Deep ruby color; rich black cherry, plum, fig, redcurrant, green peppercorn, dark chocolate, vanilla, cinnamon spice, earth on the nose and palate.
Dry; well behaved granular tannins; amiable acidity (3.77 pH). Medium body. Grapes sourced from four vineyards in the Columbia Valley. Blend of 70% cabernet sauvignon, 30% malbec. The 2020 vintage began with a mild spring and an encouraging lack of late frosts. A sustained heatwave from July through September, however, reduced berry size by as much as 20%, which elevated skin-to-juice ratios, intensifying color and tannin.
After the early September harvest, the cab and malbec underwent separate vinification in stainless steel tanks. Fermented using native yeasts. Consistent pump overs to maximize color without over-extracting tannins. Maceration lasted 18-21 days. Wine transferred to French oak barrels, 20% new and 80% neutral, for 18 months of élevage (French term for “raising” or “nurturing” wine after fermentation and before bottling—a more comprehensive term than “aging”). Élevage included stirring lees (bâtonnage) to enhance mid-palate texture and overall rounded mouthfeel. 14.1% ABV
Owner Bill Stoller is the founder and CEO of The Stoller Group, also the president and vice-chairman of Express Employment Professionals, and founder and CEO at Xenium HR & Employer Services. A native Oregonian, Stoller holds a bachelor’s degree in business and economics from Pacific University and an MBA from Portland State University. His considerable successes in employment services allowed him to pursue his passion for wine.
Stoller founded Stoller Vineyards in 2001. The winery opened in 2006 as Oregon’s first and only LEED-certified, solar-powered, gravity-flow operation. Its drive for sustainability earned the winery the world’s first LEED gold certification. The winery is dedicated to producing pinot noir and chardonnay.
Vice president of winemaking Melissa Burr has been at Stoller since 2003. Burr says the challenge at Stoller is to control the vigor of the site in order to concentrate flavors. She strongly believes acidity plays a key role in balance and flavor, and this effort reflects that. The Dundee Hills are located southwest of Portland, OR, beside the Willamette River. Stoller has the largest contiguous vineyard in the Dundee Hills and the fruit for their wines is 100% estate grown. Lovely country, ecologically responsible winemaker, very nice wines.
Today, the Stoller Wine Group brands include Stoller Family Estate, Chehalem, Chemistry, History, and Canned Oregon. The link below will lead you to more information about their various offerings. Stoller is a solid, easy choice as a go-to wine maker.
Stoller Family Estate History Red Blend, Columbia Valley 2020—impressive, sophisticated red; rich, delicious blend of cab and malbec, with cab delivering structure and granular tannins and malbec softening the overall wine and providing classic plum elements. Adroit use of oak and bâtonnage results in a powerful, smooth, easy drinking delight that still retains elements of an assertive red wine. Pair with ribeye steak, slow-smoke brisket, other fatty cuts/ Grilled leg of lamb. Roasted quail over hazelnut risotto. Baby back ribs. Roasted cauliflower steaks with pimentón breadcrumbs served over mashed butternut squash. Truffled deviled eggs. Cheese—aged sheep’s milk, abbaye de belloc; smoked Spanish idiazabal; aged cow’s milk, comté reserve. $45
