A Comprehensive Tasting of Toil Oregon Wines
I’ve known Chris Figgins since Leonetti Cellar wines were still being made by his father Gary Figgins in the family garage. It’s now almost a quarter century since Chris grabbed those winemaking reins. Apart from the immense responsibility of bringing the iconic brand into the 21st century, he’s taken on major consulting projects (Doubleback); founded a new winery and vineyard in the Mill Creek uplands (FIGGINS); and most recently added an Oregon vineyard and wine project (Toil Oregon) to his expansive portfolio.
Figgins is one of a dozen or more Washington-based winemakers who have taken on Oregon projects in recent years, drawn in particular by the challenges of making world class Pinot Noir, which has no meaningful track record in Washington.
For Toil Oregon Chris made exploratory wines 2010 and 2011, but the first official release was from 2012. “I’ve been a fan of Oregon Pinot Noir since my dad and I first went down there probably 20 years ago for fun" Chris told me. "At about the same time I started kicking dirt and dreaming about planting a vineyard there.” On the Toil website he further explains that interest, noting “the original inspiration for making a Pinot Noir from Oregon manifested itself in a simple gravitational pull to ‘Go West’ for a new winemaking challenge.”
Following a seven year search that vineyard dream became a reality with the purchase of a 42-acre parcel in the Chehalem Mountains AVA. Nearby sites such as Olenik (now owned by Cooper Mountain) and Bryan Creek (owned by Adelsheim) confirm the potential for the site.
Figgins' expertise in soil biology and ecosystems also ensures that any new vineyard development has been thoroughly studied and planned. The Oregon vineyard is a convex site occupying what he calls "the Goldilocks zone" (500 to 700 feet elevation). It's anchored by Saum and Jory soils along with cascaded rocks and rubble from an ancient landslide.
Currently 7.5 acres are planted to an exploratory mix of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir clones, having previously grown only timber and hay. The first estate grapes went into the final blends of the most recent (2019) releases.
On a recent Monday Chris and I sat down to taste through and revisit the four vintages of Chardonnay and seven of Pinot Noir released so far. Despite some changes in sourcing, and what Figgins admits has been at times a steep learning curve, all of these wines are still drinking very well and all but the oldest should see further evolution.
One big surprise (for me) was the noticeably present aroma and flavor of brett in several vintages of the Pinots. Chris and I chatted at length about the advantages and disadvantages of that particular yeast. I wouldn't say we are in complete agreement, but unless you are absolutely opposed to any hint of it these wines make a pretty good argument for embracing it when it occurs.
Here are condensed notes from my original reviews (scores have been deleted but were consistently in the 90-93 range) along with brief comments from each of us while tasting.
Toil Oregon Chardonnay 2016 – 2019
Toil Oregon 2016 Chardonnay — The grapes came from McMinnville’s Dupee vineyard. Juicy fruit flavors of pear and peach, along with a light touch (20%) of new oak, make for a full, firm, well-balanced young wine with years of life ahead.
PG: Aging nicely. Aromatic, lightly nutty, pine needle, spice, punchy.
CF: You're in one of the best places in the world outside of Burgundy. Why plant Pinot Gris? I've always enjoyed Eyrie's Chards with some age. This is just starting to get that oxidative quality - not oxidized but oxidative. Minerally. We've been almost too clean with our Chardonnay. You think you're destroying the wine but sometimes with a wine if you take it to the edge - like in the cellar let SO2 levels get really low and you bring it back - it can be really amazing.
Toil Oregon 2017 Chardonnay — This marries bright apple and citrus to French oak, 38% new. It has a fine, focused through line, opening up with grapefruit, Meyer lemon and tangerine along with that lovely toasty character. New world fruit to be sure, but Burgundian in its elegance and power.
PG: Developing nicely but still needs more time.
CF: There’s more acid than in the 2016. 100% Dupee vineyard fruit – a cooler site, clonal Massale planting (multiple clones in a mixed field blend).
Toil Oregon 2018 Chardonnay — Fresh and nicely detailed, this keeps an elegant frame around tangy nectarine, melon and papaya fruit. The well-balanced acids lend structure and support to a flavorful finish with highlights of caramel and toast.
PG: Vitamin pill, blood orange, grapefruit rind aromas, lots of citrus and acid. Overall this has a thicker, heavier mouthfeel than the two previous vintages.
CF: I get a lot of honey in the nose. We found that the first wines were pretty lean, more Chablis than Meursault. Here we started lees stirring weekly; that's where some of that middle comes from.
