Evesham Wood Vineyard

Evesham Wood Vineyard
3795 Wallace Rd NW
Salem, Oregon
USA 97304
Phone: (503) 371-8478
http://www.eveshamwood.com/

Contact: Mary Raney
Email: [email protected]

Nestled on a lower terrace of the Eola-Amity Hills’ eastern slope in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, our east facing 13 acre estate vineyard, Le Puits Sec, was planted in 1986. The soils are primarily basalt-derived volcanic and very well-drained, thus yielding pinot noir with great structure and at the same time aromatic and with finesse. As well, chardonnay and the Alsatian varieties thrive in this micro-climate, producing intensely varietal yet subtle wines.

Evesham Wood obtained organic certification for both our estate vineyard and winery from Oregon Tilth in 2000. In addition, we are charter members of the Deep Roots Coalition, an advocacy group for wines produced exclusively from non-irrigated vines. Since 2005 Evesham Wood has been associated with the international organic/biodynamic organization, “Renaissance des Appellations”, whose members are required to adhere to rigid organic and quality standards.After a comprehensive search throughout the Willamette Valley, we chose a site for our estate vineyard, “Le Puits Sec” (French for “the dry well” which we have in the vineyard) in 1986. There we planted eight acres, three of Pinot Noir (Pommard clone), two each of Chardonnay (108 clone) and Pinot Gris (Colmar clones) and one of Gewurztraminer. Since then, four and one half acres have gradually been added (1.5 ac. of 3 Dijon clones of Pinot Noir, 1 ac. of 3 Dijon clones of Chardonnay, and one ac. Pinot Gris, as well as small plantings of the German variety, Rieslaner and the Austrian variety, Gruener Veltliner). In addition, the original two acres of Chardonnay were grafted over to Pinot Noir in 1999.

The gently sloping, east-facing vineyard is tightly-spaced and nestled on a low terrace (300-420 ft. elevation) on the eastern side of the Eola-Amity Hills ridge. This area, known locally as “Spring Valley”, has already proven to have one of Oregon’s best micro-climates for the production of fine wines from Burgundian and Alsatian varieties. It is here that the rather shallow volcanic basalt soils allow us to achieve the low yields we seek for wines of great intensity and complexity. As well, it is the uniqueness of this “terroir” that gives Le Puits Sec wines their signature.

It was also in 1986 that we first produced Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, using grapes purchased primarily from Temperance Hill & Seven Springs vineyards, two fine Eola Hills sites very near (and with similar soil composition) to our own. We continue to purchase fruit from these, as well as from three other quality sites: Mahonia, located in the South Salem Hills, Illahe, a warm site in the foothills of the coast range, and Eola Springs, on the west side of the Eola Hills ridge. We currently purchase Pinot Noir and Chardonnay for about half of our 4,500 case annual production, with the remainder of wine production from these varieties coming from our estate vineyard. Additionally, our Pinot Gris and Gewurztraminer are produced exclusively from estate-grown fruit. We’ve resided at our vineyard site since its planting. It wasn’t, however, until 1991 that our present subterranean winery was located there, situated below our home on a knoll overlooking Le Puits Sec vineyard and an idyllic Willamette River landscape.

Winemaker: Russ Raney

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