Antiquum Farm’s Brilliant Commitment To Grazing-based Viticulture

Plus: Potent reds from Lake Chelan’s Amos Rose

I had the great pleasure of visiting Antiquum Farm in the spring of 2021. At the time I was researching a story on Oregon’s Farm Wineries and this overnight stop was a true highlight. My conversations with owner Stephen Hagen, along the chance to do an in-depth tour the farm, gave me a deeper understanding of all the time, effort, thought and creativity that underscores every bottle. It has had a profound impact on my appreciation for the growing universe of earth-friendly winemaking.

There’s a growing number of ecologically-friendly approaches to farming wine grapes, each with its own parameters. But until I spent an afternoon and evening with the Hagen family I had no clue what ‘grazing-based viticulture’ encompassed. It’s more comprehensive than organic, more complex than biodynamic, a bit closer to regenerative and its focus on a management philosophy that seeks to improve soil health via adaptive grazing, no-till planting and limited use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

The practical demands as explained by Hagen are relentless and daunting, but the theoretical part can be summed up briefly. “The idea behind grazing-based viticulture,” he says, “is to coax terroir from a site that is truly site-specific.”

Hagen grew up in the area, and explored the property long before he came upon a chance to purchase it back in the late 1990s. The first grapes went in the ground in 1999, farmed organically. But that was just a starting point. “A light bulb popped off in my head in 2004” he recalls, “when I was spreading organic amendments. I was asking people how do you get expression of place? And the answer was always ‘by farming organically’. But after that people glazed over. We were all using the same stuff. All talking about this thing but not really doing it!”

Blessed with a restless mind, he dove further and further into seemingly basic questions, searching for a new and more comprehensive approach to divining and defining terroir. One example he turns to is how he came to conclude that composting was not the best way to fertilize his soil. “What is compost?” he asked himself. “It’s forage passed through the animals. So why not skip the cows and start farming microbes? How do we get wines that really have a personality, that really feel alive? You fill the vineyard up with life.”

He continues… “we have seen over time that clonal material and in some ways variety become irrelevant, and certainly region becomes irrelevant. We have seen true physiological genetic mutations. A berry can split down the middle and be half Pinot Gris and half Pinot Blanc. Both are fully ripe, but if you dissect the berry they taste totally different. We have Pinot Gris that looks like Pinot Noir but tastes like mangoes and pineapples. Our Pinot Noir is blue like Nebbiolo or Syrah. Some third of the vines grow like Riesling. Our Wadensvil block clusters are upside down. All this transition happened in 2010 for us.

“The underpinning for me is to make wines of truth. Truly authentic unabashed expression. If that’s the goal then the idea of what should this be goes out the window. We are constantly saying style is not a thing. There’s only truth. You go where the vines take you, and that’s the goal. We have taken being non-interventionist to the extreme.

“There’s a lot in winemaking thought of as best practices. But there’s a lot of opportunity to miss truth and expression, like a slow primary fermentation. That’s not a problem in and of itself; it’s associated with problems. We trust the integrity of our work, the idea that this vineyard is heading to something special, and we will uncompromisingly follow its lead. With grazing-based viticulture the vines are part of the whole, not the whole thing. The goal was to go from having a vineyard to having a farm that happens to make wines. I’m a farmer. That’s what I do and take pride in.

“We’re dividing the vineyard into tiny segments and practicing rotational intensive grazing. Our lead grazers are pigs. Behind the pigs come the sheep. Then come the geese. Pound for pound nothing grazes like geese. And behind the geese come the chickens. An important symbiotic function. The grazers have exposed the insects and also pooped. So we don’t have any animals that share parasites with chickens. The chickens go through the manure, scratching it, exposing the eggs, eating the eggs and anything that hatches. I call them the weeding and sanitation crew.

“This is not a system; this is a lifestyle. This never stops. There’s no Sunday, no vacation. The timing is where the art is. Leaving enough material to photosynthesize and recover, but not letting it go to seed.”

This is a lot to take in, so I will conclude with this quote from the winery website. It’s a brief and clear explanation of the advantages of grazing-based viticulture.

“Winemakers tend to talk a lot about style. We see style as erosive to the pursuit of authentic wine displaying uncompromised character. Antiquum Farm wines are only bound by the limits of our estate fruit articulating defined expressions. Our winemaking choices follow the lead of the vineyard, and we operate in the cellar using the same principles as our farming: Listen, observe, and get out of the way. We place ultimate trust in the farm to provide the unique expression of Antiquum Farm, believing it will always reveal the wines to us if we take the time to listen.

