2610, 2011
Cantina Tollo Listed In Wine & Spirits As Top Co-Op
CANTINA TOLLO "Located in Central Italy's Abruzzo region, Cantina Tollo is a first-level co-op, where the farmers are also the owners of the company. It was founded in 1960 [...]
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Argyle Pinot Noir is an honest representation of the Willamette Valley. Fermented entirely in small lots, and blended for purity, it toes the line between red and dark cherry, while offering spicy forest floor and hints of black tea. The palate is lively and graceful, building density and focus as the silky tannins build into the long, energetic finish. - Nuthouse Pinot Noir comes from the low-elevation, warm, southeastern slope of our Lone Star Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. Brilliantly garnet in color, the aromas are initially delicate and ethereal, hinting at fresh rose petal and red earth. As it opens up, more complex aromas emerge of dark chocolate, anise, and wild cherries. The mid palate is deep and creamy, poised against firm tannins and long, savory acid. You'll want to drink it right out of the gate, as this wine comes to you fully assembled, but don't sleep on aging this little beauty, as she's got many, many years to go in the bottle. Grilled venison loin with saffron white beans, almond romesco, and bone marrow toast.
- Spirithouse Pinot Noir returns! Crafted entirely from the high elevation slopes of the Knudsen Vineyard, Spirithouse Pinot Noir requires a long, well-balanced growing season to achieve its distinctive power and elegance. Grown at elevations between 600 and 700 feet, this Pinot Noir rides the line of red clay mineral edge and voluptuous depth. Elegant red cherry, wispy floral, and savory spice, the middle palate is based in silkiness and youthful acidity. Framed around delicately firm tannins, the length is long and pure, begging for at least a decade of cellaring for her to truly open up. We recommend a companion dish: tea-smoked duck.
- At the top of Knudsen Vineyards, at 950 feet of elevation, is where you'll find our 2.5 acre planting of Pinot Meunier. We take advantage of the late ripening spot to retain bright, fresh acidity and mineral edge. This blend is 25% Pinot Meunier, 70% Pinot Noir, and 5% Chardonnay. Its color is bright, pale salmon pink, while its bouquet is full of rose petal, anise, and pink peppercorn. The barrel aging of the red wine component contributes to its savory complexity, while its delicate, creamy bead leads to a long textural finish only enhanced by food... salt-cod fritters and smoked piquillo aioli.
- This is one-of-a-kind for American Sparkling Wine: 100% Dijon Clone Chardonnay from a single block in the famed Knudsen Vineyard - a very sophisticated and pure Blanc de Blancs. Notice aromas of citrus blossom, pear brioche, honey with a modicum of quince paste. The texture is creamy yet balanced on a delightful mineral edge. Fruit flavors of Meyer lemon and Anjou pear are framed with a lovely essence of hibiscus blossom. Penultimate balance abides. The finish is long lasting of pear, honey, and a touch of yeasty coconut.
- Made from fuller-bodied Pinot Noir and fine-structured Chardonnay from Knudsen Vineyard, this is simply an astounding (big!) bottle of Argyle's best bubbly. The aromas foretell a wine of concentration. Look for ripe red apple and yellow plum fruit blended with a hint of grapefruit citrus. The yeast complexity holds toasted baguette, jasmine petal, and subtle spice of coconut, sandalwood, and teak wood aromatics. The texture is rich and viscous. This is not for the faint of heart, part-time sparkling drinker, and the wine will smack down even the biggest red wine Pinot Noir!!
- Argyle Chardonnay is an exercise in purity. No bells or whistles, this 100% Dijon Clone Chardonnay is fermented half in stainless steel and half in neutral oak barrels. Argyle Chardonnay is all pure fruit focus and precision. The middle palate is ripe with melon and peaches, balanced with an underlying, subtle creaminess. The natural acidity is buoyant and fresh, finishing long and clean. Totten Inlet mussels steamed in sweet corn, chilies, cilantro and lime.
- Nuthouse Chardonnay is all about the interplay of savory texture and mineral edge. There is a satisfying and long lasting richness that is hard to define in words. A chord which travels from the back of the palate, through the spine and into the crust of the volcanic soil of the Willamette Valley. Fresh cut wheat, lemon sabayon, crêpes suzette, and delicate flake pastry. There is a degree of convection, the concerted, collective movement of groups or aggregates of molecules within this chardonnay, one may say the third dimension. It brings dreams of char-grilled crustaceans and blackened squid.100% barrel fermented.
- Farmed and sourced entirely from our Lone Star vineyard, 2012 brings Argyle it's first ever Nuthouse Riesling! After 10 years of growing Riesling on this particular plot of land, we are beginning to learn the intricacies of what it means to make Eola-Amity Hills Riesling. 85% of the blend was fermented in stainless steel to retain laser-sharp freshness and acidity. 15% of the blend was fermented in our oldest neutral oak barrels to enhance subtle texture, yet also maintain fresh fruit flavor. Both components were left on lees 9 months before blending and bottling. The nose is full of fleshy white peach, lilac, meyer lemon, and faint white pepper. The palate is sleek and graceful, a light plumpness lurking in the shadows, waiting to build increased depth with time. The ever complicated acid/mineral interplay keeps the finish sailing on and on. Just a young pup, all the hallmarks of true age able Riesling are here. Break out the Bibimbap!
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A fantastic cross section of the Willamette Valley's finest offerings, our Reserve Pinot Noir is truly a celebration of balance. The fruit profile rides the line of red and dark fruit, and can lean in either direction depending on the day. Black cherry and Howes cranberry embraced by subtle, toasted hazelnuts, and vanillin. While the tannins are firm, but rounded, there is an underlying earthy minerality which drives the mid-palate through the long finish. While delving for pure fruit flavors and juicy acidity, Argyle hangs on their phenolic hat trademark silky texture which has been enhanced through cold soaking in small lot fermenters, along with aging 16 months in French oak barriques.