I would have to say this was one of my favorite shop and sip meet the winemaker visits to my local wine shop 1st Avenue Wine House when Byron and Dana Dooley stopped in Cedar Rapids. They are the owners of Seven Of Hearts Winery where their motto "a special place, The pursuit of a dream, A little luck, And a lot of heart" is so true. They forgot down to earth loveable couple too.
Like many it was Byron and Dana's early tasting days while attending college in Oregon, that drove the passion you sip in every bottle today. As an added bonus Dana owns a successful chocolate business and we all know how fun chocolate and wine pairings events turn out! More so I gained a deep appreciation for who these two are as we talked about the wines, philosophy and life in general. As I said above there may not be a nicer couple in the wine business.
Luminous Hills Vineyard is the source of Byrons estate Pinot Noirs, known for it's 2 distinct soil types Willakenzie sedimentary and Jory volcanic. The clones are Pommard and Dijon with yields kept to a minimum to ensure high quality fruit and wine. The character of the vineyard shines in each bottle and is captured perfectly. It all starts with amazing fruit.
The nose on this wine is luscious with ripe cherry, sliced strawberry with hints of fresh mint, dried herbs, cloves and cinnamon. Continue to swirl and layers of wild flowers and toasted vanilla add to the layers of fruit and spice. The aromatics on his wines..... amazing.
The mouth is pure elegance with the juicy cherry and strawberry with a hint of clove/mint. The finish is long, juicy and oh so silky smooth. An expression of perfect Pinot Noir. I purchased for somewhere in the $30-$40 range over a year ago. Well worth the price and more!
When in Oregon stop by the tasting room at 217 Main Street Carlton OR. Thursday - Monday 11-5. A tasting you won't want to pass up.
Cheers
Dan
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