We recently learned of a brilliant new project made by a very close friend of all-star winemaker Maggie Harrison, creator of the treasured Antica Terra Pinot Noirs. You can imagine the excitement we had when we were offered the opportunity to taste these promising Hope Well wines made by the lovely Mimi Casteel up in the Eola-Amity Hills of Oregon wine country. In fact, after the fruit is harvested, Mimi does all of her magic at the Antica Terra winery working alongside her talented friend, Maggie.
Mimi is the daughter of Ted Casteel and Pat Dudley, co-founders of Bethel Heights Vineyard, another celebrated and accolade-winning winery in Oregon. Growing up with the vineyard and winery in her backyard, Mimi gained such an appreciation for the industry, which propelled her into an education of botany, forestry, and ecology. Mimi earned her Master’s Degree in Forest Science from Oregon State University and spent the next several years working as a botanist and ecologist for the Forest Service, though she could never erase memories of the vineyard from her mind, so in 2005 Mimi returned to Bethel Heights to take the helm as second generation winegrower and co-owner. After 10 years, Mimi knew it was time to set out on a new adventure that would fill her soul even more. She took a step back from Bethel Heights and the family business in 2015 in order to focus on a wine, a farm and a vineyard she could call her own. This was not an easy decision, but one Mimi knew was necessary in order to create an environmental culture where her vines and family could thrive naturally and soon thereafter Hope Well Vineyard was born.
The 80-acre property in the Eastern part of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, is planted to 20-acres of perfectly farmed vineyards, an east-facing bowl-shaped site that is somewhat protected from the Van Duzer corridor winds that blow through this area. Regardless of the slightly warmer days, the cooling effect of these winds still brings down the temperature at night creating a significant diurnal shift, of particular importance in viticulture. An ideal situation for winemaking since this variation has the ability to produce high acidity and high sugar content as the grapes exposed to sunlight increase the ripening qualities during the day, but then the sudden drop in temperature at night preserves the balance of natural acids inside the grape.
The Pinot Noir at Hope Well is made from 100% Pommard Clone, fermented using all natural yeasts. Mimi’s extractions are very gentle and the wine experiences minimal use of Sulphur. Mimi uses 100% French oak for aging, with about 25% being new wood. Overall, her goal is to emphasize that each harvest represents a different story, and therefore, each vintage should reflect not only the place, but also the time and circumstances that combine to create each harvest. Besides the grapes that she cultivates for her own project, she also sells grapes to some other highly esteemed wineries including Antica Terra and Failla-Jordan.
This Pinot Noir is joyful and bright, balanced with red fruits and tones of savory herbs and sprouting mushrooms in the forest. Perfectly balanced, light-medium bodied, soft textured tannins, an elegant finish and 100% enjoyable! Only 100 cases produced and 13% alcohol.
