Argyle Winery WineBlog

Argyle's Chardonnay Harvest

2008-10-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Argyle's Chardonnay harvest recently drew to an end. Before the last grapes were picked from the vines, we managed to get some decent photos of the fruit. As you can see, the grapes are just stunning - a perfect image of what high elevation Chardonnay could and should look like. We're really looking forward to the wines produced from this 2008 fruit.

Here's a nice shot to begin with. Click on the image for a nice desktop image with the Argyle logo. It's 1920x1200 and will scale down to 1680x1050 and 1440x900, for wide LCD screens.

More Great Scores from Wine Spectator

2008-10-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

As if yesterday's Wine Spectator score of 95 for our Extended Tirage Brut wasn't enough, some of our Pinot Noirs got the 90+ treatment as well.

2005 Nuthouse Pinot Noir
2006 Reserve Pinot Noir
2006 Spirithouse Pinot Noir (released soon)

Watch for the release of our 2006 Spirithouse Pinot Noir! It's going to sell out quickly.

Wine Spectator Insider gives the 1998 ETB a score of 95!

2008-10-08T15:52:00.000-07:00

Wine Spectator Insider gave Argyle's venerable 1998 Extended Tirage Brut a whopping score of 95!

Last year's 1997 Extended Tirage Brut received a score of 94 and was noted as "The highest-scoring sparkling wine ever produced by a U.S. winery!" Looks like the 1998 ETB just took the game to another level! (We suggest you buy some now before all our stock disappears!)

Additionally, Wine Spectator Insider included even more Argyle wines on their "HOT WINES" list. These are:

Blanc de Blancs Dundee hills Knudsen Vineyard Julia Lee’s Block 2000
92 points | $40 | 860 cases made | Sparkling
Elegant, creamy and refined, balancing its delicate citrus and pear flavors against a judicious level of toasted brioche and a fleck of white pepper as the finish lingers gently. Drink now. — H.S.

Brut Dundee Hills Knudsen Vineyard 2000
91 points | $40 | 500 cases made | Sparkling
Really fine stuff, light, refined and distinctive for its spicy pear and greengage plum flavors, expanding enticingly in the mouth as the finish persists. Drink now. — H.S.

Brut Rose Willamette Valley 2006
90 points | $45 | 500 cases made | Sparkling
Pale coral in color, with spicy strawberry and cacao aromas and flavors that linger effortlessly on the fine-bubbled finish. Outstanding for its finesse. Drink now. — H.S.

Brut Willamette Valley 2005
90 points | $30 | 7,172 cases made | Sparkling
Light and creamy, with white pepper and oatmeal nuances to the citrus and pear flavors, lingering on the fine bead of a finish. Drink now. — H.S.

Extended Tirage Willamette Valley 1998
95 points | $50 | 640 cases made | Sparkling
Haunting stuff, ethereal in texture, with amazingly delicate bubbles that carry wave after wave of rich toast, spice and baked apple flavors, persisting on the elegant finish. This one has harmony, intensity and refinement. Drink now. From Oregon. — H.S

Argyle's Current Wine Selection

2008-10-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick peek at the existing line-up of Argyle wines. Some of them are selling out very quickly, so availability could change with little to no notice.

Our white wines:

Our red wines:

Our sparkling wines:

Also note that we have a new wine special in commemoration of the Oregon Bounty series of events.

This wine special includes two bottles of our Blanc de Blancs, two bottles of Minus Five dessert wine and two Argyle-logo champagne flutes. 10% discount and free FedEx Ground shipping!

Argyle's Vineyard Harvest Has Begun

2008-10-03T13:07:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again! Harvest always brings a massive jump in activity at the winery. Crews are picking tons of grapes in the vineyards every day, and our winemaking teams are destemming and crushing grapes from pre-dawn till late in the evening. Here's a small collection of photos from Knudsen vineyard.

Early morning crews head out to pick Pinot Noir grapes.

This is turning out to be a fantastic harvest - grapes are in beautiful condition and have all the signs of becoming excellent wines!

