2003 Domaine Drouhin Louise Red Hills Estate Pinot Noir

Domaine Drouhin is located in Oregon’s Willamette Valley, but its roots are in Burgundy, France. Domaine Drouhin is owned and operated by the Drouhin family of Burgundy, which is the owner of the legendary Maison Joseph Drouhin. The Drouhin family has been making wine since the 13th century in France, though in Oregon the first vintage was 1988. Veronique Drouhin-Boss is the winemaker in Oregon, and she travels frequently between the estates in Burgundy and Oregon. The 225-acre Oregon estate is planted to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. The Oregon estate’s signature wines are named after her three children, and are a blend of old world winemaking and new world terroir.

Dundee Hills AVA is in Yamhill County, and it is entirely contained within the Willamette Valley AVA, Oregon’s best known appellation. Dundee Hills is about 30 miles southwest of Portland, and has 1,300 vineyard acres. It was awarded AVA status in 2004 and, like much of Oregon, is known for Pinot Noir. Several of Oregon’s 20th century wine pioneers established their vineyards and wineries in Dundee Hills, adding to its status as a region long-recognized for producing high quality, iconic Oregon wines. Eyrie Vineyards, Erath Winery and Sokol Blosser remain some of Oregon’s most celebrated producers, and all were founded in what is now Dundee Hills in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

This red wine is relatively light and can pair with a wide variety of foods. The grape prefers cooler climates and the wine is most often associated with Burgundy, Champagne and the U.S. west coast. Regional differences make it nearly as fickle as it is flexible.