2022 Cubanisimo Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, Oregon

The 2022 Cubanisimo Estate Pinot Noir comes from a family-owned vineyard in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills, where Mauricio Collada began developing the property after purchasing 21 acres in the 1980s. Eight acres of Pinot Noir were planted on the estate’s southeast-facing hillside, and the family initially sold its grapes to established Oregon producers before creating Cubanisimo Vineyards in 2003. The vineyard sits at roughly 650 feet in elevation on Jory and Nekia soils, with dryland farming contributing to the naturally low-water conditions of the site. The winery’s name, meaning “very Cuban,” reflects Collada’s Cuban heritage and remains central to the identity of the estate.

The Estate Pinot Noir is a medium-bodied expression of Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, combining cherry and raspberry with cranberry, mossy earth, cinnamon and subtle licorice and chocolate notes. Soft tannins and a lingering finish give the wine an approachable character while retaining the savory, earthy qualities associated with Pinot Noir from this part of Oregon.