NEWBERG, Ore. -- Wine Enthusiast gave Patricia Green Cellars 2016 Estate Vineyard Bonshaw Pinot Noir a perfect 100-point score.
Winemaker Jim Anderson had this reaction to the perfect score for the Newberg winery:
What this score hopefully, in my mind, represents is that Oregon has places that can produce “perfect” wines and people with the depth of experience to nurture the fruit those places produce into wines as good as any of those made anywhere in the world. Our vineyard is in an area called Ribbon Ridge. A block of our vineyard received the 100 point rating. This is a unique viticultural area. Our neighbors are making great wines as well. I hope the perfect score lends even more attention to this particular area, the Willamette Valley’s wines and Oregon overall.
We have been fortunate to be recognized by several publications with 94-96 point scores over the past 5 vintages. Of course we are proud of those wines and the praise put upon them. What I am most proud of and Patty would reiterate this were she still alive is that we are most proud that we were able to assemble a team over our time in business (since 2000) that was capable of supporting us and each other in ways that allowed for a wine of this nature to be produced.
Patricia Green passed away in November of 2017 after an accident in her rural cabin near Dillard. The news of her passing was reported world wide by wine industry media, including Wine Spectator.
Her longtime business partner James Anderson had this to say about the influence Patty continues to have on the winery and its wines, including the wine that just received the perfect score.
Patty was a unique person to work with. Not many people with their name on the bottle are able to work in the way that we did. She made wines. I made and continue to make wines. We were a team and that made for a situation that allowed our strengths to come to the forefront. I made the wine but it does not exist with out her, our vineyard manager and crew.