Beyond the Bottle : Brick House Vineyards Archives

April 12, 2011

Brick House 2008 "Evelyn's" Pinot Noir

In the glass, the Brick House '08 "Evelyn's" Pinot Noir (13.5%) was a clear, garnet red color delivering these ethereal notes of fresh summer red berries with a hint of spice. The aroma was so delicate, so lovely, so pretty - an elegant wine. In the mouth, this Ribbon Ridge Pinot noir was well balanced and structured with a delicious combination of fruit, acidity, tannin and minerality. I wanted to experience more of the sights, smells and tastes of this wine after every sip. Glad to know there are a couple more bottles in the cellar to enjoy in the...

Posted by Thad W. at 07:51 PM | Permalink

March 14, 2011

Help Save the Bees

SlowFood USA is petitioning the Environmental Protection Agency to commission an objective study to identify the causes of bee colony collapse disorder (CCD). I signed this petition not only to express my support for the study, but also counter any undue pressure the EPA is receiving from chemical interests to not take action. But action is exactly what is needed on this important issue. To learn more about this growing problem, please visit the SlowFood USA site, where you can also sign the petition online. In addition, here's a recent article on the global reach of CCD. Thanks to...

Posted by Thad W. at 09:03 PM | Permalink

January 11, 2011

Brick House 2008 Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge AVA

I love this wine for so many reasons... It's an incredibly delicious, captivating wine, a Chardonnay made in the style of white Burgundy (e.g., whole cluster, neutral oak, native yeast, lees, unfined/unfiltered). The estate's twenty year old Dijon vines (clones 75, 76, 78, 99) are cultivated using sustainable practices (e.g., certified biodymanic and organic). The Chardonnay fruit is hand-picked and hand-crafted, with minimal intervention throughout the winemaking process. At only $24, it's an inexpensively priced Chardonnay considering the high quality, especially to others in its category. The 2008 Brick House has special memories attached to it as well. I first...

Posted by Thad W. at 01:10 PM | Permalink

November 09, 2010

Photos: The birds and the bees in the vineyard

A watchful eye and a handy shotgun were some of the approaches taken to keep birds away from ripening fruit at Brick House Vineyards. This year's harvest in the Willamette Valley suffered from a severe bird problem. Up close, you could see the damage from clusters picked clean of fruit. From a far, you could hear the shotguns, canons, and bird calls throughout the day. While birds were being scared away, honeybees didn't seem affected by all of the noise, as was evident by this one enjoying a taste of Brick House chardonnay the day before it was harvested....

Posted by Thad W. at 02:43 PM | Permalink

November 07, 2010

Photos: Chardonnay fruit at Belle Pente and Brick House

The fruit at both Belle Pente and Brick House tasted absolutely delicious on the vine. I am looking forward to opening a bottle of each 2010 Chardonnay a year from now. Chardonnay in Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay in Brick House Vineyard Related Links More coverage of Belle Pente Vineyard More coverage of Brick House Vineyards...

Posted by Thad W. at 06:47 PM | Permalink

November 03, 2010

Photos: Friends sorting Brick House Pinot noir

For a number of harvests now, several of Doug Tunnell's longstanding friends travel from distant lands to lend a hand picking grapes, sorting fruit, and doing whatever else that is needed. As old friends do, there was a lot of back and forth between Doug and his mates, which made for good fun as they worked a long day from the vineyard's rows to the barn's sorting table, processing bin after bin. I observed that there is more than just fruit that goes into Brick House wines; friendship plays an important part in crafting each bottle. Related Links More coverage...

Posted by Thad W. at 08:10 PM | Permalink

November 02, 2010

Photos: An afternoon at Brick House Vineyard

Upon arriving at Brick House Vineyards to shoot one afternoon during harvest, Doug Tunnell and Melissa Mills invited me to first sit down with the rest of their crew to have a glass of wine as they finished up a late lunch. That's what it is all about - taking pause and soaking it all in before getting back to work. I like that approach and appreciated the kind welcome from Doug and Melissa, who were such gracious hosts throughout my stay. Grace is a word that aptly describes Brick House wines, ones that I am a big fan of...