These Pinot Noir grapes are gorgeous, aren't they?

Picking is done by hand, one grape cluster at a time, to best protect the vines and picked grapes.

These grapes will likely turn up in our 2008 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.

Pinot Noir, ready for picking.

A nice closeup shot. (These grapes taste amazing stright off the vine. A very special treat, indeed!)

These Pinot Noir grapes were quickly brushed off. The deep purple/black skins are beautiful and will provide excellent color and tannins to our Dundee Hills AVA Pinot Noir wines.

Have you ever seen Pinot Noir raisins? This is what they look like next to their ripe, juicy brothers and sisters.

Rollin's Quoted in Wine Enthusiast

2008-10-02T10:33:00.000-07:00

The November issue of Wine Enthusiast just arrived. Lo and behold, there's a page of quotes by Oregon winegrowers in response to the question, "What have you learned from working in the vineyards?" Rollin is one of the quoted winegrowers.

"Mother nature taught me to be flexible, to be willing to change, to continually improve myself. In a cool climate like Oregon, Mother nature's going to throw you a curve ball. You have to be flexible enough to be ready for it." - Rollin Soles, Argyle Winery

Seattle Metropolitan Mag Lists Three Argyle Wines

2008-09-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

The September issue of Seattle Metropolitan magazine has a great article listing the top 100 wines of the Northwest. Three Argyle wines are listed in the #10 (Spirithouse Pinot Noir), #24 (Extended Tirage Brut) and #29 spots (Nuthouse Chardonnay).

Pick up a copy of Seattle Metropolitan and a bottle of one of our wines! Cheers!

Construction Progress - Almost Done!

2008-09-17T21:13:00.000-07:00

The major portion of our construction project is complete. In just a couple weeks, this new production facility will be fully operational - just in time for harvest 2008.

These concrete circles are the foundations for four brand new wine tanks that will reach all the way to the ceiling.

Stop by to sample some of our excellent wines in our tasting room. We're open daily!

Photo of Stoller Vineyard

2008-09-08T11:19:00.001-07:00

Here's a nice distance shot of Stoller Vineyard, one of Argyle's sources for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes.

You'll find grapes from this vineyard in Argyle's 2006 Reserve Pinot Noir, 2006 Nuthouse Chardonnay and 2005 Nuthouse Pinot Noir.

Vineyard Update - Lone Star, Pinot Noir

2008-09-07T14:06:00.000-07:00

Harvest is only a couple weeks away. Here you can see one small section of Lone Star vineyard, source of Nuthouse Pinot Noir and other prestige wines.

Here are some Pinot Noir grapes. They look and taste delicious and should make for an excellent class of wine.

Construction Continues at Argyle

2008-09-05T17:31:00.000-07:00

With harvest coming up soon, the construction crew is shifting into high gear to get the new production facility added to the warehouse.

The roof is now installed and walls should be going up in the next week or so.

The massive loading dock for grapes is still in progress.

Some flowers from Jim's garden.

The eastward view of Jim's garden.

And of course, our tasting room. Come by and see us! We're open!

2007 Wines and Harvest Notes

2008-08-22T00:01:00.000-07:00

As our 2007 vintage wines are beginning to emerge (like the tasty 2007 Minus Five dessert wine made from Riesling grapes), it's time to mention how the 2007 growing season went. Rollin's notes are available here and can also be downloaded in PDF format.

Cheers!

Construction Time at Argyle Winery

2008-08-21T15:59:00.000-07:00

Without a doubt, the busiest time of the year is creeping up on us. Harvest isn't too far away and we're smack dab in the middle of some major expansion of our new crush pad and production facility - the former hazelnut factory and namesake of our Nuthouse Pinot Noir and Nuthouse Chardonnay.

This is the crush pad before reconstruction - a somewhat cramped space, open to the elements, and only large enough for manual dumping of small yellow baskets (FYBs) of grapes, one or two at a time.

