Wine of the week: Argyle 2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Can rosé be as complex as pinot noir?

Winemaker Nate Klostermann says yes, that is, as long as the grapes for the rosé are groomed in an ideal location.

“When grown in the right place, rosé can bring all of the dimension recognized in pinot noir, but with a vibrance and energy of a white wine,” he said.

Klostermann is behind our wine of the week winner: Argyle 2021 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, 12%, $22. Nice and dry, this floral rosé is complex with tangy red fruit — strawberry and Bing cherry — and subtle spice. It’s balanced, buoyed by crisp acidity and finishes crisp.

The winemaker said the rosé is a standout because it’s blended from two high-quality vineyards the winery farms in Eola-Amity Hills.

“Those vineyards bring energy, depth and spicy length to it,” Klostermann said. “We also de-stem and soak the pinot noir on skins for six to 24 hours to tease out the color and delicate structure of the wine.”

The most challenging part of crafting this rosé, he said, was the vintage of 2021, because it was warm and dry with low yields.

“We were determined to keep freshness and vibrance in the wine while detailing the textures,” he said. “We grow pinot noir at high and low elevations in the Dundee Hills and Eola-Amity Hills, which complement each other very well. Our sparkling wine program has taught us about balance between high-acidity wines with subtle depth and textured length.”

Klostermann, 40, grew up in a small town in Wisconsin. He started down the path of pharmacy at the University of Minnesota. But when he started brewing at home, he changed his major to food science so he could explore the magic of fermentation. A wine appreciation course in his last semester got him intrigued by bottled grapes. Klostermann graduated in 2005 and moved to Oregon to work harvest at Argyle. He has been there ever since, rising in the ranks, and was promoted to head winemaker in 2013.

In 1987, pioneering vintner Rollin Soles founded Argyle. Soles was drawn to the area by the cool-climate potential of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. While the winery’s initial focus was on sparkling wine, today it also produces rosé and varietals that include chardonnay, pinot noir and riesling.

Klostermann said he finds it gratifying to taste Argyle’s 10-year-old wines.

“They’re still dynamic and aging well,” he said.

What makes him a good fit to be a winemaker, Klosterman said, is his unrushed nature and his curiosity. He and his team work with small lots to explore and preserve the nuance and complexity of the winery’s estate fruit. They’re continually experimenting with innovations like skin soaking and harvesting at various ripeness levels.

“I fell in love with the process of winemaking,” said Klostermann, referring to his first harvest at Argyle. “Winemaking brings together good people, weather, agriculture, creativity, gastronomy and good times.”

You can reach Wine writer Peg Melnik at peg.melnik@pressdemocrat.com or 707-479-3880.