Amalie Robert was founded in 1999 when Dena Drew and Ernie Pink left their careers in high tech and bought a 60-acre cherry orchard near Salem. After tearing out the cherry trees and planting grape vines, the couple’s first commercial vintage was the 2004 bottling. Amalie Robert focuses on Pinot Noir, though the estate also grows Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier Syrah and Viognier. Besides Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, the estate makes Pinot Meunier, Syrah and a Rose. Stephen Tanzer has often rated the estate’s Pinot Noir in the low 90s.