These photos are of the new construction - the crush pad will be much, much larger, allowing Argyle to dramatically increase efficiency and production volume. What does this ultimately mean? Why, even better Argyle wine for you!

The scrawny blue shed in this last photo used to be Argyle's humble little wine lab a long, long time ago. We've kept it for sentimental reasons.

We'll have more construction photos soon.

Nuthouse & Spirithouse Pinot Noirs Score Well

2008-08-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

2005 Pinot Noir Nuthouse - 90
Medium red. Rich cherry, blackberry and chocolate aromas expand in the glass and gain an exotic incense quality. Creamy dark fruit flavors offer palate-staining concentration, with building spiciness and gentle tannins adding support. Finishes with good spicy lift and excellent persistence, with the blackberry flavor repeating.
- By Josh Raynolds
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

2005 Pinot Noir Spirithouse - 90
Medium red color. Intensely floral scents of zesty red berries, rose, magnolia, Asian spices and pungent herbs. Sappy raspberry and cherry flavors gain richness with air while maintaining a vibrant personality. Tangy cherry skin and baking spice notes dominate the long, juicy finish of this nicely balanced wine.
- By Josh Raynolds
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Nuthouse Pinot Noir at the Top of the World

2008-08-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, so maybe it's not the "top" of the world, but how incredibly ingenious to pack a great bottle of Nuthouse Pinot Noir when hiking the high elevation mountains of Glacier, Montana! It sure beats water and trail mix!

Mid-Summer Vineyard Photos

2008-07-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

A recent trip up to Knudsen Vineyard netted some nice photos of vineyard progress. The uncommonly temperate summer has allowed for wonderful vine and grape growth. These photos are of chardonnay vines and grapes from the southwest corner of Knudsen Vineyard.

This varietal map shows the layout of Knudsen Vineyard.

Helping Preserve the Environment One Case at a Time

2008-07-16T13:17:00.000-07:00

Argyle is very committed to preserving the environment in any way it can. We're certified Salmon Safe, we use bio-diesel in our tractors, etc.

Our supplier for wine shipping boxes and inserts (West Coast Paper Co.) recently announced the happy news that their "Vintner's Choice" pulp wine trays (used in shipping Argyle wines) have been recognized by the Scientific Certification Systems as meeting their stringent requirements of being at least 97% recycled content.

As an added bonus, these wine shippers are 100% made in Oregon... pulped in Corvallis using recycled newspaper from Eugene's Register-Guard newspaper. Excellent job, West Coast Paper!

View from Knudsen Vineyard

2008-06-05T16:43:00.000-07:00

This photo is from Knudsen Vineyard, looking east by southeast. Argyle's wine house is located in the heart of Dundee (approximately 2 miles from Knudsen), indicated by the little red marker on the photo.

We've got a beautiful little tasting room. You're always welcome to stop by and try some of our hand-crafted, award-winning wines. You may even get to see Snowball, Argyle's beloved mascot.

Argyle Vineyard Update in Photo Form

2008-06-04T20:14:00.000-07:00

Checking on vineyard progress is a sincere pleasure. The 2 mile trip from Argyle up to Knudsen Vineyard is a gorgeous one - higher elevation brings crisp air, amazing views and a chance to hit a few dirt roads.

The Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and small section of Pinot Meunier vines are looking very healthy. Growth is strong and vibrant.

Here are the photos:

Pinot Meunier reaching toward the open sky.

This bee was resting on a Chardonnay leaf. He seemed very curious about his reflection in the zoom lens.

Here's a perfect little cluster of Chardonnay grapes. A couple years from now, you may be dringing these very grapes.

Fresh leaves just opening up for the first time.

Old trimmed vines from 2006 and 2007's growing season.

Chardonnay grape leaves.

Stay tuned for more updates and photos from other Argyle vineyards!

Recent Scores for Argyle Wines

2008-05-20T10:46:00.000-07:00

This recent set of tasting notes and scores highlights some of our most popular wines. Cheers!

