Hundred Suns Pinot Noir Eola-Amity

Some of our favorite wineries begin with a simple idea: make the wines you genuinely want to drink, and don't worry too much about following everyone else's formula. Hundred Suns is that kind of project. Founded by winemaker Grant Coulter and Renée Saint-Amour, the winery brings together Grant's years of experience at Beaux Frères with the couple's shared passion for small-scale, hands-on winemaking. Their Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir is a particularly compelling introduction to what they do. It has personality, energy and none of the heavy-handedness that can make Pinot Noir feel like something it isn't.

The Eola-Amity Hills sit in the southern Willamette Valley, where cool Pacific winds move through the Van Duzer Corridor and help preserve acidity as the grapes ripen. The 2024 draws from Golden Hillside, Big Cheese and Cortell-Rose vineyards, bringing together different expressions of the appellation's volcanic-influenced landscape. The grapes are fermented with native yeasts and bottled without fining or filtration. That restrained approach allows the fruit and vineyard character to remain at the center of the wine. The 2024 growing season provided beautifully ripe fruit while maintaining the freshness that gives this region its distinctive appeal.

What makes this Pinot Noir so enjoyable is its balance between bright fruit and savory complexity. Ripe raspberry, Bing cherry and tart cranberry meet crushed violets, sweet sage and a subtle note of anise. There is a lovely earthy quality underneath the fruit, with fine-grained tannins and enough acidity to keep the palate lively. It is expressive without being overly rich, and it has the kind of energy that makes you want another glass. We would happily pour this alongside roast chicken, wild mushrooms or a beautiful piece of salmon. It's exactly the sort of Oregon Pinot Noir we enjoy introducing to friends.