Further Explorations Into Groundbreaking Oregon Wines (Pun Intended)

Current Releases From Soter Vineyards & Planet Oregon

Soter Vineyards

Tony Soter was a superstar before he ever set foot in Oregon. As the founder of Etude Wines, and a consulting winemaker to such cultish Napa properties as Araujo, Spottswoode and Dalla Valle, his reputation was assured long before he and his late wife Michelle founded Soter Vineyards in Oregon in 1997.

Never mind the switch from the Napa terroirs to the Willamette Valley, Soter also swapped out his expertise in Cabernet Sauvignon for a long term commitment to Pinot Noir. Then again, he was born in Portland, so maybe those old roots were demanding attention. In any event another decade had passed before all the Soters’ Napa entanglements were dealt with, a new vineyard site (Mineral Springs Ranch) was purchased and the original one sold, and 40 acres of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir had gone into the ground.

Slow but steady progress has transformed the entire 240-acre Mineral Springs Ranch property into a fully-functioning biodynamic farm, complete with the requisite animals, gardens and compost piles. It’s a state-of-the-art (by Oregon’s high standards) regenerative farming system focused on biodiversity and the integration of plants and animals.

These days Soter prefers ‘Wine Farmer’ to Winemaker; he is still involved but has handed over the principal winemaking duties to Chris Fladwood, who is now in his 15^th year at the Ranch. Soter’s current concerns are philosophical as well as agricultural (he majored in philosophy in college). When I last visited with him a couple of years ago he was especially concerned with how to overcome the built-in financial limitations of most small farms.

“While there are grapes grown for commodity purposes, once you vertically integrate and make wine from it, you've added value” he explained. “And that is fairly rare in agriculture as we know it. So much of it is commodity driven. And it doesn't leave much profit, you know, if you want to be a successful small farmer.”

“We're a kind of model role for local farmers that are growing other crops. Just find a way to create a niche and add value and sell more directly to your end users. Cut out a few middlemen and hopefully that's the difference that could allow for more survival. What we hope is sort of the reinvention of small, rural agriculture as a way to make a living and to put people back in the land so that they can make a living.

On the Soter website are various opportunities for visitors (you must pre-schedule!) including the MSR Provisions Tasting. This provides a full-scale experience of the wines and the farm’s abundance in the context of a creative, seasonal, farm-sourced menu.

My experience with Soter wines over the years has convinced me that they are built to emphasize balance and ageability. Some of the new releases reviewed below showed best after being open for a full 24 hours; more than one showed best after 48. As my regular readers know, I do not use any artificial aeration or preservation devices. I open, taste, put the corks back in and let the bottles sit on the counter. That’s it. So my advice is don’t rush these wines. But don’t beat them up with aerators either. For immediate consumption you should decant – don’t aerate.

‘Nuff said. Here are my notes on recent and current releases.

Planet Oregon (shown above) is Soter’s value label, and exceptionally good at its price points.

The Bubbles

Planet Oregon 2022 Rosé Bubbles – This is 100% Pinot Noir, made by the carbonated method rather than méthode champenoise. It's the color of pale strawberry flesh, quite delightfully fruity with berry and cherry, underscored with grapefruity acids. Big, bold and penetrating, it's a fine value and a great sparkling wine for any time sipping. 3300 cases; 13%; $24 (Willamette Valley) 90/100

Soter 2019 Mineral Springs Brut Rosé – A pretty pale cherry, this carries cherry blossom scents into a richly fruity palate enlivened with blood orange acids. The blend is 4/5^ths  Pinot, 1/5^th Chardonnay from estate-grown fruit. Given the sharp acidity and youthful fruit the best guess is that this has many years of life ahead. 960 cases; 12.8%; $75 (Yamhill-Carlton) 93/100

Soter NV Estates Brut X – This is the second edition of the Brut X (noted as such on the back label), Half is from the 2018 vintage, half is reserve wine; 60% is Pinot Noir, 40% is Chardonnay, sourced from estate vineyards. This is sleek, steely, subtle and subterranean, in the sense of layer upon layer somewhat hidden at first. Compact fruit, a fine bead, a touch of brioche and more awaits discovery. One way to unpack a young sparkling wine such as this is to let it warm up in the glass, and watch it open and change. With a couple of hours of breathing time, this did indeed open gloriously. 339 cases; 12.8%; $65 (Willamette Valley) 95/100

Soter 2015 Mineral Springs Blanc de Noirs – This is the first Blanc de Noirs from Soter and it's a beauty. A lovely straw hue, with tiny bead and effusive nose, this bottle commemorates the late Michelle Soter. Pure, elegant and expressive, it gathers itself in a concentrated palate replete with passion fruit, ginger, currant and raspberry, finishing with a creamy hint of chocolate. Tasted several times over many days, it held together and lost not a bit of complexity. Drink now and over the next 20 years. 160 cases; 12.8%; $100 (Yamhill-Carlton) 95/100

Soter 2016 Mineral Springs Blanc de Blancs – This rare wine is all estate-grown Chardonnay, aged en tirage for six years and disgorged this past January. Subtle flavors abound. Easy to pick out almond paste, clover, banana bread and brioche, but the complexity keeps unveiling more and more in the glass. With ample aeration this wine really hits its stride and emulates great Champagne. This is one reason I like to start sparkling wines refrigerator cold, then let them warm in the glass to room temperature. It’s fascinating to see how scents and flavors compile, expand and evolve when you give the wine time to do that. All the production of this exceptional wine was done in-house. 168 cases; 12.8%; $120 (Yamhill-Carlton) 96/100

The Pinots

Planet Oregon 2021 Pinot Noir – The affordable cuvée from Soter is sourced from unnamed Willamette Valley vineyards. It's sharp and tight and spicy, with a firm seam of black cherry fruit and light coffee highlights. Though young and tart it's well-balanced. Finished with a screwcap, it will open up and flesh out with ample aeration. 13.4%; $24 (Willamette Valley) 91/100

