Well known for production of lesser-known wine varietals, Division Winemaking Company’s (DWC) founders Kate Norris and Tom Monroe celebrate summer with their sixth vintage release, offering carefully selected wines prime for the season. The 2016 summer releases include two distinct variations of Gamine Grenache Rosé Pétillant & Pétillant Naturel, a personal expression of Norris under her Gamine label, as well as DWC Chardonnay “Trois” the first single chardonnay release from this vineyard, Pinot Noir “Deux” and Pinot Noir “Trois.”

Norris launched the Gamine label at DWC in fall of 2015 inspired by her love for the Rhone Valley region of France. DWC new releases are currently available online, are distributed to 17 states, Canada and France, and available at the SE Wine Collective. Recently DWC launched a brand new way to experience Oregon wines through their two-tiered membership-based wine club featuring all DWC wines. The club serves as a great way to taste your way through new wines, learn about unique varietals, and experience the next wave of Oregon and Washington winemaking with select wines sent to your door or available for pick up at the winery twice a year. Featuring the “Undivided” collection with six wines shipped twice a year and the “Divide and Conquer” with a customer choice of 12 wines, also released twice per year.

Norris and Monroe arrived in Oregon in early 2010 with youthful energy and armed with the wealth of experience and knowledge that they learned in France. Not being taught the more traditional New World winemaking methodologies most commonly seen on the West Coast, provided the opportunity to start their own winery uninfluenced by the New World norms. The wine company has become an ambassador for the new generation of Portland produced wines and serves as a guide to the hottest upcoming varietals and wines such as Gamay Noir, Chenin Blanc, and Old World-style rosés. Determined to make approachable and balanced wines though minimal manipulation, they have a passion to work with well farmed terroir expressive vineyards, many of which are organic and/or Biodynamic®, celebrating the varietals they as winemakers love to drink. Now in their sixth vintage, Norris and Monroe represent a new generation of winemakers that are looking beyond the status quo to create unique styles of wine, with a purpose, a story and without traditional barriers.

2016 Summer Wine Releases

2015 Gamine Grenache Rosé Pétillant & Pétillant Naturel
The bubbles are back and in two fun and distinct expressions! This is the second vintage of sparkling wine made under Norris’ personal project, Gamine Wines, which started with the idea to create a lovely, fresh and approachable ap ro style bubble with a richer grape varietal picked early to preserve acidity and liveliness. The 2015 vintage in Oregon had record heat units. Tom and Kate both love the Quady North Mae’s Vineyard in the Applegate Valley AVA in southern Oregon and had worked with the grapes as the sole component of their Loire clones dominated based Division Cabernet Franc, and Kate’s Gamine Syrah. Herb Quady has become one, if not, the best growers in the region, grew up in the family of the famed Quady Winery in California’s Central Valley, later became the vineyard manager for Randall Graham’s Bonny Doon wine empire before first coming north to southern Oregon with his sights on applying organic farming techniques to a region with mostly undiscovered vineyard potential. His Mae’s Vineyard block slopes southeast into the Applegate Valley in what can only be said as one the prettiest spots we’ve seen in the state. Loamy/clay and marine sediment overlay sits on top of a large granite slab (yes granite!), which makes this a truly distinctive site to work with. picked our Grenache very early to preserve acidity and the fresher vibrant flavors and weight.

2014 Division Chardonnay “Trois”
The Willamette Valley is typically one of the coolest and wettest major wine growing regions in the U.S, which clearly favors the delicate, but seemingly boundless potential of the Pinot Noir grape that seems to show its best on the fringes of suitable farming. While 2014 was not a cool and wet year, it was one of those extremely rare vintages where we experienced enough warmth throughout the season, as well as harvest time dry weather to bring in really amazing high quality grapes at the optimal moment! We have been very fortunate to work with some of the best Chardonnay sites in the Willamette Valley and again are ecstatic with the old vine Biodynamic Davis 108 at Cooper Mountain Vineyards’ Old Vines site (1978 planting). The Gross family has created one of Oregon’s greatest stories dedicated to truly sustainable farming and wines made very naturally, so we feel very akin the Gross’s and their winemaker, Giles de Domingo.

The wine is light and airy, but still full and rich. The aromatics begin with a slight amount of well integrated reduction that shouts graphite and flint. The palate has great presence and begins with well structured white peach skins, to some lemon crème and ends with a distinct calcium/lime minerality. The 2014 Division Chardonnay “Trois” brings a very classic Old World character to it that will lend itself to extended ageing. If you’re going to drink now, a bit of decanting is helpful and will help coax out the complex expression.
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2014 Division Pinot Noir “Deux”
The Willamette Valley is typically one of the coolest and wettest major wine growing regions in the U.S, which clearly favors the delicate, but seemingly boundless potential of the Pinot Noir grape that seems to show its best on the fringes of suitable farming. While 2014 was not a cool and wet year, it was one of those extremely rare vintages where we experienced enough warmth throughout the season, as well as harvest time dry weather to bring in really amazing high quality grapes at the optimal moment! Vista Hills is a 42-acre vineyard that sits high atop the Dundee Hills AVA, reaching heights of nearly 900 feet, which is quite high for the Willamette. The slow ripening conditions and well-draining Jory soil are ideal for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir and the site is farmed LIVE certified sustainable and Salmon Safe, producing premium fruit without taking a toll on the special environment it’s nestled in.

The wine is red fruit dominated with amazing palate width that exemplifies the ferrous Jory soils. The palate is all cherry and strawberry with iron like mineral tones and is texturally well developed. This wine is purely high quality classic Oregon Pinot Noir that is drinking exceptionally well at the time of release and will likely age well.

2014 Division Pinot Noir “Trois”
The Willamette Valley is typically one of the coolest and wettest major wine growing regions in the U.S, which clearly favors the delicate, but seemingly boundless potential of the Pinot Noir grape that seems to show its best on the fringes of suitable grape farming climates. While 2014 was not a cool and wet year, it was one of those extremely rare vintages where we experienced enough warmth throughout the season, as well as harvest time dry weather to bring in really amazing high quality grapes at the optimal moment!

First planted in 1980 on what is believed to be the remnants of an active volcano, this certified organic vineyard is situated between 660 and 860 feet in elevation on Nekia, Jory and Rittner soils. The elevation aspect lead to warm and sunny days and very cool evenings, which helps the Pinot Noir from Temperance retain its legendary acidity while still demonstrating intensity and complete phenolic ripeness. Temperance Hill is farmed by Dai Crisp, one of the best viticulturists in Oregon, or in the U.S. for that matter, with impeccable care and dedication.

This ruby colored wine is all cherry and intense mineral on the palate that has soft coating tannins that fit perfectly with the textual components. The initial aromatics are pure Pinot Noir traits with deep black cherries and fresh dried tobacco leaves.