Soter Vineyards Announces Release of Limited, Winery-Exclusive Napa Valley Proprietary Red.

CARLTON, Ore. -- Soter Vineyards, an elite producer of Pinot Noir and sparkling wine in Oregon's northern Willamette Valley, today expanded their lineup of acclaimed wines with the release of 250 cases of a new and unique Napa Valley Proprietary Red called "Little Creek," made from vines owned and personally tended by Tony and Michelle Soter.

After making 2 decades' worth of acclaimed wines for the likes of Viader, Dalla Valle, Spottswoode, Shafer, and Araujo, Tony Soter is invigorated by the opportunity to make wines from his own estate vineyards that match the great wines of his career. The same attention to detail and zeal that made Etude Cabernet Sauvignon famous is now brought to bear on a much smaller scale, in this 2.5-acre, 14 year old vineyard in Napa's Tulocay AVA.

The Tulocay region is distinguished by cooling winds that are drawn in through the Golden Gate, plus a tumultuous mix of well-drained volcanic soils. These breezes sweep through the vineyard on late summer afternoons, slowing ripening and encouraging flavor development in the grapes without excessive sugar accumulation.

Cropped for miniscule yields (approximately 1.7 tons per acre) and farmed to organic standards, these hand-tended Cabernet Franc, Malbec, and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes are transported in refrigerated containers to the Soter winery, east of Carlton, OR. Here the grapes are given a long cold soak, gentle fermentation, and post-fermentation maceration. Most of the wine is raised in new barrels from the finest French coopers. Only a tiny amount is made -- about 10-12 barrels per year, available on a retail basis exclusively through the winery for $75 per bottle.

Tony and Michelle Soter are thrilled by the results of their labor. This blend -- unlike any other in the world -- has uncommon complexity and poise, and promises to improve in the cellar for many years to come.

To learn more about Soter Vineyards and their wines of distinction, or to request a sample of this wine for review, please contact Marketing Coordinator Chris Poulos at 503-537-8877. We invite you to visit our website at www.sotervineyards.com.