Broadley Vineyards
…in the heart of the Willamette Valley
Broadley Vineyards was established in 1981 by Craig and Claudia Broadley and remains a family-owned operation. Today, their son Morgan is the winemaker and vineyard manager while his wife Jessica does just about everything else including hosting customers at their downtown Monroe Tasting Room.
The estate vineyard, just a few minutes west of town, is a steep slope of Jory soil that benefits from one of the warmest micro-climates in the Willamette Valley. In most vintages, the site achieves full ripening of fruit, seeds and stems allowing Morgan to work with wholecluster fermentation in the winery. While the vineyard is warm during the day, cool nights are typical and an east to northeast aspect preserves the grapes’ natural acidity, a signature of Broadley wines.
In 2019, the estate Pinot Noirs were fermented 100% wholecluster and show the terroir of the site with a common thread of dark berry fruit and deep earth elevated by floral aromatics.
Broadley Vineyards
“Claudia’s Choice” Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 2019
The 2019 Claudia’s Choice Pinot Noir is a wine of depth and complexity. The tension between fruit and earth shows on the nose with aromas of black cherry, dried hibiscus, purple flowers, iron and dried leather. These characteristics show on the palate along with secondary flavors of blueberry and plum. This is a structured wine with firm tannins that will pair well with anything on the grilled.
I suggest picking up a rack of organically raised Colorado lamb chops, soak it for a day in olive oil and fresh herbs, then grill it hot with sweet peppers, red onions and fingerling potatoes.