When people think of Oregon, they immediately think of rain. What they might not realize is that it doesn’t rain year-round here. (In fact, not one city in Oregon even makes the top-30 list for average rainfall in the US!) Okay, we admit that while it does drizzle in the early and late months of the year, our gorgeous, temperate summers across our sylvan state make up for the grey days of fall and winter. And with such a diversity of climates throughout Oregon-from dramatic seascapes to lush rainforests to high deserts-the varied landscape gives our state many unique qualities. To craft our wonderfully balanced Rainstorm Pinot Noir, we take advantage of our diverse landscape by selecting grapes from our vineyards in the Willamette and Umpqua Valleys. With its cool, mild climate, the Willamette Valley of northern Oregon produces Pinot Noirs with an earthy, elegant style and complex flavors and subtlety. The hotter and drier climate in the southern Oregon’s Umpqua Valley region produces Pinot Noirs bursting with brilliant, ripe, rich fruit flavors. By creating a 50/50 blend of these two wine regions, we’ve crafted an Oregon Pinot Noir that reflects the dynamic diversity of our very green (and sometimes very wet) state. The result: Rainstorm Pinot Noir is a perfect harmony. We harvest our Pinot Noir grapes at about 22.5 Brix and then gently destem them before the maceration phase. Our macerations - that’s when the skin comes in contact with the juice and when we extract color and tannins - are brief (usually about a week, to avoid harsh tannic flavors). The maceration ends with pressing and a full malolactic fermentation. After a rough filtration, the wine is put in contact with oak for at least 12 months. The resulting wine is fruit-forward, soft and elegant with rosehip aromas and flavors of bright cherry and pomegranate.