“A small production, region-defining Pinot Noir that delivers Burgundy-inspired precision and polish and joyful deliciousness in equal measure.”
 
Suzor Wine’s The Tower Pinot Noir is truly special.  In recent years, more and more Oregon producers have taken to bottling their various pinot noir vineyards individually, aiming to highlight the unique characteristics of each site. And while we love these wines for the individual stories they tell, what’s become lost is the region-defining wine, a wine that eloquently captures the full complexity and flavor of a region.  Thankfully for us, the husband-and-wife team behind Suzor have held firm, and each year they craft The Tower pinot noir from two top sites in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA of Oregon’s Willamette Valley.  Menefee Vineyard is set high in the foothills of the Coastal Mountain range and has unique volcanic soils. Fennwood Vineyard is lower in elevation and features sedimentary soils. When these two sustainably farmed vineyards come together the result is vinous magic and a reference point for one the Willamette Valley’s original and most important AVAs.  We were able to bring just 10 cases into Ontario, so quantities are extremely limited.
 
Suzor Wines was founded back in 2011 with only five barrels of pinot noir.  Since then, husband and wife Greg and Mellissa have been crafting consistently outstanding wines, patiently growing their production by partnering with top growing sites throughout the Willamette Valley. Greg, who studied Viticulture and Oenology in Beaune handles the winemaking and Melissa manages operations and growing the brand.   Greg’s family is French, and summers spent in the Loire Valley growing up inspired him to become a winemaker.   Melissa has a background in hospitality, having worked at some of the top restaurants in Europe where she fell in love with wine and started to dream of opening her own winery.
 
The 2018 Vintage in Oregon was an anomaly in that it treated the vines to perfect growing conditions.  A wet early spring was followed by a long and dry summer which allowed Suzor to harvest at the moment of optimal ripeness and achieve great balance in their wines.  The fruit from Menefee and Fennwood was fermented with native yeast and spend 1 year in Oak, 20% of which was new. In the glass, The Tower opens with the freshness of the season's first Cherries, the red fruit profile intensifying with precision and energy. On the palate, brambly fruit leads into savory wild herbs. The juicy acidity plays against the velvety palate and polished tannins. The freshness and vibrancy of cherries and red currants persist through a long finish.