Zena Crown Vineyard is located towards the southern end of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, home to many of Oregon's finest Pinot Noir vineyards. During the growing season, ocean breezes push through the Van Duzer Corridor in the Coast Range, maintaining a consistently cool climate. This climate, combined with the shallow, well-drained volcanic soils of the Jory and Nekia series that dominate the AVA, is the primary reason the Eola-Amity Hills AVA is emerging as one of the world's most exciting wine regions. We source from select blocks across the vineyard, picking primarily clonal selections of 667, 114, 777, and Pommard.
Aromas and flavors of blackberry, dark cherry, violet, and spiced oak are present. Mid-palate sweetness creates weight and length to the finish.
94 Wine Spectator Seductive and elegantly complex, with silky raspberry flavors accented by notes of fresh violet, orange peel, savory spices and black tea that gather richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2033.
93 Jeb Dunnuck Expressing a more tension, the dark ruby 2021 Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard is more reserved aromatically but also more focused, with delicate incense, black raspberry, and violets. The palate has a fresh spine of acidity, with ripe fine tannins, and a nice citrus-tinged lift on the finish with a hint of toasted earth. It’s a very pretty wine from winemaker Kate Ayres to drink over the next 6-8 years. 93+ pts. Maturity: 2023 - 2031
