07/20/2023
Thank you Owen Bargreen for such kind words.
Toil Oregon
As part of our only Oregon event today we share one of the great newcomers to the Willamette Valley. Easily one of the finest producers of Rose wines in Oregon, Toil Oregon is the brainchild of famed Leonetti winemaker Chris Figgins who planted his vineyard in the Willamette Valley nearly a decade ago. Toil Oregon started with a production of 200 cases then in 2016 Chris planted his estate vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. His first wine fully from his estate vineyard was the 2019 Rose.
These wines have gotten better and better with time. Chris’s Rose wines are very serious. They are very brightly colored but also show incredible flavor density and nuance in flavor, reminiscent of the greats from Provence like Domaine Ott and Domaine Tempier. He is able to capture fantastic fruit and non-fruit tones as well as vibrant acidity.
I was completely enamored with his 2022 Toil Oregon Rose (OB, 93) which is one of the top Rose wines that I have tasted in the past year. Do not miss out on the 2021 Toil Oregon ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir (OB, 94) which is very dense and has some fantastic aging potential. Learn more about this great winery at toiloregon.com Here are the brilliant new wines by Toil Oregon.
2021 Toil Oregon Chardonnay- The 2021 Toil Oregon Chardonnay comes from the Toil Estate Vineyard and was stored in only 18% new French oak barrels before bottling. It is very ripe and showing a luxurious texture with serious weight. Buttercream and rich melons combine with shades of lemon rind and flinty and salty accents on the palate. Very complex and also very delicious, this warm vintage Chardonnay is already drinking marvelously now at the two year mark. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2023-2033- 94
2021 Toil Oregon Pinot Noir- Very dark in the glass compared to other vintages, the 2021 Toil Pinot Noir is a delicious warm vintage wine that was stored in only 15% new French oak before bottling. It comes off very pure with ripe cranberry, pomegranate seed and Yakima cherry flavors alongside freshly tilled soils and a light dusting of salinity. Very fresh and fragrant, this is delicious wine in its vibrant youth and one that will be gratifying for more than a decade to come. Drink 2023-2037- 93
2021 Toil Oregon ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- This is a new wine made by winemaker Chris Figgins, as the 2021 ‘Reserve’ shows off an even darker color than the 2021 Pinot Noir. Rich loganberry and cranberry flavors meld together with volcanic soils, ripe Satsuma orange and suggestions of black tea on the palate. This shows seriously good length with lots of weight and bright acidity holding things together. Enjoy this over the next fifteen plus years. Drink 2023-2038- 94
2022 Toil Oregon Rose- This 100% Pinot Noir Rose was stored in stainless steel before bottling. A bright pink color once in the glass, this offers serious range on the nose from wild mushroom and ripe strawberry and red raspberry tones that combine with stony minerals and suggestions of fresh cantaloupe. The palate is soft and very gratifying on the mouth, with a soft mouthfeel. Finishing long with serious length, this is gorgeous, highly nuanced new Rose that has a long way to go in the cellar. Drink 2023-2030- 93