Posted by Thad W. at 06:04 PM | Permalink

October 30, 2010

Photos: Harvest in the Willamette Valley

For three pristine days this month, I had the privilege of visiting several producers in the northern Willamette Valley, who were all at their peak of harvest activities. At each location, crews were hand picking tons of Pinot noir in the vineyard, while teams in the winery were hand sorting countless bins of fruit. It was a truly connective experience each day walking the rows and tasting the fruit at sunrise, following the harvest through early afternoon, and then finally watching clusters being sorted well past sunset. During harvest, the day's work is clearly never done until the last bin...

Posted by Thad W. at 01:20 PM | Permalink

February 06, 2010

Brick House 2008 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge

Last year, I really enjoyed Doug Tunnell's 2007 Gamay Noir, and ended up buying half a case of this Biodynamic certified wine. Therefore, it was with much anticipation that I tried the Brick House 2008 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge (13.5%), a natural wine that while different in some ways from the '07, it is one I will definitely stock up on. The '08 Brick House Gamay Noir ($24) was a clear, garnet red in the glass, offering perfumed notes of strawberry and cherry fruit, dusty spice, and earth. In the mouth, this Oregon gamay delivered a nice silky texture, with...

Posted by Thad W. at 09:48 AM | Permalink

November 10, 2009

Brick House 2007 Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge

In the glass, the Brick House 2007 Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge (13.5%) was a clear, light golden yellow color with creamy notes of yeast and minerals. Even though the fruit flavors were a bit muted for my taste, this Oregon chardonnay offered nice acidity, good balance, and a delicious finish. While not captivating, it did complement our coq a vin. Overall, I was a bit conflicted with this wine, for I wasn't blown away neither was I turned off. Even at its $29 price point, I would be willing to give this Brick House chardonnay another try. Related Links Katherine...

Posted by Thad W. at 09:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

November 05, 2009

Brick House 2007 Cuvee du Tonnelier Pinot Noir

Plain and simple, the Brick House 2007 Cuvée du Tonnelier Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge (13.4%) is a terrific wine. In the glass, this Oregon pinot noir was a light, cloudy ruby red offering spice, then strawberry and raspberry, followed by wet earth on the nose. In the mouth, the Brick House Cuvée du Tonnelier delivered terrific red berry fruit flavors, great acidity, and a long delicious finish. A myriad of flavors continued to be discovered as this wonderful wine evolved in the glass. We paired it with two hearty soups, a white bean chicken and a black bean chili. This...

Posted by Thad W. at 08:54 PM | Permalink

April 18, 2009

Brick House 2007 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge

One of my new favorites from Oregon, the Brick House 2007 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge ($24) is a terrific wine. In the glass, this clear, garnet-colored Oregon gamay delivered an intriguing spectrum of scents including fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit, slightly perfumed floral notes, and hints of earth, all integrated together in a captivating way that kept my nose coming back for more. I became smitten with this wine just smelling it - seriously, it was that mesmerizing. In the mouth, the Brick House gamay noir (13.4%) was a fresh, bright beautiful wine, offering flavors of red berry fruit...

Posted by Thad W. at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

January 09, 2009

Brick House 2007 Pinot Noir Select

A wonderful, unadulterated expression of Oregon pinot noir, that we enjoyed with dinner one night and then even more a day later with another meal. The Brick House 2007 Pinot Noir Select Ribbon Ridge (13.4%) was a very light, cloudy ruby color in the glass, offering scents of fresh strawberry fruit, a bit of dusty eucalyptus, and understated floral notes. Red berry fruit flavors predominated this biodynamic/organic pinot, going from strawberry to cherry, with balanced acidity and smooth texture leading to a long, delicious finish, without any hint of oak along the way. We paired the Brick House with...

Posted by Thad W. at 10:04 AM | Permalink

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April 12, 2011

Brick House 2008 "Evelyn's" Pinot Noir

March 14, 2011

Help Save the Bees

January 11, 2011

Brick House 2008 Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge AVA

November 09, 2010

Photos: The birds and the bees in the vineyard

November 07, 2010

Photos: Chardonnay fruit at Belle Pente and Brick House

November 03, 2010

Photos: Friends sorting Brick House Pinot noir

November 02, 2010

Photos: An afternoon at Brick House Vineyard

October 30, 2010

Photos: Harvest in the Willamette Valley

February 06, 2010

Brick House 2008 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge

November 10, 2009

Brick House 2007 Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge

November 05, 2009

Brick House 2007 Cuvee du Tonnelier Pinot Noir

April 18, 2009

Brick House 2007 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge

January 09, 2009

Brick House 2007 Pinot Noir Select

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