Iris Hill Winery is a family-owned operation, concentrating on producing small quantities of hand-crafted, award-winning Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay. The estate is located in the Lorane Valley, 18-miles southwest of Eugene, Oregon.
Proprietors, Richard Boyles and Pamela Frye, established Iris Hill in 1990. After an extensive search, Richard located the hillside site, near the rural community of Lorane, Oregon. After the site was prepared, the first vines were planted in 1996. The first fruit, produced in 1999, was sold to a local winery. In 2002, Iris Hill wines were introduced with the 2001 vintage of Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Chardonnay.
As the name suggests, each May the hillside meadows and woodland edges surrounding the vineyard yield a profusion of wild Douglas Iris in hues of blue, purple, violet and lavender.
There are currently 44 acres of vineyard at an elevation of 800 feet above sea level: 28 acres with Pinot Noir, 12 acres with Pinot Gris and 4 acres with Chardonnay. Pinot Noir clones include Pommard, Wadenswil, and Dijon 113, 114, 115. Our Chardonnay is Dijon Clone 76. The Pinot Gris clones are Colmar 146 and 152.
The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay blocks are planted primarily on Belpine and Jory loam soils. These soils have a distinctive terra cotta color. We use vertical trellising for all varietals. The vine blocks are planted on south, southeast and southwest facing slopes, to better capture the precious fall sunlight, necessary to bring the fruit to the optimum ripeness necessary to produce high quality wines in the cool climate of Oregon.
The Pinot Gris block is planted on a complex mix of soil types. We believe that these soils express an attractive mineral note in the wines, particularly in cool years.
The fruit is vinified in small lots, keeping fruit from different clones and blocks separate. Periodic tasting reveals the often surprisingly different character of the base wines created from different blocks, different clones of the same variety and different aged vines. The cuvee is assembled from the base wines with the goal of creating a finished wine that builds on the best qualities of each lot.
There are two wines in the portfolio:
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Iris Hill Pinot Gris
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Made from organically grown grapes.
This wine is a classic pinot gris fruit, round soft structure with wonderful fruit to acid balance. Hints of tropical fruit, banana, peach, and apricot.
This wine is an ideal accompaniment to seafood, smoked salmon pate and Thai curries.
The wine can be enjoyed now or cellared for a year or two years.
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.5%
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Iris Hill Pinot Noir
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Made from organically grown grapes.
This is a medium bodied Pinot Noir, with aromas of bing cherries, strawberries, violets, and spices, mixed with subtle oak and good acidity. The wine is soft and smooth with a long finish.
The wine is an ideal accompaniment to braised chicken, pasta with a mushroom and prosciutto sauce, seared tuna or grilled pork.
Enjoy the wine now but could develop nicely with cellaring for up to 2 to 3 years.
Vintage: 2006
Alcohol: 13.5%
UPC #: 851984000087
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