By Josh Raynolds
May/Jun 08

2006 Argyle Winery Pinot Noir Willamette Valley: 88 Points
($25) Light red. Spicy raspberry and cherry on the nose, with a light kiss of bitter chocolate adding complexity. Smooth red fruit flavors become chewier with air, picking up dusty tannins and finishing with solid grip and good persistence.

2006 Argyle Winery Pinot Noir Reserve Willamette Valley: 88+ Points
($35) Light red color. Pungent cherry and dried rose aromas offer good clarity, along with a gentle smoky undertone. Round, sappy flavors of cherry preserves and baking spices, with firm tannins adding grip. There's nothing loose about this wine, and it really deserves some decanter or cellar time.

2005 Argyle Winery Pinot Noir Nuthouse Willamette Valley: 90 Points
($45) Medium red. Rich cherry, blackberry and chocolate aromas expand in the glass and gain an exotic incense quality. Creamy dark fruit flavors offer palate-staining concentration, with building spiciness and gentle tannins adding support. Finishes with good spicy lift and excellent persistence, with the blackberry flavor repeating.

2005 Argyle Winery Pinot Noir Spirit House Dundee Hills: 90 Points
($70) Medium red color. Intensely floral scents of zesty red berries, rose, magnolia, Asian spices and pungent herbs. Sappy raspberry and cherry flavors gain richness with air while maintaining a vibrant personality. Tangy cherry skin and baking spice notes dominate the long, juicy finish of this nicely balanced wine.

Photos from Lone Star Vineyard

2008-05-14T13:52:00.000-07:00

Fans of Nuthouse Pinot Noir should appreciate these two photos. From Lone Star Vineyard (where Argyle grows grapes for Nuthouse Pinot Noir and Nuthouse Chardonnay), the pinot noir vines are coming along nicely - strong and vibrant. From all indications, this 2008 growing season is going to produce some mighty fine wines.

Pinot Noir buds breaking nicely. Buds and leaves are full and healthy.

Pinot Noir vines on the east-by-northeast section of Lone Star.

Photos from Knudsen Vineyard

2008-05-12T15:15:00.000-07:00

As you may know, Knudsen Vineyard is Argyle's primary source for some of the highest-rated Oregon Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and sparkling wines. Knudsen produces amazing wine grapes, but it also has some spectacular views - Mt. Hood and sisters, sweeping valleys and, more close up, some gorgeous vines. Here are a few images taken recently.

Chardonnay buds rising from an old vine.

Another chardonnay bud on the vine. This block is roughly 700 feet in elevation.

Pinot Noir vines looking out at the Willamette Valley and Mt. Hood.

Tiny spider staking territory on a chardonnay vine.

Close-up of a dandelion, found just north of the highest row of Chardonnay vines.

More pictures coming soon!

Cowhouse Pinot Noir gets a 93!

2008-05-07T16:29:00.000-07:00

More good news for fans of Argyle's limited-production wines! The 2005 Cowhouse Pinot Noir just received a fantastic 93 score from Wine Spectator!

"Ripe and supple, this is beautifully accented with dark chocolate and coffee notes that integrate gorgeously with the cassis and plum fruit, hinting at cinnamon as the flavors linger expressively. Plush and elegant, this is tempting now, but should age well. Drink now through 2015. From oregon. HS"

Oregon's White Wines

2008-04-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

Oregon's White Wines, by Josh Raynolds

Apr 08
Away from their home turf, Oregon’s white wines have never really caught the growing wave of attention that has been directed to the state’s pinot noirs. Scarcity of supply plays a part, no doubt, as restaurants in the Pacific Northwest have for years taken advantage of these wines to showcase the local fishes that dominate their menus. This makes sense, as the vast majority of white wines produced in Oregon are done in a light, clean style. (A few producers have begun to push the envelope by raising some of their wines in small oak barrels, and a few of these examples are outstanding, but many are simply overwhelmed by the wood.) Similarly, local retailers, especially those in Oregon, have always supported these wines.

