Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Wadenswil 1998

BETHEL HEIGHTS is a family-owned and operated vineyard in the Eola Hills, a hill chain of volcanic origin in the heart of Oregon's Willamette Valley. More than half the vineyard, over thirty acres, is planted to Pinot noir.

The oldest Pinot noir vines at Bethel Heights were planted in 1977 with clone UCD-1A, known commonly in Oregon as one of the Wädenswil clones; hence the name Wädenswil Block for this five-acre section. Originally from Burgundy, this clone is named after the viticultural experiment station in Wädenswil, Switzerland where it was indexed before coming to the United States many years ago.

At Bethel Heights the Wädenswil is a rather late-ripening clone, usually harvested about ten days after the more widely planted Pommard clone. It also tends to have higher acidity, bigger clusters and smaller berries - hence darker color - than the Pommard. These qualities make it an important component in our estate blend.

In our warmest vintages when late harvest allows the Wädenswil clone to achieve maximum flavor development it yields exceptional stand-alone wines of distinctive character. To date there have been four vintages in which it has been bottled as a separate block-designated Reserve: 1992, 1995, 1998 and 1999.