The Wine

Rising from uplifted ancient marine sedimentary soils, Johan Vineyards is a healthy and lively 85-acre, Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyard tucked away in the Perrydale Hills of the Willamette Valley. Lovingly and meticulously tended by Dag Sundby and Dan Rinke, Johan sits directly in the path of blustery winds that spiral down from the Oregon coast every evening, resulting in wines with natural vibrancy and lively acidity. Johan was winemaker Brianne Day’s last Pinot pick of 2017 as the site ripens later than her other Pinot sites, due to proximity to the coast and the Van Duzer Corridor effect. Just five weeks prior to the pick date, Bri gave birth to a rosy-cheeked and healthy baby boy by the name of Viggo Day. During his entire first vintage, little Viggo slept cozily in a baby carrier next to his Mama’s heart while she made her wines. Over the past year, Johan Vineyard has become a very special reprieve for both Brianne and V, a place where she can share her love for growing plants with care and teach environmental awareness by exploring the workings of nature. 33% remained whole cluster and the fruit was fermented in small lots, without the use of lab-created yeast or sulfur. All punchdowns were done with pigeage (stomped by foot), by Brianne and Viggo personally. It was aged in 15 percent new French oak and 85 percent neutral for 20 months. It was racked just once at bottling and will be bottled July 1, 2019.

The Winery

Led by winemaker Brianne Day, Day Wines is a natural wine producer in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Brianne crafts wines that are instinctive and restrained, and capture a specific time and place. After two years traveling to over 80 wine regions, Brianne cut her teeth working harvest at Brooks, Scott Paul, Willakenzie Estate, Belle Pente and Grochau Cellars in the Willamette Valley and Domaine Huber Verdereau in Volnay, Burgundy, along with stints in New Zealand and Argentina. Dedicated to site-driven expressions, Brianne seeks out fruit from farmer-owned biodynamic and organic vineyards and crafts wine using minimalist winemaking methods. Between 2012 and 2017, Day Wines grew from 125 cases annually to 6,000. In 2015, Brianne realized her dream of creating an incubator for emerging winemakers by opening a 14,000-square-foot collective winery and tasting room in Dundee, Oregon. She has made a splash on the natural wine scene with her creative and unorthodox wines, while paying homage to the Old World. Brianne was selected as one of the top 40 tastemakers under 40 by Wine Enthusiast, was one of the few American winemakers at the seminal RAW Wine Fair in London and New York City, and is one of seven domestic producers mentioned in the book Natural Wine.

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