Zena Crown Vineyard

The vineyard is planted to a variety of Pinot Noir clones including Pommard, Wädenswil 2A, Mt. Eden, “828,”
and several Dijon clones. The diverseness of the vineyard and clones allows the opportunity to generate Pinot Noirs. There are four wines Slope, Block 14, Conifer, and The
Sum. Three of these wines in the 2014 vintage’s autumn release are reviewed below. The wines are very young and would benefit from decanting or longer time in the basement. Aromatics are fairly shy and the
flavor profiles are somewhat similar at this stage.

14.5% alc., pH 3.54, TA 0.53, 235
cases, $75. Sourced from cubes Zena West 1A and Zena East 2, 5 and 14. Pommard 4, 114 and 667. Aged 16 months in French oak barrels, 77% new (M to M+ toast).

Shy aromas of red and black fruits and fertile earth. A bit more refined and
elegant than the Slope bottling using a more mouth feel. Beautifully balanced, with a mid weight
charge of blueberry and blackberry fruits that are well spiced and complimented by oak. The wine
finishes with a aromatic and sweet finish. Bottle aging that was additional advised.
Last year I wrote about this new job from Jackson Family Wines, “Jackson Family Wines Infuses New Life
into Zena Crown Vineyard,” at www.princeofpinot.com/article/1864/. Jackson Family Wines acquired Zena
Crown Vineyard as part of the first foray into the Willamette Valley in 2013. The inaugural 1,000 cases from
the 2013 vintage were crafted from the blocks of the vineyard, and were very
impressive.

Zena Crown Vineyard is located on choice property in the Eola-Amity Hills area of the Willamette Valley. It is
115 acres dwarfs several very adjacent Pinot Noir vineyards, including Temperance Hill, Justice,
Zenith, and Bethel Heights. The vineyard’s 56 cubes are primarily planted to Pinot Noir, with smaller plantings
of Pinot Blanc (1.94 acres) and Chardonnay (6.6 acres). Soils are primarily volcanic Jory and Nekia with areas
of Bellpine, Ritner, Steiwer and Witzel).

Some proportion of whole clusters might be contained depending on the clone, the vintage and the intended result. Typically, the wines are aged 16 months in French oak barrels, with a high proportion
of new oak (new oak allows more oxygen ingress allowing the winemaker to limit undue reduction without
racking). The wines are bottled with Diam closures and are unfined as a guideline.

Published at Mon, 13 Nov 2017 17:40:48 +0000

The winemaker is Shane Moore, who relocated to Oregon leaving a position as winemaker for La
Crema in California. He consults with Oregon veteran winemaker Tony Rynders.

14.5% alc., pH
3.68, TA 0.51, 286 cases, $75. Sourced From cubes Zena East 1, 12 and 14. Harvest Brix
14.0º-27.0º. Pommard 4 and 667. 40 bunch. Aged 16 months in French
oak barrels, 75% new (M to M+ toast).

Demure, but
aromas of cassis, earthy flora and wood shed. The trio’s wine tasted here,
with a little more vibrancy. Nothing is out of place. There is A sappy black cherry fruit center
accented with a touch of cardamom spice. Oak is conducive without imposition. The wine has a
mouth filling presence with integrated tannins, and a potent finish. There is an indefinable
special quality to this wine that makes it stand out. Score:94