Elk Cove Pinot Noir "La Boheme" Yamhill-Carlton 2022
(Willamette Valley, Oregon) - [WS 94] [WA 92]

About the Winery:
Elk Cove Vineyards was founded in 1974 by Pat and Joe Campbell, making it one of Oregon's oldest wine producers. There were only about 200 acres of grapes planted at that time in Oregon. The estate vineyard was planted in a protected valley where the namesake Roosevelt elk migrate each spring. It was a family affair from the beginning with four children being the parents' first labor force. The first vintage was 1977. Joe made wine for the first twenty years, then worked together with son Adam on the 1995 and 1996 vintages, and Adam took over in 1997.

The winery's focus is on the Pinot "trilogy": Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, with a few lesser-known wines such as Muscat Ottonel and Riesling thrown in. Elk Cove Vineyards has produced single-vineyard Pinot Noir since 1979.

Vintage
Mother Nature kept us on our toes with unusual weather at each end of the growing season. A wet, cold spring led into a long, temperate summer followed by a very sunny fall that brought us much-needed ripening. What a surprise to have snowfall on April 11th, our region’s latest significant snow since 1942! Most of our vines had not yet leafed out and their tight woolly buds were well-protected. However, frost damage did mean a smaller crop at our Clay Court Vineyard. Other vineyard sites set a healthy crop, which we thinned heavily to increase intensity and encourage ripening. August and September were unseasonably warm, but the nights remained cool, helping us retain varietal character. Worries of late-season botrytis (rot) meant extra passes of handwork in the vineyard pulling leaves to improve sunlight penetration and airflow. Thankfully, October welcomed a long string of sunny days and just exactly the hang-time and ripening we needed to bring grape sugar (brix) to ideal levels. Harvest began in late September, with most fruit harvested during two very intense mid-October weeks. Many of our blocks achieved peak ripeness at the same time, so we are very thankful for our incredible crew for all of the early morning picking sessions in the vineyard and long days in the cellar. Expect complex, fruit-forward wines from this vintage.

Vineyard
We planted La Bohème Vineyard in 1985 by selecting the very best vines from our original Estate Pommard plantings. Pat and Joe Campbell named the vineyard after the family who sold them the property – and their favorite Puccini opera. This picturesque vineyard overlooks the winery and the coast range mountains and rises to 800 feet, making it one of the highest elevation vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley. La Bohème was planted using cuttings from vines selected for small cluster size and intense flavors, hallmarks of the world’s finest Pinot Noirs. We prune and cluster-thin La Bohème heavily to limit yields and to maximize ripening and flavor concentration.

Winemaking
Fruit from the La Bohème vineyard is fermented in small, temperature controlled steel tanks, hand punched down twice daily then aged for ten months in French oak. Our winemaking team then selects the very best barrels to represent the silky, lush flavor profile that exemplifies La Bohème pinot noir.

Ratings & Reviews

94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Fragrant and lilting, this vibrant Pinot offers raspberry and pomegranate flavors highlighted by rose petal, cinnamon, nutmeg and other dusky spices. Takes on richness and detail toward refined tannins. Drink now through 2032. 729 cases made." - Tim Fish (Sep 2025)

92 Points - Wine Advocate:
"The 2022 Pinot Noir La Bohème, from grapes planted in 1985, has pure, alluring aromas of pomegranate, blueberry, mushroom powder, iron and desiccated flowers. The light-bodied palate is chalky and refreshing with understated yet complex flavors and a long, perfumed finish." - Erin Brooks (Jul 2024)