Bergström 'Silice' Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon 2017

• Winemaker: Josh Bergström
• Varieties: Pinot Noir
• Farming: Biodynamic
• Terroir / Soil: Planted in 2001 in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, with elevation of  400ft. This 18-acre vineyard sprawls over four different rolling sandy hillsides in the Chehalem Mountains AVA and most probably is a 60 million-year-old sand dune or beach. Silice sees all-day, unrelenting sun exposure.
• Vinification: 100% whole-cluster fermentation in open-top, temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation tanks. 100% malolactic and alcoholic fermentation (no residual sugars or malic acids) in 228L French oak cooperage. Less than 15% new oak
• Aging: 10 months élevage in new french barrique
• Tasting Notes: Spicy, powerful notes of gingerbread, red cherry, cinnamon and sassafras, with a mild savory and pretty floral lift. 
• Scores: 93 Points James Suckling, 93 Points Vinous, 93+ Points Wine Advocate.

From our July 2022 Q3 SERIOUS INQUIRIES ONLY CLUB:

Bergstrom | Silice Pinot Noir |Chehalem Mountains, Willamette Valley, Oregon | 2018

    The Bergström family has been growing grapes in the Willamette Valley since 1999, only a short time when we consider some of the other producers we’ve featured from Europe. But the winery’s founder, Dr. John Bergström, founded the winery alongside his wife Karen as an homage to his agricultural roots. Originally from a logging community in Norway, Josh was sponsored by his Portland-based aunt and uncle to come to the US at the age of 17. After he and Karen completed successful medical careers, they purchased thirteen acres of land in the Dundee Hills in hopes of building a legacy for future generations of their family. 

    In 1999, John and his son Josh planted vines, and have farmed biodynamically since the start. Josh went on to complete degrees in Viticulture and Enology in Burgundy, and today he manages grape growing and is the lead winemaker at Bergström. For nearly twenty years, Josh has maintained rather small productions across their 70 acres of planted vines and has always focused on terroir-driven wines. 

    As a sommelier, Bergström has always served as a benchmark for me when it comes to Oregon Pinot Noir. They focus on a handful of single vineyards, providing focus and depth in each bottling. I’ve always found these wines benefit immensely from age, which can be a bit unusual in the Oregon landscape. Only the most serious wineries in Oregon go for ageability, so it is a relative rarity in these parts. In youth, the bottlings can be tannic and wound up. But with a bit of patience, somewhere around the 5-7 year mark, these wines become luscious and enveloping. Patience pays off here!

    Silice comes from Bergström’s most prized Pinot Noir site.  Located in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, this site is home to sandy soils that date back 60 million years (woah!). The 20-year-old vines produce fruit that is wonderfully spicy and floral, with a savory herbal component of bay laurel and menthol. Josh uses 100% whole-cluster fermentation in open-top, temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks, and ages the wine 10-12 months in French oak (10-15% new). It is a ripe, more fruit-forward style of Pinot Noir, with aromas of smoked black cherries, fresh vanilla bean, and sweet pomegranate. The wine finishes with a hint of chewy tannins and a rich, earthy note of shiitake mushroom and thyme. It most definitely will shine against an elegant meal and can pair magnificently alongside roasted salmon, guinea hen, or smoked brisket. — Simi Grewal