Planet Oregon 2022 Pinot Noir – Soter’s value label delivers the goods once again. The ’22 vintage was spectacular in the Willamette Valley, as is reflected in this dense, supple and flat-out delicious wine. The aromatics captivate with chocolate and fresh berry scents; the smooth, rich palate brings those flavors along with orange peel, pie cherries and sweet toast. The balance and follow-thru on this wine is perfect, and the price makes it a must-drink with your upcoming holiday meals. Not yet listed on the website, but coming soon. 13.4%; $24 (Willamette Valley) 92/100

Soter 2021 Origin Series Pinot Noir – Each wine in this series spotlights a specific sub-AVA within the Willamette Valley; most are also sourced from a single vineyard, in this case the Speegle Crawford vineyard (a young, three-acre site on Jory soils). It splashes the palate with a lightly funky note around forward red fruits, notably raspberries. Not as full-bodied as others in this series, this is a light, summery wine that should be enjoyed over the next couple of years. 350 cases; 13.6%; $65 (Dundee Hills) 91/100

Soter 2021 Origin Series Pinot Noir – Each wine in this series spotlights a specific sub-AVA within the Willamette Valley; most are also sourced from a single vineyard, in this case Gran Moraine, a Jackson Family project. All of these Origin Series wines are delightfully aromatic, fruit-forward, beautifully proportioned and individually distinctive. Here the blueberry/blue plum fruit flavors are front and center, with vivid acids in support. Aging in 30% new French oak brings notes of cedar. This will benefit from another couple of years of bottle age. 315 cases; 13.6%; $65 (Yamhill-Carlton) 92/100

Soter 2021 Origin Series Pinot Noir – Each wine in this series spotlights a specific sub-AVA within the Willamette Valley; most are also sourced from a single vineyard, in this case Zena Crown. A pretty blueberry shade, this conjures up notions of blueberry pie, with further details from aging in 30% new French oak. It's smooth, supple, lightly tangy and with a soft, almost silky finish that resonates with a hint of chalk. Delicious already, this should continue to evolve over the rest of the decade. 564 cases; 13.8%; $65 (Eola-Amity Hills) 93/100

Soter 2021 Origin Series Pinot Noir – Each wine in this series spotlights a specific sub-AVA within the Willamette Valley; most are also sourced from a single vineyard. This is the exception – three quarters Roe and Roe, the rest Soter. As with the rest of the series, 20% whole clusters were included, and 30% of the barrels were new. I don't know the vineyards, but I love the AVA. This is an elegant, detailed, palate-teasing wine, threading together nuanced flavors of blackberry, black cherry, chicory, toasted walnut, tobacco and baking spices. When I say threading I mean you have to basically unweave this wine, like a tangled skein, in order to suss it out. And that's the pleasure of it. 448 cases; 13.8%; $65 (Ribbon Ridge) 93/100

Soter 2021 Origin Series Pinot Noir – Each wine in this series spotlights a specific sub-AVA within the Willamette Valley; most are also sourced from a single vineyard, in this case Hollis, a high elevation site with ancient volcanic soils. Sturdy fruit flavors blend marionberry, blackberry and black cherry with lightly chewy tannins and a dusting of coffee grounds. It nicely keeps its darker elements in proportion with firm, ripe tannins and a mineral foundation. This feels like a wine with decades of life ahead. Drink now to... 2040? 465 cases; 13.6%; $65 (Chehalem Mountains) 94/100

Soter 2021 Estates Pinot Noir – This is the first Estates release since the 2019, and now includes grapes from Mineral Springs Ranch along with vineyards in the Ribbon Ridge and Eola-Amity Hills AVAs. The lovely aromatics are the first indication that here is something truly special, with a mix of berries, cherries and floral high notes. Supple and detailed, the flavors unfold into subtle layers of marionberry, Bing cherry, chocolate covered espresso beans and crushed seashells. Barrel aging included 30% new oak, lending some penetrating spice to the lingering finish. Definitely ageworthy, but already delicious. 3175 cases; 13.8%; $60 (Willamette Valley) 94/100

Soter 2021 Mineral Springs Ranch Pinot Noir – Well-structured, spicy and tight, this young wine is still a bit shy when first opened. Sourced from the biodynamic estate vineyard, its flavors build upon raspberry and cherry fruit, lightly savory herbs and a touch of barrel toast. Despite the listed alcohol it drinks lighter, though the full-blown, ripe tannins suggest otherwise. Aged a year in 40% new French oak, the winery notes call it “the epitome of potential.” No argument from me. Drink 2026 to 2040. 2400 cases; 13.8%; $80 (Yamhill-Carlton) 94/100

Re-issue – Soter 2012 Mineral Springs White Label Pinot Noir – This library re-release (coming soon) provides a rare look at a great vintage from a great winery. Safely stashed in the winery cellars for the past decade, this wine is in immaculate condition, remarkably fresh and loaded with a lush mix of cherry fruit, nicely accented with toasted hazelnuts and baking spices. As it breathes open there is a streak of wintergreen This is drinking well now but definitely has more life ahead. Best guess – drink now to mid-2030s. 13.8%; $xx (Yamhill-Carlton) 94/100

Wineries – The weather window has opened for shipping your current and upcoming releases. Your wines will be rested and given plenty of opportunity to open fully as I taste them repeatedly, often over 24 hours or more. Please include specific information on case quantities, release dates, retail pricing, vineyard sourcing etc. Two bottles of each is requested, not required. All wines will be tasted; only reviews and scores for recommended wines will be published. I will give special consideration to wines that have a compelling story or are breaking new ground.

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