Luminous Hills is dramatically tucked into a steep, forested slope on the eastern side of Oregon’s coastal range and is owned by Byron Dooley. Interestingly it transitions from volcanic soils, primarily Jory, on top, to eroded marine sedimentary rock, Willakenzie and Peavine, on the bottom. Its high elevation preserves acidity and makes it our latest ripening site, while its steep slopes provide excellent exposure to the sun. Andrew discovered the property while doing pruning weights for Jessica Cortell in 2012 and was stunned by the situation and beauty of the site.
Winery Notes : Gratitude is a practice, a daily choice. Should we not endeavor to always be grateful? We are breathing and we are moving forward and there is so much beauty. My goodness though, 2022 was an eventful vintage. The growing season found creative ways to test us, new and exciting twists that left generations of vintners who’ve preceded us to clap their hands to their heads and exclaim “We have never seen THIS before!” An April frost after a relatively early bud break is a once every 50 years type of event. It remained cool and wet, leading many to fear the worst as vines were slow to recover from the cold. At long last, summer arrived and brought with it its warm spells, but it would take a miracle at this point to accumulate the warmth necessary to bring us to ripeness in advance of the always impending Oregon rain.
In my twentieth year of tying my fortune to the whims of Nature, I have learned just enough to know that the living breathing world around us is a miracle in and of itself. September and October were warm and dry, again a nearly unprecedented series of events. As we diligently sorted the arriving fruit, new challenges arose, the unfamiliar, the confounding and the delightful.
These wines reflect their long journey, they radiate from their cores, alternating layer upon layer of exuberant fruit and resounding stone. They required work, theirs was a roiling nascency, it was our job to guide them to serenity. Loading them onto the truck after bottling felt like sending a child to college, the child you did not know would find their path. No need to worry , their inner fire has been lit and they are for the world now. Everything that could be was poured into them, they will take that love, transform it and it will become yours.
The 2022 iteration of Luminous Hills is no less stunning than its 2021 counterpart and a true testament to the terroir of this remarkable place. This was the last pick, well into October, of a late ripening vintage. That time on the vine built layers of nuance, depth and intensity of aroma. Fermented with seventy percent whole clusters, it is a lifted exotic wine on a lithe frame of fine tannin, poised for a multi decade unfurling.