2011

Posted on January 24, 2012
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2011 was my sixteenth vintage and easily the biggest nail biter yet. May, June and the first half of July were cold and wet. The growing season flowed slowly and misery was about to destroy any sense of hope. It looked awful. Then August behaved like the perfect child, and September stepped into line as well.

Fruit set was above normal, and that was scary, but not too scary since the canopies were looking very healthy. And lots of fruit hit the ground. Flavors were coming on slowly, and I mean slowly, but coming on. October was cool too, not so wet either. However, the flavor, seed and skin maturities still needed more time, even by mid October they needed more time. And in mid October in Oregon, time is not a factor you think you’ll have much of…

So what’s the rub with the 2011’s? If you didn’t have the fermentation capacity to bring in all of your tonnage at once, then you had to roll tanks. If you had to roll tanks (and by this I mean utilize the vessel two or more times with different lots of fruit) then you had to begin with physiologically immature fruit. You had to start picking green flavored, under ripe grapes, in order for other vineyards to fully mature. This is not especially helpful.

At Biggio Hamina Cellars, like the vast majority of the small to medium producers, we can bring everything in at once. But many of the big players don’t have that luxury, and what’s more troublesome than anybody wants to admit is that they’ll put that dreck out into the marketplace early.

My fear is that just the way 2007 was submarined by critics who tasted those early releases (incidentally, it will be the same culprits in ‘11) and found them substandard; we could see it again in 2011.

So to you, my dear cousins, don’t be afraid. Please, continue to support the producers who have delivered to you beautiful wines in the past. And realize that what 2011 really did was provide concientious winemakers with almost three extra weeks of hangtime to produce fantastic wines. Maybe extra fantastic wines, but you had to wait for it.

Hours for the fall

Posted on September 17, 2011
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At this point we are open by appointment only. Thanks!

From oregonwine.com

Posted on August 9, 2011
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http://www.oregonwine.com/section.cfm?wSectionID=984

Some love for the 09 Zenith Pinot noir

Posted on June 20, 2011
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http://www.wineisseriousbusiness.com/

Episode 92…

June 1 & 2

Posted on May 31, 2011
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We will be closed. Open for Friday and Saturday, thanks.

The latest email blast

Posted on May 27, 2011
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It looked just like this:

Biggio Hamina Cellars showcases the 2009 Single Vineyards.

Hi,
It finally looks like Spring has truly arrived, and just in time for May’s Wine Weekends. We thought that it would be fun to take a look at the 2009 Deux Vert Vineyard and the 2009 Zenith Vineyard Pinot noir. We are pleased with them both as they are forward drinking and easily accessible, which can be a wonderful combination. 2009 provided us with a warm growing season, especially August which was very hot!

By utilizing a fair amount of whole cluster in our fermentations we were able to handle the high sugar content by allowing the stems of the clusters themselves to soak up the excess alcohol while still in the fermentors. In this manner we attained civilized alcohol levels, 13-13.5%, from elevated Brix levels.

As with all Biggio Hamina Cellars wines we strive to make sophisticated wines that marry beautifully with food. In order to do this we utilize Old World techniques in the cellar: complete fermentation, total malolactic conversion, extended lees aging, and a stalwart attitude towards filtration (we don’t like to).

We are fortunate to work together with fine growers and visit the vineyards like zealots, just ask them. A responsible attitude to the living earth is tantamount to our success in the cellar. We have our Farmers grow diverse cover crops, and while we do green manure, we don’t have them till.

I look at it like this; the years it takes to build up the soil biota and plant fauna needs to be fostered and protected. It just makes sense to let all those critters in the dirt make the plants happy. A happy plant makes tasty fruit. We strive for tasty fruit.

So come on in this weekend, and next, and taste our efforts. The kitchen is open and Caroline is making some fantastic cuisine that pair so finely with our wines. One of the best aspects of our new location is the fact that we put a full service commercial kitchen into our Wine Bar. We serve lunch and Dinner during our regular business hours as well as for these weekends.

