Retour was founded in 2005 with a focused mission: produce an exceptional old-vine Pinot Noir from highly acclaimed vineyards in unique places throughout the Willamette Valley. The average age of vines are 38-40 years old. Consulting Winemaker Eric Hamacher and I are deeply committed to a hands-on approach with each vine (even plucking unwanted berries from clusters with “tweezers”) and use minimal intervention in the cellar to achieve the elusive balance between expression and elegance.
To unveil the purity of place and true expression of the vintage, the Pinot Noir is fermented with native yeasts, aged in individual lots and is unfiltered and unfined. Only one wine is produced each year and only the best barrels are orchestrated into the final blend. Retour is complex, nuanced, has pitch perfect acidity and an eloquent structure. It is a wine that is crafted to age gracefully in the cellar for years to come. Some consider this natural approach to winegrowing Burgundian; we consider it the only true way to make wine that reveals itself and the place where it is grown.
