Focusing on biodynamic wine making practices in the Willamette Valley, husband and wife team, Patrick Reuter and Leigh Bartholomew, studied vineyard and winemaking practices at University of California Davis before traveling the wine world to develop their knowledge, experience, and techniques.

After settling in the Willamette Valley and working for wineries in the region, they decided to start their own house, Dominio IV, and to focus on growing and making wines of Tempranillo, Viognier, and Pinot Noir. They grow their own grapes and source some of their supply from quality vineyards from outside the Willamette Valley.

Dominio IV 2008 Pinot Noir “Pondering Ptolemy”

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Dominio IV’s 2008 Pinot Noir brings together flavors of mountain berries with hints of red chalk and cinnamon, touches of cola, and fresh herbs. The flavors here start focused and open to earthier, richer elements. The fruit turns into a richer jam with clove and all spice alongside a pleasing tartness.

This wine wants either time in the bottle, or time in the glass. Let it have some air if you open it now so that it can show its richness, and ground more into its flavors.

These grapes are gathered from organic and biodynamic vineyards in the second half of October, then fermented in stainless steel after a 3-5 day cold soak. The wine is then aged in French oak barrels from a mix of ages to strike the perfect oak influence balance on the final blend.

Dominio IV 2006 Syrah “Song of an Uncaged Bird”

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The 2006 Syrah offers both black and red berries with brown sugar, mixed pepper and light vanilla. It is pleasantly drying, with mouthwatering acidity to balance. There is a lovely spice medium-long finish here as well.

This wine wants stew, and would do well with several years in the bottle as well. (I love stew.)

These grapes grow in organic and biodynamic vineyards on the Three Slopes section of the Columbia Gorge portion of the Dominio IV Estate. The fruit is then fermented in stainless steel, and aged for 15 months in French oak barrels, 4 months in stainless steel tanks, and finally in bottle for another 4 months.

Dominio IV 2009 Tempranillo/Syrah “Technicolor Bat”

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The “Technicolor Bat” brings together Tempranillo with Syrah to varying proportions depending on the ripeness of the vintage. The 2009 offers blue and black fruit with dark brown sugar (aiming towards molasses), mixed pepper, spice, and dried herbs. The wine offers a rich texture, drying mouth feel, and a fullness of body with balance. This is a nicely executed blend that is both fresh and clean on the nose and palate.

I want this wine with baked beans. Mmm… baked beans are gooooddd.

The grapes of Technicolor Bat are Demeter Biodynamic certified, fermented in stainless steel and aged 18 months in a mix of French and American oak barrels, 4 months in stainless steel tank, and at least 8 months in bottle.

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Patrick Reuter, co-owner of Dominio IV, likes to illustrate his tasting notes for their wines as well! He was kind enough to share these over-time illustrations with me, and he’s snuck a couple of them onto the winery website as well. Keep an eye out for them there!

Cheers!

Thank you to Dominio IV, Patrick Reuter and Seth Long for sending these samples.

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