We love the two 2019 single vineyard Pinot noirs from Redolent. The first, This Must Be The Place, was featured in early 2021 and we’re back with the wine responsible for starting the winery: Carlton Hill! Aromas of wild strawberry, raspberries, incense, and purple flowers lead to flavors of bright red fruits accented by warm soil, blood orange, lavender, and white pepper. It carries just the right amount of heft with a feel that’s wonderfully balanced. And it drinks especially well right now, which we’re always in favor of.
Above the towns of Yamhill and Carlton grows the stunning 11-acre Carlton Hill Vineyard. Planted in 1999, this vineyard is planted with a pure eastern sun exposure, somewhat noteworthy for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. Redolent works with the classic Willamette Valley clones of Pommard and Wädenswil from Carlton Hill, and it always produces a distinctively superlative Yamhill-Carlton Pinot noir.
The quick backstory of Redolent Wine is a vineyard owner (David Polite, Carlton Hill Vineyard) contacted a wine salesman (Boyd Pearson) who enlisted a fermenter (Jon Larson) and a winemaker (John Grochau) to help make a single vineyard Pinot noir. Call it a lucky break. Call it providential. Call it propitious. We just hope you call it delicious! Like the seasons, life comes full circle, and you get through it with a little help from your friends.
Introducing someone to a memorable wine brings true joy. Jon and Boyd bring all of their experiences to the table to collaborate on every wine they make and continue to push each other through experimentation to try and produce both wines redolent of place and wines redolent of simple pleasure.