2010 Matello Pinot Noir Whistling Ridge Vineyard Ribbon Ridge - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (12/30/2020)
Instantly transported to a walk in the forest. It’s fall, and the leaves are down. They were wet from a recent rain, but that has seeped into the soil, so that the leaves crack and crunch, releasing a deep woodsy note. If I kick the leaves it releases the mushroomy scent of damp earth. Stopping to snack on some trail mix, the aroma of dried cherries mingles with the scent of the trail.
It’s crisp from high pressure, and the hills, woods, and rocks bring clarity. The trail sign up ahead points to a turn towards home, but it's better to press on, basking in the company of the trees, inhaling the life force they return to the land each year.
