1984: The first year we made wine commercially, and the most difficult we have seen. Unless you love Pinot after all the primary fruit is gone, this wine is over the hill. It was very good when it was young; one of the three best Pinots made in Oregon that year, sharing honors with Eyrie and Cameron.

1985: This wine still has some life. It never finished malolactic fermentation so the acidity has preserved it over the years. It has very good color for a 20 year old Pinot noir. The acid still focuses the wine and helps it stand up to food.

1986: Fall rains softened the structure of these wines. While they were delicious young, they have not aged well.

1987: A large production vintage that is beyond its peak but still demonstrates some nice floral, leather, and cedar character. The large crop and heat during harvest meant these wines were never dark in color and were more jammy than fruity in their youth. Drink now.

1988: One of my favorite vintages of the 80's, our Estate 88 was a benchmark for pure fruit character in its youth. The "First Release" was also excellent, and held its fruit character longer that either the Estate or the Reserve. Fully mature, the 88's are losing their primary fruit character and vibrancy of color. If you don't like older Pinot noir, you probably will be disappointed.

1989: The Winter of 89 was severe, and we suffered both bud and actual vine damage. Crops were significantly reduced. We had a late budbreak, but a hot Summer and Fall. The Pinots were jammy and delicious young. Fully mature, the wines are showing their age. These wines still have a sweetness that is hard not to appreciate. Drink now.

1990: Very cold conditions in December caused bud damage which led to the third straight year of short crops. The growing season was long and cool and we had a dry Fall. Wine quality was very high. We liked the wines so well at Bethel Heights that we have drunk the whole library. They were good while they lasted, and I suspect they are still drinking well.

1991: A very late start to the 91 vintage was all the reason many of us needed to thin severely in order to get the fruit ripe before the Fall rains. Luckily, we had a glorious and long Fall. Our 91 Southeast Block still stands as one of the best Pinot noirs we ever made. Good acidity means these wines are still in good condition. We opened a 91 Estate the other day, and it was better the second day it was open. Drink or hold.

1992: This was the hottest year in Oregon's brief viticultural history. There was sugar ripeness before flavor development so patience was required to make good wine. A large crop also needed thinning. More flavorful and intense than the 91's they have not aged as well. Still showing sweetness and floral notes, they are beginning to lose primary fruit character. Drink now

1993: As is 91, bloom was late making growers nervous about another late harvest. Harvest was late, but the Fall was warm and relatively dry. These wines did not show well in their youth, but after 5-6 years in the bottle, they became some of the best wines we made in the 90's. Each wine has its time to shine. 93 was definitely a late bloomer. Drink now or hold a couple more years.

1994: Cool, wet weather during bloom seriously limited the crop in 1994. The Summer and Fall were warm leading to an early and very ripe harvest. The wines were delicious in their youth, and some have aged gracefully. Reaching full maturity, our 94's are showing beautifully.

1995: Cool wet weather with the accompanying humidity persisted into the Summer months. This is the only vintage at Bethel Heights when powdery mildew was a serious problem. The color and concentration of the wines were affected. The flavor and aroma profiles of these wines are more the red fruits (primarily strawberry), earth and spice. Beginning to show their age, it's time to drink them.

1996: Mixed weather conditions during the ripening period led to uneven ripening. However, some very good wines were produced, including wines with good structure for aging. The structure often calls for red meats and sauces to complement the acid and tannin. A much underrated vintage because many of the wines did not show well in their youth. Drink or hold.

1997: Large crops, even with heavy thinning, want to get larger and larger. That was certainly true of 1997. We had projected our usual 2 tons per acre after very severe thinning, but we were well above that at harvest. Our 97 Freedom Hill was one of the best wines of the vintage. Although a bit lighter in style, the Southeast Block and the Flat Block were also lovely and are approaching their peak. Drink soon and serve with white meats or grilled salmon.

1998: Like the 94 vintage, the crop was thinned significantly by nature. Nature concentrated everything in these wines. So they are just beginning to unfold and show their power and complexity. Drink now or hold for another three years. Try the Southeast Block with rack of lamb.

1999: Pierre Rovani has called this Oregon's greatest vintage. The fruit is still tightly held, showing itself on the second and third day open. This is a vintage that proves without a doubt that Oregon Pinot noir can age. It would be a big mistake to drink this wine now. Hold for at least three more years.

2000: A voluptuous, approachable vintage that was ready to drink from the moment we put it into the bottle. It is still holding beautifully, but don't wait too long. This is Pinot noir at its most flexible - sweet, round, full of red and black fruits. It may be best enjoyed by itself.

2001: Another vintage that didn't show its beauty until it had some "Time in the bottle." And it did follow directly after the precocious 2000's. There is more acid and tannin here, but it is nicely balanced with red and black fruit. Beginning to show some maturity now, it competes nicely with the 2000's. Darker fruit with earth-tones and forest floor, these are serious wines. Try with mushrooms, roasted vegetables and a fine rack of lamb or pork tenderloin.

2002: A ripe vintage combining the youthful voluptuousness of 2000 with the serious depth of 2001. The best vintage of the new century (so far). This was certainly a grower's vintage - the fruit was perfect when it arrived at the winery. This is Pinot noir that can be combined with almost anything except a sweet dessert. It does have aging potential, but why bother?

2003: An unusually warm vintage producing rich, dark wines with intense concentration. Careful, if you are caught up in the power, you may miss the nuance. Our signature wine, the Estate, was especially good this year.

2004: Currently in barrel, this vintage is shaping up to be what Ted and I like to refer to as a classic Oregon vintage. Ripened under cool conditions, the primary fruit is very fresh rather than jammy like it was in 2003. Also, the differences in terroir show much more clearly in 2004, which makes the wines more interesting. As a general rule, there is a trade-off with Pinot noir between typicity and power. If the 2003's leaned toward power, the 2004's lean toward typicity and terroir expression.