THE WEST BLOCK at Bethel Heights (formerly called the Wädenswil Block) is a five-acre section of our estate vineyard planted with UCD Clone 1A, commonly known in Oregon as one of the Wädenswil clones. Planted in 1977 on their own roots, these are the oldest Pinot noir vines at Bethel Heights.
Originally from Burgundy, the Wädenswil clones are named after the viticulture experiment station in Wädenswil, Switzerland where they were indexed before coming to the United States many years ago. The Wädenswil clone at Bethel Heights is a late ripener, usually harvested about ten days after the more widely planted Pommard clone. It also tends to have higher acidity, bigger clusters and smaller berries - hence darker color - than the Pommard.
In our warmest vintages when late harvest allows the Wädenswil clone to achieve maximum flavor development it yields exceptional stand-alone wines of distinctive character. To date there have been five vintages in which select barrels of the Wädenswil have been bottled as separate block-designated Reserve wines: 1992, 1995, 1998, 1999, and 2000.
BETHEL HEIGHTS 2000 WEST BLOCK RESERVE PINOT NOIR IS CERTIFIED SUSTAINABLY GROWN. Certification is provided by LIVE Inc. and Salmon Safe™. LIVE is a sustainable agriculture program certified under international standards of Integrated Production. For details go to liveinc.org. Salmon Safe™ certifies farming practices that restore and protect healthy streams and rivers. For details, go to salmonsafe.org.
Winemaker: Terry Casteel
Vineyard Manager: Ted Casteel
BETHEL HEIGHTS
VINEYARD
6060 Bethel Heights Road NW
Salem, Oregon 97304 U.S.A.
Phone (503) 581-2262
Fax (503) 581-0943
Website: www.bethelheights.com
Email: info@bethelheights.com
2000 PINOT NOIR * WEST BLOCK RESERVE
Certified Sustainably Grown
Harvest date: October 11, 2000
Grapes at harvest: Brix : 23.8, pH: 3.21, TA: 7.5 gr/liter
Finished wine: Alcohol 13.8 %, pH: 3.5, TA: 6.1 gr/liter
Barrel aged 13 months in Center of France oak, 30% new
350 Cases produced
Bottled unfiltered, December 2001
Suggested Retail $35
The 2000 vintage followed the typical pattern for a good Oregon vintage. Bloom in mid-June under sunny skies set a large crop that had to be thinned aggressively. Sunny weather persisted through the summer, and a shot of rain in early September kept the vines healthy through a long slow ripening period. We enjoyed a beautiful harvest in mid-October with no rain in sight.
Winemaker notes: This wine is testimony to the fact that 2000 was probably the ripest vintage we've ever seen at Bethel Heights in terms of physiological maturity of the fruit at harvest - sugar content, sugar/acid balance, and flavors on the ripe end of the pinot fruit spectrum. Firm tannins balanced by opulent fruit defines the character of this powerful wine.
| "This wine is bright in flavor. Its velvety texture, laced with zingy acidity, supports lovely black cherry, raspberry and spice flavors that echo effectively on the harmonious finish." Score 91, The Wine Spectator (June 15, 2002) |
A printable version (pdf file) for this wine can be found here.