Well hi there Spring! Lots going on in Division-land, so without further ado…
Introducing 2018 – the new vintage of
Division-Villages, Division Rosé of Pinot Noir, and Gamine GRENACHE!!!
The snow may not have melted on every last mountain top, but we are starting to see the tulips pop and the buds swell.
Yes, we are ready for Spring, and with it the release of our 2018 Division-Villages, Division Rosé of Pinot noir, and our BRAND NEW Gamine Grenache Noir wines!
Like all harvests, 2018 was full of surprises. In early August, with temperatures in the 90s and full-throttle sun shining every day, we thought for sure we’d see another early warm harvest. A reprieve of clouds and mild temps came along in the third week of August, then some much needed light showers in early September, and finally cool and dry conditions all the way to early October for near perfect harvesting conditions.
Grapes flooded the winery, of virtually unparalleled quality. We could not believe the perfection of the fruit we pulled in last fall. Yes, the 2018 growing season turned into a dream vintage for the ages!
Our 2018 spring release wines provide the first opportunity (save our Nouveau) to experience the superlative 2018 vintage — finessed, ripe yet balanced, generous yet acid-driven. In other words, a vintage after our own hearts. Our beloved assistant winemaker, Drew, sampling the freshly bottled reds, reported that 2018 was the best vintage of Willamette Pinot he’d ever tasted.
We don’t disagree, and think you should consider picking up a mixed case or three!
On Saturday, April 13th, from 3-5pm at the SE Wine Collective, we’ll be opening all of our 2019 spring release wines for the only time this year!
That day, for $10, sample all eight new wines, including the new label on the “Méthode Carbonique” Pinot Noir + Kate’s new Gamine Grenache. We’ll even waive the tasting fee if you purchase 2 bottles or join on of our wine clubs.
Come celebrate the start of spring and new Division wines! (and perhaps even a few library wine treats to check in on)
Discounts will be available for 6-11 bottle purchases (10% off) and 12+ bottle purchases (15%) and wine club members can add an additional 5% off their club discount for any extra wines taken home at our release party.
This past year, with our 10th vintage around the corner, and with the feeling that our winery is, and will continue to be, an integral part of Willamette Valley winemaking, we joined the Willamette Valley Winery Association (WVWA), the most important and preeminent trade group in our region.
The greatest opportunity presented to members is involvement in the annual “Willamette: The Pinot noir Auction” – an event that has helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for Willamette Valley wines.
Each year, about seventy-five of Oregon’s top Pinot noir producers make a “one-time-only” special Pinot noir from their finest vineyard sites. For us this meant the famed Temperance Hill Vineyard, and our old vine Eola Springs Vineyard. We named the wine “La Peau des Fesses” – our little tongue in cheek rub on the high prices fetched for wines at this auction. The resultant wine is truly an absolute dream — showcasing the best of the Eola Amity Hills AVA, our favorite sub-region within the Valley. We could not be more honored to have been invited to submit a wine to the auction, and we look forward to many more years of producing world-class Pinot noir!
WE ARE BACK ON THE ROADS THIS APRIL!
Tom’s got so many events this month, he may need a second liver! Catch him kicking off the spring tour in April and then then heading to his home state, Missouri for a jam-packed week of dinners and tastings.
Week two of his tour takes Tom rolling on to the dirty south, Hot-lanta, Savannah, & Charleston!! There’s also New Orleans for the last few days of the month and into May, but that’s for another story….
Meanwhile, Kate’s headed to back to Canada to catch last few days of winter and drink a few Molson’s with our good friends to the north.
Sophie will find herself in recently uncharacteristically un-sunny California, so keep an eye out for her in LA and SF next week.
We will be back with more dates soon when the tour rolls on in May!
Love,
Kate, Tom, Sophie, Drew & Cass