, and elegant. Aromas of honeydew melon, tiny white field flowers, honey, and dried hay, are accented by key lime zest, honeysuckle, petrol, Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencil shavings, and seabreeze salinity. On the palate this wine has bright and balanced acidity with a kiss of fresh cream to round it out and keep things real. Ready to enjoy now!
100% Chardonnay
13.0% alcohol
Geek out:
Aged 12 months in 100% neutral French Oak
Featured clones: Wente 108
28-day fermentation
pH: 3.37
Vineyard Facts:
Yamhill Springs Vineyard:
Dry farmed using organic farming principles
Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Coastal foothills west of Yamhill, OR
Soil: Jory (volcanic)
Elevation: 515 ft
(qty. 2) 2020 Syrah, Les Collines Vineyard, Walla Walla Valley
*$55 / $45 (Friends & Family)
I fell in love with wine as an ingredient on the dinner table shared with family and friends. With that in mind, I always like to have one "big red" in our line-up for pairing with heartier meals, and I'm thrilled to share our 2020 Les Collines Vineyard Syrah with you!
Les Collines is an extremely sought after vineyard that is famous for its Syrah, and I jumped at the opportunity to work with the site when they reached out to us about partnering in 2017. The site is located in the foothills of the Blue Mountains east of Walla Walla on a dirt road that makes up the Oregon/Washington border. Being higher in elevation, the vineyard has great airflow that helps protect it from frost in the winter, and keeps the temperatures more moderate in Summer. The soils are deep and composed of wind blown (loess) silt loam with even drainage and deep roots. Syrah from Les Collines is famous for its purple to black fruit qualities, minerality, lively acidity, and well balanced tannin structure - all things that a food loving "Pinot Noir maker" loves in my wines!
With all of my wines, I have food in mind when I am making them. I approach big reds with a Pinot Noir maker's mindset and this Syrah is no different. I pick the fruit on the earlier side to maintain fresh fruitiness, lively acidity, and balanced alcohol levels - all important factors when pairing a wine with food. Fermentation happened in small open top containers at low temperatures with an aim at light extraction and complex aromatics rather than big heavy jam flavors.
Tasting Notes:
Complex, layered, and elegant! Aromas of boysenberry, Bing cherry, El Dorado black plum, and wild blackberry are accented by scents of star anise, violets, fresh earth, thyme, and baking spices. On the palate, this wine has a juicy dark fruit core and notes of cedar pencil shavings, dried rose petal, and cocoa powder dust.
Delicious with: bleu cheese, grilled veggies, and grilled meats
100% Syrah
13.0% alcohol
Geek out:
Aged 22 months in 100% French Oak (38% new oak)
Featured Clones: Phelps
6-day cold soak
20-day fermentation
60% Whole Cluster fermentation
pH: 3.70
Unfined and unfiltered
Vineyard Facts:
Les Collines Vineyard:
Sustainable LIVE Certified and Salmon-Safe practices
Walla Walla Valley AVA in the foothills of the Blue Mountains SE of Walla Walla, WA
Soil: Wind-blown silt loam
Syrah planted in 2001
Elevation: 1250 feet
