A stunning Oregon property producing some of the finest Chardonnay & Pinot Noir under the stewardship of winemaker Shane Moore and vineyard manager Leti Catoira. A single vineyard in the Yamhill Carlton AVA of Willamette Valley Gran Moraine expresses terroir in a fashion rarely seen outside of Burgundy. The vineyard is planted with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and is certified LIVE Sustainable, minimal interference once the fruit is picked results in arguably the best expressions of these two royal varieties in the country.
"They say I pick early, I say they pick late." – Shane Moore, Winemaker Gran Moraine
SUSTAINABILITY.
Leti Catoira cares for the Gran Moraine property with care and attention. Serving as Technical Committee Chair for the leading sustainability organisation LIVE, Catoira drives the standard for ethical viticulture in Oregon ever higher. The vineyard being LIVE certified only sees organic inputs while the winery is energy efficient and utilises recycled materials sourced locally.
Sourced from estate owned vineyards, Anakota is a collection of single vineyard, single varietal wines that personify the rustic elegance and spirit of rural Sonoma County. Rising more than 4,000 feet above sea level, Mount St. Helena looks down on two prized estate-owned vineyards, Helena Dakota (230 MASL) and Helena Montana (290 MASL). Both are quietly situated on the rugged flanks of the Mayacamas Mountain Range. The vineyards highlight two distinct facets of the Knights Valley estate. Their boundaries are set not by a surveyor’s transit, but by the subtle variations of topography and geology. The soils in the Knights Valley are sparse and volcanic which, together with the warm days and bracing cool nights, produce powerful, profound and age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. The estate is run by Pierre Seillan who met Jess Jackson and Barbara Banke in the mid-1990s and emigrated to Sonoma County to make terroir-based wines from their extensive acres of vineyards. Anakota gives Pierre the opportunity to create classically-structured, multifaceted Cabernet Sauvignons from superb vineyard sites in Knights Valley.
SUSTAINABILITY.
As stewards of the land, the vineyards are designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding environment. Unplanted acreage encourages biodiversity and sustained ecosystems whilst all Farming practices encourage soil enhancement and high amounts of microbial activity. Native cover crops help to enrich the soil quality & provide a habitat for predatory insects. The vineyards are recognised for their sustainability by the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance (CCSW), Sustainability in Practice (SIP) and both sites are certified Salmon Safe ensuring all waterways and salmon habitat is as pure as possible.
A benchmark producer from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, WillaKenzie takes Pinot Noir incredibly seriously with 100% of their vineyards being planted to the variety. With a continual focus on quality and experimentation winemaker Erik Kramer crafts effortless and energetic expressions.
SUSTAINABILITY.
The vineyards are managed with uncompromising attention to detail with sustainability being non negociable. In 2008 WillaKenzie became the very first winery in the country to receive LIVE Certification going on to set up solar panels that currently supply the estate with half its energy needs.
Based in the Russian River Valley Hartford Family wines was started in the mid 90’s with a focus on locating the best vineyard sites around California to produce the finest Chardonnay & Pinot Noir. The Hartford family still runs the venture with patriarch Don and Wife Jennifer still at the helm. Whilst producing a number of single site wines the brand has become famous for its ‘Russian River Series’ that beautifully encapsulates the region by sourcing from a number of incredible vineyards.
SUSTAINABILITY.
The Hartford family have invested heavily in the Californian wine industry working closely with growers to ensure only the best fruit is produced. This includes utilising organic vineyard inputs, monitoring soil health and reducing water usage. All wines are vegan and made with the approach that the work is very much done in the vineyard.
Jackson Family Wines purchased Zena Crown Vineyard just west of Salem in 2013, as a first foray into Oregon. Zena Crown Vineyard is comprised of 115 acres of vines divided into 48 distinct vineyard blocks. From these 48 blocks, 17 are sourced specifically to produce Zena Crown’s Pinot Noirs, capturing the vineyard’s changing moods and expressions just as if it were a living, breathing thing. 6.5 acres of Chardonnay were planted in 2014.
SUSTAINABILITY.
Situated at the south end of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, this vineyard is LIVE Certified & Salmon Safe. Additionally, as part of its commitment o sustainability, Jackson Family Wines plants less than 35% of its land to vines, encouraging native biodiversity, and generates its own onsite renewable energy.