Family-owned winery receives accolades for 2021 vintage wines
September 28 2023, Carlton, OR . . . Upon waking the morning of September 19, on the brink of harvest, Kathryn and Chris Hermann were stunned by the news that their 2021 Richard Hermann Cuvée Pinot Noir received a 100 point score from the JebDunnuck.com Oregon report. The score, a rarity in Oregon wine history, appeared in the article 2021 Willamette Valley and Oregon Round-Up, written by Audrey Frick. Frick singled out the 2021 Pinot Noir Richard Hermann Cuvée, writing. “This is the best Pinot Noir I have tasted from the vintage so far and possibly the best wine from the region I have tasted.”
Based in New York City, Frick is the Senior Editor and Critic for JebDunnuck.com. Prior to joining the critical review site, she was the wine director for One White Street, the Michelin-starred Chef Austin Johnson’s TriBeCa hotspot. and before that was at Frasca Food & Wine in Boulder, CO. This summer she headed back west for a visit to Oregon, tasting through 630 wines to review the 2021 vintage.
The Hermanns are particularly proud of the 100-point rating of the Richard Hermann Cuvée as Richard is Chris’ father. Richard was a wine lover from Europe who came to Oregon to work in forestry, specializing in the study and propagation of the state tree of Oregon, the Douglas Fir. As a member of the faculty at Oregon State University and world-renowned botanist, Dr. Hermann traveled the world teaching and consulting about forest ecology and sustainable foresting practices. In 2013, his book The Genus Pseudotsuga was published. The book is a compendium of his research over five decades, and is a seminal text on the development and growth of the Douglas Fir.
Interestingly, Frick’s review of the Cuvee taps into her own Rocky Mountain past, and also harkens Oregon forests and Hermann himself with “black raspberry eau de vie, crushed pine needles, anise, and fresh lavender” notes. The review states:
“Spicy and more brooding, with a rocky mountainous feel, the 2021 Pinot Noir Richard Hermann Cuvee is from an undisclosed site and is loaded with black raspberry eau de vie, crushed pine needles, anise, and fresh lavender. This is the best Pinot Noir I have tasted from the vintage so far and possibly the best wine from the region I have tasted. It delivers salty, mouthwatering persistence and a phenomenal, balanced mouthfeel, with a silky texture and even acidity, and it somehow gains purity all the way through the back palate. Lights out, greatness. Drink it over the coming decades. 221 cases were produced.”
All seven single vineyards from 00 Wines reviewed in the report received a 97 or above, with another namesake, the 2021 Chardonnay Richard Hermann Cuvée, gaining a 99 score. Frick wrote, “the clear bright yellow 2021 Chardonnay Richard Hermann Cuvee is another stunner, with wild aromas of lime blossom, lemongrass, flinty wet stone, delicate baking spices, and wild white flowers. It’s rounded on the palate, with full- bodied richness and a hint of fresh almond texture. It’s going to do well over the next 15 or more years.”
Full 00 scores from the report are here:
- 2021 00 Wines Pinot Noir Richard Hermann Cuvee 100
- 2021 00 Wines Chardonnay Richard Hermann Cuvee 99
- 2021 00 Wines Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountain 98
- 2021 00 Wines Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard 98
- 2021 00 Wines Chardonnay Chehalem Mountain 97
- 2021 00 Wines Pinot Noir Shea 97
- 2021 00 Wines Pinot Noir Hyland 97
- 2021 00 Wines Chardonnay EGW 96
- 2021 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW 94
- 2021 00 Wines Pinot Noir VGR 93
“This is an incredible milestone for 00 Wines, our family, and the Oregon wine industry,” said Chris. “It sends a message to the world that Oregon can produce wines at the absolute highest level, and demonstrates the potential of the unique terroir of the Northern Willamette Valley.”
More about 00 Wines
Founded in 2015 by Kathryn and Chris Hermann, 00 Wines makes Oregon wines at Carlton Winemakers Studio. With a production of approximately 4,000 cases annually, they produce three Willamette Valley blends, the VGW (Very Good White), the EGW (Extra Good White), and VGR (Very Good Red), as well as portfolio of single vineyard wines from the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, Chehalem Mountains AVA, Yamhill-Carlton AVA, and the McMinnville AVA. 00 Wines offers Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, as well as Grand Cru Burgundy wines and Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Champagne.
