Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2021

After working for some of Napa’s premier wineries and Rex Hill Vineyards in Oregon, winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash and her husband, Ron, started Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 1998. It was a big leap of faith for the former Napa winemaker and her school teacher husband, but the move has paid off big time for the couple. They’re considered one of the cream of the crop in Oregon.

The Penner-Ash Estate Vineyard is located in the northern part of the Willamette Valley, in the Yamhill-Carlton sub-AVA. Founding duo, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash, were inspired to plant the southeast facing hillside in part due to its proximity to Shea Vineyard, one of Oregon’s most prized sites.

In the 2021 vintage considered to be one of Oregon’s all-time great years, the 2021 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir that Lynn crafted is gorgeous, a silky tightly woven number that mixes red and black fruits with some sage and baking spices and a savory finish. It’s got some nice weight to it and structure which suggests it’ll age well for the next 10-15 years though it’s already drinking beautifully in its youth.