As the days begin to grow longer, we look forward to the re-awakening in the vineyards. Winter has been drier and warmer than normal, which could mean an earlier bud-break this year. The only thing we can be sure of is that the weather has a few twists and turns in store for us before the season begins anew… The 2004 wines in barrel are coming along nicely in the cellar, and they seem delicious and balanced. We will have lovely, ripe, rich, and elegant wines from this vintage – there just won’t be enough of them! Nature dealt us near record-low yields last year – we averaged a meager 1.1 tons to the acre over our 14 different vineyard parcels. Overall it appears to be a very good vintage, and the 2004s in Oregon should be quite excellent across the board. We’re excited to offer special new 3-bottle and 6-bottle samplers with this release, making it easier to try the different Pinots in our line-up. Details below… Reviews… Garagiste.com     “Scott Paul should be discovered and placed into the top rung of domestic Pinot Noir producers. The wines are better than most examples at 2-3 times the price.” Jon Rimmerman January 2005 Wine Spectator   2003 La Paulée OUTSTANDING - 90 pts   "Ripe, broad and open, with firm tannins around a generous core of peppery, earthy and smoky cherry and berry flavors…" Harvey Steiman Nov. 11, 2004 2002 Cuvée Martha Pirrie 89 pts   "Crisp in texture, with a lovely thread of blackberry and tar flavors at the center, lingering nicely on the fine-grained finish." Harvey Steiman Sept. 30, 2004 Burghound.com     "…Burgundian style wines that celebrate the ripe fruit of Oregon yet maintain the balance and elegance of Pinot. These are lovely wines, indeed almost understated compared to many in this overview, and they complement food very well…" 2002 Cuvée Martha Pirrie 90 pts   "A very ripe, expressive and granite and earth infused nose leads to delicious, medium-full complex and sweet flavors that offer good detail and much better than average precision and delineation. This is a warm and generous wine with plenty of personality and lovely overall balance. It's ripe but not overly so and with 30 minutes of air, makes a wonderful dinner companion. Allen Meadows Oct. 1, 2004 2002 la Paulée 88 pts   "An elegant and beautifully detailed, very high-toned red pinot fruit nose of better than average complexity preceeds purely, nicely focused middle-weight flavors supported by bright acidity and just enough tannic backbone to suggest a few years of improvement. Still, with the right food this is so pretty that it could easily be approached now, just be sure to give it at least 30 minutes of air, preferably in a decanter. Allen Meadows October 2004 2003s - on sale now... The limited-production Pinots 2003 Three Barrels Pinot Noir (Available exclusively through our online store and the tasting room at The Carlton Winemakers Studio) As the name implies, only three barrels of this beauty were produced. Sourced entirely from Shea Vineyard Block 21 – this is old-vine, own-rooted Pommard clone Pinot at its purest. Ripe, rich, and complex, this is a great example of power without weight. Dense and concentrated, but not heavy-handed or overblown. Black fruits and earth on the nose, with rich black cherries, and black raspberries on the palate, rich and luscious through the long, lingering finish. This is one to put down for a while -for maximum enjoyment drink 2007-2010, or decant for an hour to enjoy over the next year or two. 73 cases bottled. $50/bottle 2003 Audrey Pinot Noir The 2003 Audrey is now completely Sold-Out. This wine was offered as futures last fall, and was snapped-up very quickly. Only 93 cases were produced, so there just wasn’t much to go around to begin with. The 2004 Audrey will be offered as futures this fall. A reminder to act quickly if you’re interested in this lush and elegant bottling. Still available in limited quantities… 2003 La Paulée Pinot Noir A selection of the most complex, concentrated, and elegant lots in the cellar. A cut-above in aromatics and length, and better structure for extended ageing. Selected from older-vine parcels of Stoller and Shea vineyards. If you loved the 2002 version, you’ll feel right at home with this year’s model. It is very similar overall, though with perhaps more concentration and layers of flavor. Black raspberries, black cherries and crushed raspberries abound, velvet in the mouth and superior length. Blow-away Pinot at any price! Gorgeous now with 30 minutes of air, and should be at its best 2007-2010. A scant 475cases produced. $35/Bottle 2003 Cuvée Martha Pirrie Pinot Noir The most fruit-forward, direct and immediately likeable wines in the cellar, for consuming over the first 3-5 years. The 2003 version is sourced from select lots of the Ribbon Ridge, Stoller, and Shea fruit. Once again, this is our attempt to over-deliver at the price and make this the best bang for your Pinot buck in the New Word! Very Similar to the 2002 bottling, with perhaps more elegance and finesse, and soft, round tannins. Bright, sweet cherries and raspberries, with excellent length and depth, nice viscosity and texture – truly amazing Pinot for the money. 1150 cases produced – stock up! $20/Bottle Now – 3pk & 6pk Samplers… Now you can try the complete line of Pinots in our new samplers, or purchase the wines individually – 2003 3pk - $105 1 bottle – Cuvée Martha Pirrie 1 bottle – La Paulée 1 bottle – Three Barrels 2003 6pk - $180 3 bottles – Cuvée Martha Pirrie 2 bottle – La Paulée 1 bottle – Three Barrels To purchase now, click here. Where to find the wines… Look for us at fine restaurants and select retailers in the following markets. Contact our distributors for more information on where to find Scott Paul wines near you. California - (Southern) Golden State Wines (818) 908-9509                          (Northern) Diamond Wine Merchants (510) 567-9897 DC & Virgina - C'est Vin (703) 243-3559 Florida - Southern Wine & Spirits (305) 625-4171 Georgia - Quality Wine (404) 367-9463 Louisiana - Uncorked (504) 220-9079 Minnesota - Domace Vino (612) 501-5799 New York/New Jersey/Connecticut - Artisan Wines (203) 866-4552 Oregon - Tsarina Wines (503) 542-4296 Washington - Cordon Selections (206) 264-9594 We look forward to seeing you in Oregon! Thanks for joining us on our journey… Cheers! Martha & Scott Wright, proprietor Newsletter Archive Fall 2004 Summer 2004 Spring 2004 March 2004