Bryn Mawr Vineyards
The first time I encountered this winery was about eight years ago when they were just starting out. The tasting room was a tiny unfinished room with a couple used barrels serving as supports for a board laying on top. Nestled in the Eola~Amity Hills, they were poised for greatness, despite the humble beginnings. But humble beginnings are where many of the great Pinot Noir producers in Oregon started.
Last weekend I went back. I was apprehensive, but Betty insisted. I’m thrilled she did. Now, Hubs is not a fan of Pinot Noir. To be fair, Pinot Noir is a wine you arrive at…usually…rather than a gateway wine. For most people, anyway. But I’ve been working on him and I’ve been making headway. Stopping at Bryn Mawr was a big step in making a pinotphile out of him yet.
Our host was David who was thrilled that we were there. I don’t think that had anything to do with us. David seems genuinely excited about presenting the Bryn Mawr lineup and it was very authentically sweet. They have a red flight and a white flight, but we were allowed to pick neurotically from both. Thanks David!
Tiny bites of cheese, some crackers, and house bottled water are served table side for your tastings. Yeah, you won’t be tasting standing up. Guests are directed to sit to go through the flights. It’s a lot of running for the host, but it was lovely all the same. They’ve just built a brand new tasting room that is not quite finished yet, so tastings are happening in the brand spanking new winery. And it’s big.
But the wine! Ooohhhh, the wine. Bryn Mawr is focused on cool climate Chardonnays and superb Pinot Noirs, with a sprinkling of other fun things like Pinot Blanc, Tempranillo, and Dolcetto. The Chardonnays run the gamut of no oak to lots of oak with some variances in between. The 2016 Addie’s Block was my personal favorite of the Chardonnays…uncharacteristically (whew did I spell that right?!) tropical fruit flavored with lovely notes of hibiscus aromas.
The 2017 David’s Block Pinot Blanc was everything I love about that grape when it’s done well….juicy, sassy, and just the right touch of acids that compliment it’s longer finish. I got both of them.
The line up of Pinot Noirs are spectacular. Rachel Rose, the winemaker, is one of those gems you don’t find often. Her Pinots are everything I love about the Eola~Amity Hills AVA and you should, too. They are complex, fruity, and confident. Of the four Pinots we tried, the two that stuck out for me were the 2015 Jeffrey’s Block and the 2014 Reserve. It could be that I’m pretty partial to the 115 Pinot clone and it looks like Rachel Rose might be also.
The 2015 Jeffrey’s Block made my eyes bug out and my eyebrows shoot upwards. The best word to describe that Pinot is sexy. It’s just gorgeous. And at fifty bucks a bottle, it’s either a terrific value or badly under priced. The nose has all the typical aromas of fresh berries you find in Pinots in the Eola~Amity Hills. On the palate, it’s an endless tumble of cascading flavors. It’s like she managed to get all the best flavor profiles of great Pinot Noir piled into one wine. It was every berry and cherry flavor you can imagine….fresh, jam, pie…all of it. There was a tickle of chocolate and hint of a possible anise maybe. The mouthfeel was silky and soft and incredibly smooth. This is the Pinot you want when you’re curled up in front of the fire with someone special…and sexy….like Hubs. Except you’ll have to find your own special sexy person. The wine has a definite aphrodisiac like effect. So I got one.
The 2014 Reserve was much like the Jeffrey’s Block, but more austere. This is the Pinot you want to drink with a meal with said special sexy person. It’s screaming for some leg of lamb. This Pinot was a bit more restrained than the others while also being assertive, but not aggressive. I really enjoyed that barely there tannin and the grown up fruit flavors. And the chocolate again! The back palate is rewarded with a pleasant surprise of mild sasparilla that kept me coming back for more sips. It was hard to decide which Pinot to get, but in the end sexy won out. I mean, have you seen Hubs?! He makes me swoon.
Ahem. Go! Go see Bryn Mawr! And say Hi to David.