2021 Karen's Pommard clone
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The Pommard clone is one of the oldest in the Willamette Valley, and it produces some of the darkest, boldest flavors of any pinot noir clone. "Karen" is named after Lenné's co-founder Karen Lutz, the daughter of "Lenny," whose face graces our logo. As we joke in the tasting room, she is "the Karen," not a "karen."
The 2021 Karen's Pommard has notes of black cherry and cassis on the nose, with our typical black-fruited mid-palate and flavors of blackberry, cola, and mocha. The well-balanced acidity makes for a bright mouthfeel, with a fine-grained finish.
One of our bolder offerings, this Karen's pairs beautifully with duck, lamb, hearty cheeses, and various red meats and sauces.
Vintage Notes
The 2021 growing season was long and hot, with a larger than average fruit set that paired beautifully with the lengthy ripening season. We saw a record heat bubble in late June with temps over 114 degrees! Thankfully that happened in June and not August, and the tiny grapes were not impacted by the brief event. The rest of the summer was hot, but not excessively, and we saw our typical cooling in September, allowing for longer hang time. On the whole it was one of the best vintages in the history of the Willamette Valley.
Our 2021 pinots are bold and fruit-forward, but even young, they show excellent balance with tannic structure and acidity on the finish. These wines drink exceptionally well even young, but as with all Lenne pinots, we recommend at least four years cellar time.
