Barrels have arrived: French barrels newly arrived wait their turn into the cellar rotation.
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Wine in glass: White wine used for topping enjoys a quiet corner of the winery. (Photo credit: David Reamer)
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Pinot noir cellar: Barrels of 2010 Pinot Noir lie at rest in our cellar until bottling. (Photo credit: David Reamer)
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Checking in: Winemaker Ben Casteel and General Manager Mimi Casteel look at Pinot noir straight from the vineyard during harvest.
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Close to ripeness: Our sustainably farmed Estate Chardonnay vines just before harvest.
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Willamette Valley harvest morning: Fog lifts from our Eola-Amity Hills estate on a perfect morning for picking.
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Harvest has arrived: Pickers diligently help us bring in our fruit, ensuring quick picking at the day’s perfect temperature.
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Glorious fermentations: Punch-downs (pushing the cap of grape skins into the fermenting juice) are part of the daily routine at Bethel Heights during harvest.
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Ripe for the picking: Sustainably farmed Oregon Pinot noir at its finest in our estate vineyard.
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Sorting it all out: General Manager Mimi Casteel checks Pinot noir clusters before they enter the destemmer during harvest.
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White noise: Pinot gris, Estate Pinot blanc, Estate Chardonnay, Oregon Riesling, and Grüner Veltliner occupy the white wine fermentation room. (Photo credit: David Reamer)
Our Winemaking Process
Our winemaker, Ben Casteel, works closely with the entire family and vineyard crew to ensure that fruit is picked at its optimum ripeness each vintage, and that it is handled gently in its transition from vineyard to winery.
Grapes from both our Willamette Valley estate vineyard, as well as sourced vineyards, are vinified and aged as separate lots until they are bottled, so that we can learn as much as possible about their individual differences and qualities, and how they develop over time.
Over the years we have chosen to bottle specific blocks and vineyards of Pinot noir separately, to highlight their intrinsic qualities and differences in soil, exposition, and age. These include our Southeast Block, Flat Block, West Block, and Justice Vineyard, along with a small selection from other respected Willamette Valley vineyards.
We began a new tradition in 2002, blending selected barrels from several sites into one reserve Pinot noir that celebrates the best of the vintage. This wine bears the family name, Casteel Reserve, honoring the founding Casteel brothers and the new generation of Casteels now managing the family business.
We work with a selection of exclusively French oak barrels from several sources. Ben uses a combination of traditional barrique- and puncheon-sized barrels, none of which are ever toasted above medium.
White wines are fermented and aged in a combination of stainless steel and oak barrels, depending on the grape variety.
