Chad Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2022

For Chad, the big Oregon frost in April took a toll on one of his go-to usual spots in the Dundee Hills. So what did he do? Call it quits and worry about the 2023 vintage instead? Nah, not in his DNA. He made some phone calls, talked to a few key people and locked into some absolutely killer fruit from McMinnville a little further south down the Van Duzer Corridor where the frost had no impact.

For Nicholas Wines readers, the lesson that we should get from all of this is that our winemaking friend Chad is nothing short of a genius. His ability and adaptability are what set him apart, and his quick thinking in the 2022 vintage is why this wine is absolutely humming — juicy and energetic right out of the gates and so dang drinkable.

Bottles from these three vineyard locations go anywhere from $45/bottle all the way up to $75/bottle these days. But that’s never what Chad sets up for his loyal followers. No – instead of a $45/bottle price tag we are treated to something special once again.