Bitter Pops® Amity Vineyards Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley Oregon 750ml – 7847025213684

Amity Vineyard sits 500 feet above the town of Amity where its south-facing slope gets warmth from the sun and cooler air blowing in from the Pacific Ocean 50 miles to the west via the Van Duzer corridor. The warmth brings ripeness while the cool evening temperatures allow the grape to maintain its acidity. The basaltic and marine sediment soils and low yields produce wines with a sense of place and purpose.

The Van Duzer effect is real. We get warm days that allow the grapes to mature, but as the warm air rises in the afternoon, it draws in the cool air from the Pacific Ocean. This leads to drastic diurnal shifts so cold nighttime temperatures help the grapes to recover from the warm days and retain beautiful natural acidity. The wind also has a mechanical effect on the grapes, meaning that the skin is thicker on Amity Vineyards and other sites in the Eola-Amity Hills and McMinnville sub-AVA’s as compared to other regions as the grape is trying to protect the seed from damaging winds. This thicker skin equates to more color and tannin in the wine and builds upon the history of our vineyard that you taste when you share a bottle.

Farming Practices

What makes Amity so unique are the nearly 50-year-old own-rooted vines. They’ve had decades to work through the thin topsoil to dig deep into the ground and access these ancient nutrient-deprived soils. The combination of the vine’s age, the absence of artificial inputs, and dry farming practices mean they are naturally low yielding. When vines have a lower crop load they can devote more resources to the grapes which leads to a better concentration of flavor. In conjunction with the naturally occurring age elements, we farm the vineyards sustainably so we have minimal input into the land which allows the truly unique character of the site to shine through.

History

Amity Vineyards, one of the first pioneering Oregon wineries, was founded in 1974 by winemaker Myron Redford, who moved to Oregon with a dream to make world class Pinot Noir. He became known for his attention to detail and experimentation in the winemaking process, and as a result he was the first to produce organically grown sulfite-free wines. The first vineyards were planted in 1971, with a total of 15 acres planted of Pinot Noir, Riesling and Pinot Blanc.

Present Day

Inspired by the rich heritage and unique growing conditions that are a part of these hills, Ryan Harms from Union Wine Company & his brother, Eric Harms, purchased the winery in 2014 with the goal to bring new energy to this founding winery. Ryan, a modern wine innovator, became interested in reinvigorating the uniqueness of Amity’s past for a modern context and bringing this integral Oregon winery and its beauty to more people.

Ryan and Eric share a penchant for Eola-Amity Hills wines. The area has a remarkable sense of place that showcases the fruit’s beauty and transparency. Embracing the unique soils and influence from the Pacific Ocean that are found on site, they work together to bring a purposeful approach to our winemaking style that enhances the individual properties and defines the next journey of Amity’s wines.

https://amityvineyards.com/