Zena Crown is located towards the southern end of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, which is located within the Willamette Valley, home to many of Oregon’s finest Pinot Noir vineyards. During the growing season, ocean breezes push through the Van Duzer Corridor in the Coastal Range maintaining a consistently cool climate that is the hallmark of all great Pinot Noir winegrowing regions. Comprised of 83 acres of Pinot Noir clones 114, 115, 667, 777 and 828, the Zena Crown Vineyard is LIVE and Salmon Safe Certified. It is a densely-planted vineyard at 2530 vines per acre, with southwest and southeast exposure, planted in the volcanic Nekia soils.

2010 Soléna Estate Pinot Noir, Zena Crown Vineyard 750ml

The wine showcases lovely floral and tea aromas framed by rich mocha notes. Very fruity on the palate, it is spiced up with flavors of violets, raspberry and vanilla, ripe tannins and minerality.

The Vintage: In many parts of the Willamette Valley, bud break came early followed by the wettest June on record and the coldest summer in 17 years. As a result, extended hang time was reported throughout the state, as growers and winemakers waited for optimal flavor development. The long hang time and increased sun exposure resulted in complex and well-developed fruit with the potential for a high-quality but lower yielding vintage. After a long, slow and steady growing season, the 2010 harvest was one of the busiest and most dramatic as vineyards raced to pick before the rains arrived. Going into the barrel in November, we were uncertain of the wine’s quality and had no idea that we would be tasting one of the best vintages a few months later. This growth was a most dramatic surprise resulting in a wine with more body and refinement offering a vibrancy and brilliance that is unexpected.

2011 Soléna Estate Pinot Noir, Zena Crown Vineyard 750ml

The wine showcases lovely floral and tea aromas framed by rich mocha notes. Very fruity on the palate, it is spiced up with flavors of violets, raspberry and vanilla, ripe tannins and minerality.

The Vintage: For most of the Willamette Valley, the entire growing season was late. Starting with a cold and rainy spring we did not see bud break before May. Then the very mild summer did not help the large crop we were seeing to catch up through bloom and veraison. In our vineyards, we helped nature to gain as much sun as we could by dropping fruit and exposing it more by pulling leaves. Then the rain started in October, adding to our concern. We decided to wait anyway and the rain stopped, allowing the fruit to end its maturity. And this long and steady growth increased the structure and complexity of the fruit in a very positive way. The grapes came at their maturity peak with a load of ripe flavors, tannins, acidity and color. We knew right away before the end of fermentation that this vintage was worth the wait and the effort. The complexity and balance is beautiful, resulting in wines with strong fruit character and structure, ideal for cellar aging.

2012 Soléna Estate Pinot Noir, Zena Crown, Willamette Valley 750ml

The wine showcases lovely floral and tea aromas framed by rich mocha notes. Very fruity on the palate, it is spiced up with flavors of violets, raspberry and vanilla, ripe tannins and minerality.

The Vintage: Following two vintages with some of the coolest temperatures on record, 2012 presented warm, consistent weather. A normal budbreak launched us into a spring that was classic for Oregon; periods of warm sunny weather followed by cooler rainy weather, with fi rst bloom around the third week of June. A long bloom gave us uneven berry development, known as hens and chicks. There was no recordable rainfall in July, August, and September. This warm and dry weather, coupled with the difference in berry size, increased the berry skin to juice ratio leading to rich, fruity and concentrated wines. Our first grapes were harvested on the 27th of September and the last on October 24th. 2012 was a storybook vintage.