This Pinot Noir is a blend of all of our vineyard sources throughout Oregon with the largest percentage coming from our Battle Creek Vineyard and represents the entry-level of the three wines we produce under our Battle Creek Cellars collection. 2014 being the first vintage that we have placed such an emphasis on this particular vineyard, the Unconditional is certainly a meaningful demonstration of what a difference this vineyard can make as just a small percentage of a blend. The aromatics are of blue and black fruits with just a hint of the vineyard's signature herbaceous quality and these characteristics are carried onto the palate with some soft, but rich tannins as well as the natural, bright acidity that is another calling card of this special site.

The 2014 vintage in the Willamette Valley was almost as much of a pleasure to grow, ripen and harvest as the wines are and will be to drink. The warmer-than-average spring influenced our bloom dates which were, on average, about 2 weeks earlier than usual and were followed by long stretches of warm, sunny days with very moderate nighttime lows which allowed the berries to fully develop and ripen evenly without any drought or heat stress to the vines. When the rain showers finally started passing over the valley during harvest, they were far less of a concern than they have been in previous vintages when ripeness has been such an elusive objective. Consequently, the resulting wines have, in general, been well-balanced and transparent expressions of the sites from which the grapes were sourced without much need for adjustment or amelioration in the winery.