2021 Voix de la Vigne Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 750 ml

When Laurent Montalieu calls, we pick up. 

The man behind Soléna, Laurent is our direct line to some of the most overachieving Pinot Noirs made in Willamette Valley. Not only does he make our bestselling-ever Pinot Noir, he also runs a Willamette co-op winemaking facility where he and his clients have created a staggering 400 wines that earned 90 points or more.

Two years ago, he called to introduce us to Voix de la Vigne, made by his right-hand man, Bruno Corneaux—and the wine’s unabashedly Burgundian take on Oregon Pinot promptly became one of the biggest hits of the last few years. 

Ever since we tasted it out of barrel last winter, we’ve been excited about the 2021. The product of one of Willamette Valley’s finest years, when a warm vintage and unusually dry conditions helped produce tiny berries with fantastic concentration and electric acidity, it has all the qualities we look for in the very top examples of Oregon Pinot.

Standing in Laurent’s chilly winery last February, it was obvious how much potential the 2021 had. When we tasted the final product last week, it was clear Corneaux delivered on every ounce of it. Swirling aromatics of red fruit and exotic spices precede a layered palate with refined tannins. Elegant, ethereal, and refreshing, this wine demands another pour right after the first is gone.

Take a look at Laurent’s Willamette Valley empire—which includes Domaine Danielle Laurent, Hyland, and Domaine Loubejac—and you’ll understand why Voix de la Vigne is such an overachiever. Boasting some of the best grapes in the region, it’s an unapologetically Burgundian Pinot from that region’s New World equivalent, and it’s fast become a Wine Access favorite.