Big Table Farm Pinot Noir 2020, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Big Table Farm is the collaborative effort of Brian Marcy and Clare Carver. They are a winemaker and an artist, and grow and produce what they love to eat and drink. They moved to Oregon from Napa and bought property in the Willamette Valley, on which they plan to plant a vineyard. In the meantime, they have purchased grapes and made wine since 2006. They named their Farm and winery after their desire to provide a gracious and welcoming table for themselves and friends, with a cornucopia of hand-crafted food and wine. Ambitious as it is, they have launched a winery and are establishing a working farm, where they raise pasture poultry, pigs, cows, and egg-laying chickens. 2020 vintage – Label, Lulu – an American Guinea hog. “Fruit forward and spicy, it is delicious now and there is a delicacy to it that tells me it should be enjoyed sooner rather than later. Per usual it is bottled without filtration, and due to the pandemic we opted for a label that went on at bottling, rather than our hand labeling efforts of the past. Cozy and vibrant with a sense of merriment, reminiscent of the warm feeling of family gathered, preparing a meal in the kitchen. Warmed cherry turnover, fig preserves and cigar tobacco float in the air. After a moment of reflection, the first sip reveals chai spice, wild elderberry, dark plum, and sassafras. Balanced and bold, with expressions of quince paste, huckleberry, dark chocolate and a hint of bourbon-maple syrup carries you through to a velvety, lingering finish.” – winery