Lachini Vineyards Grape Republic Pinot Noir 2017

Until quite recently, the Willamette Valley was a beautiful land of opportunity for Pinot Noir lovers … both those who loved imbibing wine and those who adored making it. For here, in the Pacific Northwest, was a climate that fit Pinot Noir perfectly - not only the weather, but also the soil, slope aspect, and even the human factor. Welcoming and inviting Oregon offered it all for Pinot Noir. 

So in those halcyon days, back in 1998, Ron and Marianne Lachini followed their passion for Pinot to Willamette and planted their first vines on the Chehalem Mountains, just outside of Portland. The winemaking bug took, and so did the wine growing— as of 2008, the winery and all its wines are both organic and biodynamic as well as certified sustainable agriculture. For some of you, that may only mean that you get to feel happy vibes while drinking the wine. But for others, you recognize how difficult it is to practice farming in this way and appreciate how important it is to Oregonians. 

And I’d argue it makes the wine even more delicious:

Montmorency cherry aromas explode from the glass, mingling with layers of pomegranate, orange zest, black currant, green tea and Pinot Noir’s signature baking spice aromas. The classic Oregonian elegance is on full display: power and drive across the palate, finishing with tension and energy on the back.  This wine is ready to go now - the fruit, tannin and acid balance is impeccable.

I started this email by noting “until quite recently” so let me explain that because most Oregonians would argue that to this day, Willamette is a Pinot lover’s paradise. And I certainly don’t want to change their minds, but I think a little nuance helps explain the price break on this wine. 

Ron and Marianne Lachini make $60 a bottle (and up) Pinot Noirs under their eponymous label. Buuuttt… what i think they’ve found, and what other Oregon producers have found, is that we, the general buying public, miss those days of darn good Willamette Pinot at under $20 a bottle. Sooo… times being what they are, they take some of the $60 a bottle program and offer it under a sub-label that is somewhat hard to associate with the main wine. That’s this guy, The Grape Republic. Further, you’ll notice it's a back vintage - for similar reasons. But what that means to us is we’re getting some pretty darn good Willamette Pinot, lovingly aged for us and ready to drink now, at an exceptional price. Don’t miss our small allocation!