Knudsen Vineyards
Argyle Winery's Primary Vineyard
Dundee Hills AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon
Argyle's primary vineyard source since 1987 is the 120 acre Knudsen Vineyards, located in the heart of the red hills of Dundee, Oregon. Half the vineyard was planted in the early 1970s. These "historic" vines produce distinctive wines with ripe fruit flavors and earthy, spicy old vine character. The other, "younger" half of the vineyard features state-of-the-art viticulture: Old World clones planted in high density blocks on warm sites. Pinot fruit from these blocks offers up unique aromas of black cherry leading into ripe raspberry concentrate.
Argyle's finest sparkling wine fruit is grown in Knudsen's high-elevation blocks (above 700 feet) where ripening occurs at the end of the growing season.
Location: Dundee Hills Managed by: Argyle Grapes: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and a little Pinot Meunier
Aerial View and Vineyard Map
Check out this great aerial photo. The superimposed vineyard map shows which grapes are grown at Knudsen Vineyards.
About Pinot Noir
Great Pinot Noir creates a lasting impression on the palate and in the memory. Aromas of Argyle Pinot Noir include black fruits like black cherry, blueberry, marionberry, floral aromas of rose petal and violet and spice and earth aromas such as chocolate, nutmeg, forest floor, mushroom and quarried rock. Pinot Noir is full bodied and rich but not heavy, high in alcohol, yet neither acidic or tannic, with substantial flavor despite its delicacy. Pinot Noir's most appealing quality may be its soft, velvety texture. When right, it is like liquid silk, gently caressing the palate.
About Chardonnay
Chardonnay is in some ways a more difficult grape to grow than Pinot Noir. It is critical to farm Chardonnay for maximum flavor development since, unlike Pinot Noir, you cannot rely on grape skins to augment lack of flavor. Argyle farms Chardonnay of such intense fruit character that the use of new French oak barrels will compliment--not dominate--the wine. Argyle Chardonnay typically has citrus, tree fruit and tropical fruit aromas balanced with a mineral backbone structure. From top vintages Argyle Chardonnay ages well for a decade or longer.