“We continually explore a deeper meaning of terroir, pursuing what is true for this particular time and place. Accepting what we are given and celebrating the unexpected has led to wine expressions we did not anticipate. Like the vineyard, the wines undergo a process of revealing themselves to us. Our hope is that when you enjoy our wines, you discover something delicious and individual that could only come from our Willamette Valley farm.”

For still more on the philosophy underscoring the remarkable wines take a moment and read this.

Or go directly to the page where all of the wines reviewed below are still for sale. Other than an in-person visit to the farm (by appointment only), tasting the wines is the best way to understand how all the hard work pays off where it counts – in the bottle.

Antiquum Farm 2023 Daisy Pinot Gris – This multi-dimensional wine brings layer upon layer of beautifully orchestrated components. Citrus and melon, lemon verbena, fresh cut pineapple and more lead the way to a textured palate with restrained minerality, dashes of fresh herbs, immaculate acidity and a lushness through the finish. The vines are now almost a quarter century old. A stunning value, and one of the top wines of the year. 13.7%; $30 (Willamette Valley) 96/100

Antiquum Farm 2023 Aurosa Pinot Gris – This skin contact wine was inspired by an unexpected genetic transformation among certain vineyard rows. By choosing to give those grapes 72 hours of skin contact time ahead of pressing, the results change the flavor profile as much as the wine’s color, a lovely rose gold. The light tannins offer highlights of herbal tea, while the fruit centers upon creamy flavors of white peach. Fermented in neutral oak and aged on the lees, this has an impressively long and detailed finish with highlights of rose hip tea. A unique and delicious wine that will inspire some truly creative food pairings. 13.6%; $38 (Willamette Valley) 95/100

Antiquum Farm 2023 Alium Pinot Gris – The Alium gets a remarkable 40 days on the skins, yielding a sunset-hued wine with touches of oxidation. The net net result is to emphasize texture and depth, without deadening the fruit. Strawberries and white raspberries combine with delicate savory notes as the wine gathers itself through a concentrated finish, adding further details of spice and dried apricots. The tannins put a tight frame around the flavors as they trail off. 13.8%; $45 (Willamette Valley) 93/100

Antiquum Farm 2022 Juel Pinot Noir – The Juel has a wild, savory heart but broad and appealing fruit flavors of raspberries and cherries. Behind the fruit it’s dense, textural and long. There are fascinating hints of composted earth and threads of tea and tobacco through a lacy finish with a firm tannic frame. The density is impressive, and forecasts an ageworthy wine that should evolve over the next decade or longer. 14.1%; $50 (Willamette Valley) 94/100

Antiquum Farm 2022 Passiflora Pinot Noir – This is sourced from the highest elevations of the vineyard, yielding a most delicate, subtle and graceful wine with tangy raspberry fruit, bracing citrus acids, and textural minerality. A 2013 Passiflora tasted about a month ago was in stellar condition, and clearly given the structure this too is a wine that can age, should age, and will improve with age. Young as it is you’ll find it most appealing, but hold on there and give it another five years at least to show its better self. 500 cases; 14%; $68 (Willamette Valley) 95/100

Antiquum Farm 2022 Luxuria Pinot Noir – In the Antiquum Pinot portfolio this is perceived as the dark star – full-bodied, compact and loaded with powerful black fruits. It’s a bit reductive at first, and will benefit significantly from aeration. Black cherry, cassis, iron filings, graphite and tobacco highlights slowly unpack. Give this at least an hour in a decanter if drinking soon. 350 cases; 14.3%; $85 (Willamette Valley) 95/100

Purchase these wines here

Amos Rome

I reviewed the excellent white wines from this promising new winery in my June 13^th post. Here’s the red wine follow-up. These are all estate wines. A brief aside:  there is a sameness to the blended wine scores, which I attribute to the elevated alcohol. As good as these wines are, the differences among them are somewhat erased by the high abv’s.

