2021 Sullivan Pinot noir
We honor Mike McNally’s paternal grandmother Winifred Sullivan with this bottling.
This beautiful wine opens with a banquet of summer fruit aromas and alluring hints of baked cherry tart.
Lithe and spirited with juicy acidity. On the palate, wild strawberry, guava, and black tea build richness and texture that glide to a supple and refined finish.
VINTAGE
The 2021 growing season was 8% warmer than normal, however temperatures in the critical months of fruit development and ripening were normal to slightly below average.
Although the Willamette Valley experienced record-breaking heat in the June, we received rain just prior to the heat event which hydrated the vines and prevented damage.
Bud break occurred in the third week of April and bloom began on June 4. Veraison was observed on August 12 with harvest for our Sullivan Pinot noir beginning September 7.
HARVEST
After 100 days of drought, a welcome and rejuvenating rain arrived September 18, one day after harvest of the full vineyard was complete.
ELEVAGE
This combination of Dijon 777, Wadenswil, and Pommard selections barrel fermented in new Sirgue Vosges and Richelieu light long toast French oak barrels and twice and thrice-filled barrels from a variety of coopers with an emphasis on the Allier, Troncais, Nevers, and Vosges forests.
Total elevage was ten months in 24% new French oak to an alcohol of 13.0%
Case production 257
Rich and lively now, this wine will develop in the cellar for years.
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Varietal | Pinot noir |
| Varietal Composition | 60% Dijon 777
30% Wadensvill
10% Pommard |
| Appellation | Yamhill-Carlton |
| Vineyard | Fairsing Vineyard |
| Harvest Date | 09/07/2021 |
| Acid | 6.5 |
| PH | 3.42 |
| Aging | 11 months 24% new French oak |
| Alcohol | 13.00% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 08/25/2022 |
| Cases Produced | 257 |
"This is my favorite Sullivan since Ed, but frankly, this wine is way prettier. It is balanced and medium bodied, with a supple texture. The wine’s aromas of cranberries, lavender, butterscotch and an old cedar chest are repeated on the palate, along with flavors like red currants and lemon. The mouthfeel is silky and elegant." Michael Alberty
93 Points, Editor's Choice - Wine Enthusiast
April 2023
Fairsing Vineyard is managed sustainably in Oregon’s Yamhill- Carlton American Viticulture Area (AVA) with 38 acres of Pinot noir and five acres of Chardonnay in production.
The vineyard is nestled inside an 80-acre Certified Family Forest distinguished by biodiversity, varied topography, and panoramic views of the Northern Willamette Valley.
Fairsing Vineyard is a certified member of the Low Input Viticulture and Enology (LIVE) Association, the Salmon Safe program and the American Tree Farm System.
Robert Brittan completed his education at UC Davis and moved to Napa Valley, where he crafted wines for Far Niente, Saint Andrews among others. After 16 years as Winemaker and Estate Manager with Stags’ Leap, Robert headed north to fulfill his dream of making Pinot noir and Syrah from unique sites in cooler climates.
With over 40 years experience tending grape vines and crafting wines, Robert is the consulting winemaker for select vineyards in the Northern Willamette Valley.
Since 2012 Robert and his team have been crafting wines for Fairsing that are distinctive and expressive of the property. Robert's enthusiasm for the varied exposures, geology, micro-climates, and selections across Fairsing Vineyard is reflected in his site-driven wines. Robert feels Pinot noir and Chardonnay lend themselves to many wonderful interpretations, depending on the soils and microclimates where they are grown.
