ABOUT: In 2006 winemaker Brian Marcy and the farming artist Clare Carver moved to Oregon from Napa to build a farm, keep bees, tend to draft horses and make some wine. Sourcing from some of the best vineyards in Oregon, Big Table Farm has been discharging some incredible wines which have gotten so much good press it’s hard to look away. One of those vineyards is Sunnyside in the Eola-Amity Hills of the Willamette Valley. Sunnyside has been farmed by husband and wife Lucy and Tom Wisniewski for over 30 years, isLIVE certified and grows some fully developed Pinot Noir vines. A glorious place. The last thing to note is the first thing you’ll note, the labels. Clare draws them and they’re printed on thick, imported Italian paper, and they’re beautiful. It’s always nice when as much effort goes into the aesthetic as the juice.
This is a good article about Brian and Clare and Big Table Farm from Uncorked Monthly. TASTE: This 2017 Sunnyside Pinot Noir is outstanding. The aromas are stately, strawberry meets cherry meets raspberry, orange zest, smoke, soy sauce, ginger, and potting soil. Medium bodied with medium fine-hewn tannins and a finish that goes way back. The oak is there but isn’t pushy and if you leave the wine out in the open flavors of licorice, or cinnamon or plums can show up to the party. PAIR: Oregano pesto, baked ziti with eggplant and pistachio, pickled beet salad with pears, walnuts, and goat cheese, and oyster sauce veggie chow mein.
