2018 NIPPLE HILL 94pt Pinot Noir 750 ml
2018 Nipple Hill Pinot Noir
The 2018 Nipple Hill is crafted in an old-world style using one-ton French oak barrels serving as our fermentation vessels specifically for this wine. Due to the close wood contact with the grapes, the wine develops slowly and evenly with significantly lower heat and a longer, gentler fermentation. This style of winemaking adds complexity of layered essence in the profiles ending with beautifully integrated flavors and tannins.
Bright and alluring, the nose features aromas of raspberries, rhubarb and black cherries with hints of violets, forest loam and bergamot. The approach is concentrated and layered with spice and fruit, with chocolate-textured tannins. While delicious and approachable now, Nipple Hill always elegant, ages gracefully with extra cellar time.
Kelly Kidneigh, Winemaker
Wine Enthusiast Winter Buying Guide 2026 | 93 Points
"The evocatively named Nipple Hill is a fine emissary from the Willamette Valley’s lovely 2018 vintage. The wine’s aromas are a sweet and herbal mix of Rainier cherries, vanilla, and the earthiness of oregano. With a silky texture, acidity that’s still crisp and velvety tannins, this wine is a joy to slip slowly, all by itself. That will make it easier to concentrate on these black-cherry, orange-pekoe-tea, and clove flavors. Now I need to figure out where Nipple Hill is located" - Michael Alberty
International Wine Report 2026 | 94 Points
"The 2018 Dukes Family Vineyard Nipple Hill Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity Hills displays a deep ruby core with garnet reflections at the rim. Following 18 months in 50% new French oak, this unfiltered bottling from 22-year-old vines opens with savory nuances of sun-dried thyme, violet flowers, and dusty tea leaves rather than simple fruit. The palate transitions into a velvety texture where flavors of alpine strawberry and cocoa nib are energized by a remarkably crisp acidity. Fine-grained, rustic tannins provide a sturdy architecture that ensures this elegant red will evolve gracefully over the next decade" - Jeremy Young
Paul Gregutt's Wine Guide | 94 Points
“It’s a tapestry of mixed berry, plum and cherry fruit dusted with baking spices... Exceptional balance and precision” - Paul Gregutt
