Winderlea 'Shea Vineyard' Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, USA 2021
Winderlea — pronounced Win-dur-lee — is a made up word with a little bit of history. Winderlea is the name of a Vermont property Bill Sweat & Donna Morris purchased in 2001. The 1860s property was named by the Gerard Family, who owned, loved and nurtured the land and the house for over 60 years. As former owner Jim Gerard explained, the word Winderlea was crafted by his parents combining the word, “Wind,” with the word “Lea,” meaning meadow or pasture. Combined, the words create Winderlea, a word evoking the meaning “Wind in the Meadow.” Winderlea was an idyllic place for the Gerard family. As they searched for a name for the vineyard and winery, Winderlea is the name we kept coming back to. We believe that it evokes an idyllic place and the graceful wines they are making.
A striking mosaic of blackberry, ripe cherry, dark plum and raspberry compote, along with hints of earthy spice are offered up from the glass. The palate is long and abundant, with flavors of chamomile, black peppercorn and cigar box supporting velvety tannins. A long, plush and satisfying finish rounds out this rich and complex wine.
"Coming from a very large vineyard just outside of Carlton that’s sourced by many different producers, the 2021 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard comes from the western side of the property, where white soils reflect heat well, and the winemakers pick on the early side here compared to others. The 2021 pours a deeper ruby but remains transparent and offers ripe aromas of cardamom, mixed berries, and mossy earth. Medium-bodied, with more plushness and a silkier mouthfeel (a departure in texture from the other Winderlea wines in this lineup), it has fine tannins and a seamless spine of acidity. It’s quite attractive and approachable now and will drink well over the coming 6-8 years." Jeb Dunnuck 94