Each vintage the Laurène bottling captures the best the year has to offer. 2002 is one of the best vintages that Oregon has ever seen. Picked by hand and lovingly crafted in our gravity-flow winery, this wine is a strong representative of the best we can produce in Oregon.
Our Estate vineyard is divided into 32 blocks which are all harvested, tank fermented and barrel aged one year individually. The wines that will ultimately become Laurene reveal themselves in the course of tastings over the year. After one year, the wines are blended and rest for four months, before being bottled and aged for another 19 to 20 months before release.
93 "Laurene leads with the less than obvious, a scent more floral than fruity, a spice that smells like earth and herbs. Its supple Burgundian texture and its long, austere finish feel very French, yet Oregon shows through in a Dundee red-earth minerality as well as a leafy freshness. Be sure to decant, then serve with roast duck or pork." Patrick J. Comiskey, Wine and Spirits 92 "This is a bit riper than the estate pinot but aromatically, this is easily the most elegant of these three offerings with pure, linear, deep and weighty flavors that deliver outstanding precision on the sappy, intense and very long backend. This is classy juice with plenty of vivacity, personality and authority." 2008+ Allen Meadows, The Burghound 91 "Dark, saturate red. Incisive aromas of bitter cherry, black raspberry, boysenberry and licorice, with suggestions of smoked meat and bacon fat. Dense but juicy, fresh and vibrant on the palate, with strong dark berry flavors and a heady, floral quality that builds with air. The bright, strong finish is elegant and precise." Steven Tanzer, The International Wine Cellar 90 "Firm and lively, with juicy plum, tar and pepper flavors packed onto a fine-grained blanket of tannins, hinting at bay leaf on the long finish. Needs time to settle. Best from 2006 through 2012." Harvey Steiman, The Wine Spectator
The flavors of Cuvee Laurene 2002 are all extraordinary in their richness: neither rough nor heavy. The architecture of the wine is a marvel of harmony with very fine and noble tannins bringing a silky roundness to the wine. This is what we call the “gras” in Burgundy. The acidity adds a bit of energy to the wine. The well balanced structure will enable the wine to age and improve remarkably through the years. Decant for 30 minutes to enjoy the wine in its youth, or cellar for increased nuances from now until 2013 and probably even longer.