Toil Oregon 2019 Chardonnay — Bright gold, this is a sassy, sharp, tongue-tickling wine. Though aged just 10 months in one new oak barrel, the rest in a neutral puncheon, that turns out to be just right. The puncheon softens the edges while the barrel adds pretty highlights of toasted cashews. The fruit flavors of nectarine, apple and green pineapple are beautifully framed and hold firm through the finish.
PG: Quite tart, juicy, lemon, grapefruit with citrus rind phenolics. Young!
CF: Similar mid-palate to the '18. That lees stirring really makes a difference.
Toil Oregon Pinot Noir 2012 - 2019
Toil Oregon 2012 Pinot Noir — This first release sourced grapes from the Ribbon Ridge and Schindler vineyards. Dense with an exotic weave of aromatics, it has the irresistible appeal of the 2012 vintage. Mulberry, plum, cinnamon and a dash of truffle salt all combine in a plush, generous, well-integrated wine, with a rich, textural mouthfeel.
PG: Strawberries, pastry fruit flavors, still has a little peppery character. Maybe the acids are starting to take over. Drink up or wait and see?
CF: A perfect vintage to start. Still one of my favorites. I'm thinking this Pinot thing's not so hard! Then '13 came along and I didn't release it. I love pepper in Pinot. I think this wine is now in its best spot.
Toil Oregon 2013 Pinot Noir — never released
CF: I didn't bottle this wine. I hadn't yet picked anything and it rained like eight inches. We picked after that and the wine suffered. I have a couple of cases and it's not terrible; just a simple sipper.
Toil Oregon 2014 Pinot Noir — This svelte, generous wine has some baby fat from barrel aging in 30% new French oak. Cherry, cola and toasty oak flavors come together with a touch of underbrush. Drink it 2020 to 2026.
PG: Tasted after some years in the bottle this now shows the drying effect of brett. I did not detect any brett when it was first released, but here there is definitely a leathery scent and flavor, enough to dry out the finish. Drink soon.
CF: If you could dial brett in perfectly... to me it's a spectrum but in small amounts when it's saddle leather it can be really pretty. Does it take away from terroir? No question.
Toil Oregon 2015 Pinot Noir — This drinks beautifully offering a big hit of citrus flesh and rind along with lovely raspberry and blueberry fruit. It’s forward, fresh, balanced tightly against its lush acidity, and is already just about irresistible.
PG: Beautiful aromatics in this vintage, the wine still tight, sharp and phenolic with some stem and seed flavors. The aromas promise a bit more than the palate delivers so I’d decant it aggressively. This was a warm year and the wines are coming into a nice drinking window.
CF: I honestly think that climate change is going to benefit the Willamette Valley by moving up harvest windows ahead of the inevitable fall rains.
Toil Oregon 2016 Pinot Noir — A plummy purple hue, lightly scented with toast, sandalwood and cedar. Silky smooth in the mouth, it's a bowl of ripe blueberries, done in an elegant, sexy style. It’s beautifully crafted and may be enjoyed over the next 5 - 8 years.
PG: Across the board the 2016 Pinots are my favorites of the past decade in Oregon. Still compact, with pine needle flavors around cranberry fruit. The oaky toast has popped up with a vein of caramel running through the finish. Could easily go till 2030.
Toil Oregon 2017 Pinot Noir — Opens with an aromatic mix of fresh roses and milk chocolate, then places perfectly-ripened fruit into a broad palate with a pleasing dusty character. Berries, cherries and highlights of ground coffee linger through a silky finish.
PG: Brett shows in the nose, but here it's an asset because it's light and elegant.
CF: The lightest vintage. It's bright but lacks the density of the others.
Toil Oregon 2018 Pinot Noir — This shows a strong streak of citrus along with juicy blueberry and blueberry pie fruit flavors. There's a light vein of tanned leather and a finish with lemon verbena and herbal tea highlights.
PG: Aromatic with strawberries and leather. Again I find brett here and stiff phenolics. This has more muscle and stuffing than the 2017 but to me it’s less interesting.
CF: I love the '18s. This is one of my favorite vintages, like the '12s.
Toil Oregon 2019 Pinot Noir — This opens with strawberry, raspberry and cranberry fruit, along with a whiff of smoke. It’s well set up with ample acidity, and aging in one third new French oak.
PG: This is the current release. Despite the 14.1% abv it has a certain lightness to it, along with flavors of rhubarb and berry, sharp acids and phenolics. With breathing it opens up and adds nice cinnamon spice. Very clean, good acid/fruit balance.
In conclusion I asked Chris if he’d made Toil wines in 2020, a notoriously difficult year due to wildfires. "Yes we did" he confirmed, "about 800 cases of Pinot Noir and 150 of Chardonnay, plus another 450 cases of 2021 Rosé." The planned release date for these wines is March 8th. Prices remain quite moderate by current Willamette Valley standards.