Amos Rome 2021 Merlot – The red wines here can reach stratospheric levels of alcohol – surprising for what is generally perceived as a cool AVA. This is Merlot on steroids, yet retains its balance, some nuanced highlights, and powers the palate with a supersonic burst of cherry fruit. Would I like to see it done with less alcohol? Yes I would, but if the finishing burn doesn’t bother you, it’s a wine that will put a new perspective on Lake Chelan Merlot. 260 cases; 15.4%; $37 (Lake Chelan) 91/100

Amos Rome 2022 Estate Concrete Malbec – Note that this is a 2022, the other wines here are from 2021. It’s been described by winemaker Travis Clark as “a lean, fruit-forward, acid-driven Malbec that could only come from the 2022 vintage.” But it’s more than that. It’s tight, focused, lean (in a good way) but in no way is it thin or lacking in flavor. It’s steely, brambly, reserved, but punchy with blueberry/blackberry fruit, a seam of espresso, and framing ripe tannins. A tour de force from the grape, the site, the vintage and of course the winemaker. For me, it’s the style that works best. 220 cases; 13.4%; $39  (Lake Chelan) 94/100

Amos Rome 2021 Cabernet Franc – Pure varietal, fully ripened and bursting with blackberry and black cherry fruit, this spent 28 months in new and neutral oak. The barrel flavors are somewhat muted; the 15% alcohol tends to take over and deaden the highlights. This is a good wine that could be great. 250 cases; 15%; $40 (Lake Chelan) 90/100

Amos Rome 2021 Six Generations Vineyard Syrah – I remember being amazed years ago at the quality of some – a small handful – of Syrahs from this AVA. This is certainly one of the places that can put a distinctive stamp on the grape, as shown more recently by the Syrahs from Rocky Pond located just a few miles south. This is perfectly ripened, with clean and pure flavors of berries, sappy acids and pleasing hints of savory herbs. Good focus, tangy acidity and a lingering finish. 188 cases; 14.3%; $37 (Lake Chelan) 92/100

Amos Rome 2021 Embers Red – Roughly two thirds Merlot, the rest a blend of Malbec, Pinot Noir and Cab Franc – clearly not a blend you frequently encounter. Does it work? Yes it does, and remarkably well. It’s full-bodied, plush with a mix of cranberries, raspberries and plums, all set up with tart and bracing acids. This is so instantly delicious that it’s hard to imagine further improvement. Save a few bottles for Thanksgiving and dive in right away. 300 cases; 15%; $35 (Lake Chelan) 92/100

Amos Rome 2021 Foundation Red – Half Cab Franc, one quarter each Merlot and Malbec, this is a fine-tuned blend that works like gangbusters. It’s the Malbec that shines, broadening the palate and keeping the alcohol (somewhat) in check. As with all the 2021 red blends from Amos Rome, it’s loaded with ripe berry fruit, backed with fresh acids and finishing with a bit of heat. 300 cases; 15.3%; $40 (Lake Chelan) 92/100

Amos Rome 2021 Duo Red – Half Malbec and half Cab Franc, this is another blockbuster red from Amos Rome. Despite the high alcohol the wine retains balance and detail, and I’m inclined to presume that the location allows for longer hangtime and cooler evenings than, say, vineyards in the Napa Valley hitting mid-15% abv’s. Aged in French oak for over two years, this starts with a broad display of blueberries, plums, figs and cassis, then glides into a smooth finish accented with barrel toast, tea leaves and tobacco. 150 cases; 15.4%; $38 (Lake Chelan) 92/100

Amos Rome 2021 The Machine Red – Three quarters Merlot and one quarter Cab Franc, this explodes aromatically with a potent fruit mix of berries and cherries. Flavors follow, supported with fresh acids and lightly annotated with tea and tobacco. The grapes are sourced from what the winery reports is the first first commercial vineyard in Lake Chelan, dating from 1998. Old vines give depth, texture and detail, and that is on display here. 250 cases; 15.4%; $39 (Lake Chelan) 92/100

Winemakers and Wine Marketers:  Now that I am no longer tied to the demands of a print publication, I have rebuilt my tasting practices from the ground up. I only taste wines for review at home under tightly controlled conditions. I open no more than a half dozen wines at a time and almost always retaste them repeatedly over 48 – 72 hours. I use specific stemware and eliminate all distractions – no cooking smells, no food, no music, just me and the wines. It gives young wines the chance to show their very best. Blind tasting? Not any more. I’m interested in context, history and the luxury of tasting each wine over many hours and days – no wham bam sip ‘n’ spit tastings.

Submitting Wines For Review:  It's important that you confirm via email (paulgwine@me.com) that I will be home to sign for wine submissions BEFORE shipping them. Include (or email) the following information for every wine:  case quantities, release dates and full retail price. Background on vineyard sources and winemaking details is always a plus. Please send a minimum of four different wines. Six is preferable. This provides a more complete look at your portfolio, and more to write about. All wines will be tasted; only reviews and scores for recommended wines will be published. You are welcome to use my notes, scores and reviews for your marketing efforts. No need to write me for permission. When possible please add this link: 

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