This Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is a great alternative to Old World restraint sourced entirely from the iconic, dry-farmed Durant Vineyard. Winemaker Marcus Goodfellow frequently references the Dundee Hills appellation as the "Volnay" of the Willamette Valley, and this bottling validates that parallel through its structural elegance and perfumed lift. Geologically driven by the region's famous, iron-rich Jory volcanic clay soils, the terroir yields a darker, more luxurious fruit profile than the estate’s Ribbon Ridge counterparts without sacrificing transparency. The 2023 growing season was marked by rapid, balanced acid maturity and exceptionally quick stem lignification, allowing for the seamless integration of non-interventionist winemaking techniques.

Analytically, this Pinot Noir favors high-utility phenolics over brute strength, maintaining a modest alcohol by volume and an impressively low malic acid threshold. Goodfellow's signature vinification style utilizes spontaneous native yeast fermentation and extensive whole-cluster inclusion, introducing savory undercurrents of black tea, cedar, and underbrush that balance the primary red fruit. The élevage balances texture and clarity through extended aging in neutral French oak barrels and large 500-liter puncheons, avoiding heavy-handed wood influence. On the palate, the wine balances a vibrant nucleus of sour cherry and cranberry against fine, structural, and mineral-driven tannins. It enters an early drinking window with serious aging potential, outperforming standard regional appellation blends by leaning heavily into a savory, tension-filled, and authentically Burgundian architecture.