The Wine

For our third Auction lot—arguably the most compelling of the three—we have chosen to break with tradition and have selected a single site, Croft Vineyard. We began working with the Croft family in 1999, attracted by the intensity of Pinot noir grown on their Bellpine (marine sedimentary) soils. While the vineyard lies just south of the Eola-Amity Hills in the foothills of the Coast Range, it is a surprisingly warm site. Consequently, we harvested the 25-year-old Block Y Pommard on the early side to preserve freshness. The final blend from which this lot was selected represents just four out of 10 barrels (25% new, 75% neutral). Intense red berry fruit; a lush, sexy midpalate that nonetheless shows verve and lift; and a long, harmonious finish create a wine of power and grace. Ideal drinking window: 2021–2027.

The Winery

Two thousand nineteen marked Andrew Rich's 25th harvest in the Willamette Valley. Over time his focus has evolved (he used to have a thing for Rhône-style wines), and now Pinot noir takes pride of place. Over the last five vintages Andrew has emphasized the exploration of Willamette Valley soils, seeking to reveal their influence on Pinot noir, perhaps the most transparent of grape varieties. Nonetheless, he continues to study the potential of Sauvignon in the Valley and even dabbles a bit in Columbia Valley Syrah.

Learn more about Andrew Rich Wines
Follow: @andrewrichwines

All wine is sold FOB the location of the winery that produced the lot purchased. WVWA is not responsible for shipping wine. Shipping or delivery arrangements, expenses and insurance are the sole responsibility of the purchaser. Any shipment of wines out-of-state is the responsibility of the purchaser, who is solely responsible for compliance with the laws and regulations of said state.

The producing winery currently has distribution in the below listed countries and states. A list of distributors is available upon request.

USA: CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, IL, LA, MA, MD, NC, NJ, NY, OR, PA, SC, TX, VA, WA, WI