2021 Cremant d'Innocent
Willamette Valley Sparkling Wine
Appellation
Willamette Valley
In Stock
Vineyard Notes
Freedom Hill is located in the foothills of the coast range 10 miles southwest of Salem, Oregon. It has a southeast exposure at an elevation of 425’ and benefits from heat rising off the valley floor. Hills to the east protect the vines from strong coastal winds. The vines were planted in 1999 and 2008 on well-drained silty clay loam.
Production Notes
Release Date: ; Production 137 cases
Winemaker Notes
Vintage Notes: 2021 began with a warm spring and a relatively early bloom, which was complete by the second week of June. A massive heat spell around June 27th head temperatures reaching up to 113 degrees. This significantly stunted growth in younger plants limiting their ability to ripen a normal crop. The younger vines at our estate essentially stopped growing as well as the Riesling at Temperance Hill. The summer continued with a heat spell in late June and mid-July. Because of these high temperatures, mildew was not a significant problem in 2021. We began picking Chardonnay on 9/13 and the first Pinot noir on 9/15. A slight rain event on September 18th and 19th brought much-needed moisture to the vines. By the 24th, all of the Chardonnay and most of the Pinot noir were picked. We finished picking in the first week of October, with the exception of the Riesling, which came in on 10/14. In the end, we were happy with the fruit and very thankful that there were no fires to complicate the harvest.