Perhaps a larger obstacle to the popularity of Oregon's white wines in other markets until recently has been their pricing. Many wines that command tariffs of $20 or more are cleanly made and refreshing but not especially concentrated, much less complex. The best of them, however, offer very good value. In fact, with the weak U.S. dollar having pushed the prices of French and Italian white wines of similar style much higher in recent years, the overwhelming majority of the wines reviewed here are more compelling purchases than ever before. Oregon's challenge in the coming years will be to maintain that level of value. If the dollar eventually makes a comeback, how will Oregon’s whites fare at current price levels? In a world becoming increasingly awash in Muscadet, Spanish albarino and New Zealand and South African sauvignon blanc at lower price points, will savvy buyers in competitive markets be willing to lay out $20 or more for a clean, correct pinot gris?

Oregon's warm 2006 vintage produced white wines with good ripeness and more fruit expression than the 2005s, based on what I saw this spring when I visited the Willamette Valley. With rare exceptions these are wines to be drunk as soon as possible after release, for their vibrant fruit character.

2002 Argyle Winery Brut Willamette Valley
($25; 75% chardonnay and 25% pinot noir) Light yellow with a frothy mousse. Ripe pear and pit fruit aromas, with a gentle nuttiness adding depth. Supple and fleshy on the palate, offering lush orchard fruit and melon flavors and turning spicier with aeration. Offers a nice blend of depth and vivacity. 89 - Link to 2002 Argyle Brut.

1999 Argyle Winery Blanc de Blancs Brut Kundsen Vineyard Julia Lee's Block Dundee Hills
($35; disgorged in 2007) Pale gold. Spicy apple and lemon on the nose, picking up candied ginger and clove qualities that carry onto the palate. Pliant yellow apple and pear flavors are enlivened by dusty minerality and bitter lime pith. The clean finish features excellent lift and cut. 90 - Link to 1999 Blanc de Blancs.

1999 Argyle Winery Brut Knudsen Vineyard Dundee Hills
($35; 80% pinot noir and 20% chardonnay) Light yellow. Powerfully scented nose displays ripe pear and yellow peach aromas, along with baking spices and smoked meat. Fleshy orchard fruit and melon flavors pack solid punch but are strikingly fresh, with good mineral bite on the back end. Gains weight and sweetness on the long, sappy finish. This is intense enough to stand up to full-flavored foods, or washed-rind cheeses. 90 - Link to 1999 Knudsen Vineyard Brut.

2006 Argyle Winery Riesling Willamette Valley
($25) Pale yellow. Dusty lime and apple aromas are complicated by quinine and smoky minerals. Very dry-I suspect that some tasters will find this austere-offering brisk citrus and apple skin flavors. Finishes dry and sharp, in the style of an Australian riesling from the Clare Valley. 89 - Link to 2006 Willamette Valley Riesling.

2006 Argyle Winery Chardonnay Nuthouse Willamette Valley
($35) Green-tinged yellow. Strong oak spice qualities complement peach skin and tangerine on the nose. Deep and rich, with strong citrus and pear flavors turning a touch bitter with air. Finishes firm, with good grip and a repeating oak spice quality. Very impressive material here but I wonder about the oak. 88+ - 2006 Nuthouse Chardonnay.

Riesling Romance in Oregon

2008-04-22T09:58:00.000-07:00

Michael Franz has written a great article about the history and future of Oregon Riesling on WineReviewOnline.com.

Michael's article opens with:
"I love Oregon's beautiful wine country, and I love the wonderful culture that has sprung up there among producers, which is very innovative and ambitious in terms of quality, but refreshingly unpretentious in its bearing. And I have been madly in love with Riesling for two decades. So when I learned last year that my favorite white grape is enjoying a renaissance in what may be my favorite American region, it was like hearing that a romance had bloomed between a couple of dear friends."

There's also a printable version of the article available.

Are you a fan of Oregon Riesling? Check out our 2006 Willamette Valley Riesling. "Ripe and notably sweet but never cloying, this very well made wine remains balanced and fresh from the first palate impression right through the finish, seeming generous rather than especially sweet."