2022 Gemini Vineyard WV Pinot

Crunchberries? Why yes, Captain.

A Story: Making this wine is always a bit of a ruckus. It’s the kid who jumps off the second story roof with a sheet as a parachute … and lands it.

The Cliff Notes: The color is the purple end of red. The nose delivers the red cherry of almond extract, yellow banana and brown spice. On tongue it screams very red raspberry with a long tail-out onto light tannins. As a character study, “pure” and “slurp-able” might be the banners worn.

The Building of: The four best barrels are here: wild-yeast fermented in stainless steel, 100% barrel aged for 15 months in French oak (one once-filled, one twice filled, two neutral), selected and assembled as the best of the best. Bottled unfiltered in December 2023.

Ageability: We absolutely recommend that you consider decanting to get it some air within its first three years. This wine should easily climb in complexity beyond ten years.

Vineyards: The Laurelwood soil of Gemini Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA is a rich, wind-blown loess that contributes vigor to the plants and good acid to the wines made from these grapes, which are grafted, 31-year-old, Scott Henry–trained, Pommard clone Pinot noir.

— Jim Prosser, owner/winemaker