Caroline was classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, New York and has worked at some fantastic restaurants around the country. She has been to numerous James Beard Dinners during the 1990’s, and now that our children are older she has come out retirement. This is a very good thing for all of us! Let me remind you again, Lunch: Wednesday through Saturday, and Dinner: Friday and Saturday nights.

On the 21st we are open from Noon to 9:00, and for Memorial Weekend we will be open Saturday from Noon to 9:00, Sunday 11-5 and Monday 11-5. Come visit! For Memorial Day Weekend it will be $10 for the tasting, and there will be some special guests (Denison Cellars and Jan-Marc Wine Cellars) too!

We are looking forward to seeing you, feeding you, and sharing our wines with you.

Yours truly,
Caroline Biggio Hamina and Todd Hamina

Technical notes on what is at the bar (and then some)

Posted on May 20, 2011
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2009 Pinot Grigio $17
Cougar’s Mark vineyard
Willamette Valley AVA
150 cases produced

The vineyard was planted in 1994 and the soil type is Jory, which is volcanic. It is located on Baker Creek road outside of McMinnville.
The wine is fermented completely and technically dry, undergoes full malolactic fermentation (when malic acid converts to lactic acid), is cold stabilized outside in the winter.
It is not sterile filtered.

2009 Melon de Bourgogne $17
Deux Vert vineyard
46 cases produced

Same style of fermentation as the Grigio. Deux Vert vineyard is on a marine sedimentary soil type called Willakenzie. It is located just East of the town of Yamhill between Willakenzie and Shea vineyards.
Dry and full malo.

2009 Rose of Pinot noir $17
Zenith vineyard
23 cases produced

Zenith vineyard is located in the Eola-Amity Hills outside of west Salem. It’s soil is called Helmick which is one that saw glacial activity crumble many rocks into the topsoil.
One barrel was made by draining 60 gallons of brand new Pinot noir out of a freshly filled fermentor after 24 hours. It was then barrel fermented like a white wine. Also dry and full malo, zero filtration.

2009 Riesling $20
Amity vineyard
120 cases produced

This vineyard was planted in 1974 on Jory soil. The vineyard is in the Eola-Amity Hills. This is the only wine we make that has residual sugar (8 grams per liter), so it is also sterile filtered.

2008 Willamette Valley pinot noir $25
460 cases produced

A blend of Ana, deux Vert, Hawk’s View and Zenith vineyards. 10% new French oak, 30% whole cluster.

2008 Deux Vert vineyard Pinot noir $36
Yamhill-Carlton District
168 cases produced

Willakenzie soil, 37% new French oak, 35% whole cluster.

2008 Hawk’s View vineyard Pinot noir $36
Chehalem Mountains
48 cases produced

Laurelwood soil, which is a wind blown Sedimentary type. 50% new French oak, 20% whole cluster.

2008 Zenith vineyard Pinot noir $36
Eola-Amity Hills
148 cases produced

Helmick soil, which is one that has quite a bit of Glacial activity on top of it. 30% new french oak, 30% whole cluster.

2008 Cuvee Katri, Deux Vert vineyard Pinot noir $88
Yamhill-Carlton District
23 cases produced

A single new barrel of the most delicious Deux Vert we have made. 33% whole cluster.

2008 Cuvee Lucca, Zenith vineyard Pinot noir $88
Eola-Amity Hills
23 cases produced

A single new barrel of fantastic Zenith vineyard Pinot noir. 33% whole cluster.

Hours

Posted on March 26, 2011
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In April, we will be open from Wednesday and Thursday 12-6 and Friday and Saturday from 12-9. There will be a couple days where our personal schedule will have us closed early, but if you like you can call me at 503.737.9703 or check us at our facebook page which we update with greater frequency. Cheers.

Hours at the shop, end of January-beginning of February

Posted on January 24, 2011
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This last week we are open by appointment only and the the first week of February we will be closed.

Explore Northwest December podcast

Posted on January 2, 2011
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And we are in it, about halfway through…

click here