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PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Silice is Bergström's sandiest estate vineyard, and its Pinot Noir is one of the most distinctive in Oregon. The name is the French word for "silica," the shiny quartz found in sand. The 14-acre vineyard sits at about 400 feet in the Chehalem Mountains AVA, planted between 2001 and 2006 on deep marine sedimentary sands that run 15 to 20 feet down to compressed sandstone bedrock, with a sand content of roughly 70%. The winery notes these sands date back about 60 million years and likely formed a massive prehistoric dune or beach. Vines have to work hard to push roots through that sand in search of water and nutrients, and the site gets all-day sun and strong winds. Bergström describes the resulting Pinot Noirs as consistently the most fruit-forward and ripe-feeling of its vineyards, with "cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, pepper, nutmeg, sassafras, and cola in every sip." The vineyard has been farmed biodynamically and regeneratively since its inception.
The 2018 vintage has aged beautifully, and the winemaker's January 2025 notes capture where it is now: "enticingly spicy and complex," with "aromas of ripe strawberries, leather, chocolate cake, and stem spice, layered with notes of Grand Marnier, blackberry pie, and Oregon white truffle. A seamless interplay of sweet and savory emerges, with black pepper, cured meats, and an earthy complexity adding depth. Having evolved beautifully, the wine showcases ageworthy tannins and a delightfully long, lingering finish."
Critics were enthusiastic about this vintage. James Suckling scored it 94 Points, and Wine Spectator and Vinous each scored it 93. Wine Enthusiast also scored it 93, noting "scents of sweet baking spices and milk chocolate" with "ripe red-berry fruit along with drying minerals," flavors that "dive deeply down through the palate," and a "mineral-soaked finish" that "lingers in the throat a long time." The scores above are for the 2018 vintage of this wine. In the 1.5L magnum format, the larger bottle-to-air ratio is widely believed to help a wine age even more gracefully, and it makes a striking centerpiece for the table or the cellar.
Bergström 2018 Silice Vineyard Pinot Noir is produced by Bergström Wines from its estate Silice Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains AVA of Oregon's Willamette Valley. The 14-acre vineyard was planted between 2001 and 2006 at roughly 400 feet elevation on deep marine sedimentary sands over sandstone bedrock, and is farmed with biodynamic and regenerative practices.
Silice Pinot Noir is typically aged in 228-liter French oak barrels, with 10 to 15% new oak. The 2018 is bottled at 13.5% ABV, presented here in a 1500ml magnum.
James Suckling — 94 Points
Wine Spectator — 93 Points
Vinous — 93 Points
Wine Enthusiast — 93 Points (March 2021):
"Highlighted with scents of sweet baking spices and milk chocolate, this brings ripe red-berry fruit along with drying minerals. The flavors dive deeply down through the palate, and the mineral-soaked finish lingers in the throat a long time. Give this another year or two of bottle age for a better drinking window."
Bergström Wines (official winemaker's note, updated January 2025):
"Enticingly spicy and complex, this wine reveals aromas of ripe strawberries, leather, chocolate cake, and stem spice, layered with notes of Grand Marnier, blackberry pie, and Oregon white truffle. A seamless interplay of sweet and savory emerges, with black pepper, cured meats, and an earthy complexity adding depth. Having evolved beautifully, the wine showcases ageworthy tannins and a delightfully long, lingering finish."
Nose
Ripe strawberry, leather, chocolate cake, and stem spice lead, layered with Grand Marnier, blackberry pie, and Oregon white truffle.
Palate
A seamless interplay of sweet and savory, with black pepper, cured meat, and earthy complexity, framed by ageworthy tannin and drying minerality.
Finish
Long and lingering, mineral-soaked, with a bright core of fruit and spice.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Appellation | Chehalem Mountains AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon |
| Variety | 100% Pinot Noir |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Producer | Bergström Wines |
| Vineyard | Silice — 14 acres, ~400 ft elevation, planted 2001-2006 |
| Soils | Deep marine sedimentary sand (~70% sand) over sandstone bedrock |
| Farming | Biodynamic / regenerative since inception |
| Aging | 228L French oak, 10-15% new (typical) |
| ABV | 13.5% |
| Critics | James Suckling 94 · Wine Spectator 93 · Vinous 93 · Wine Enthusiast 93 |
| Style / Identity | A spicy, savory, ageworthy single-vineyard Oregon Pinot Noir with old-world character |
| Aromas & Flavors | Strawberry, leather, chocolate cake, Grand Marnier, black truffle, cured meat |
| Bottle Size | 1500ml (Magnum) |
Bottle Size: All bottles are 750ML/700ML unless otherwise noted.
21 and Over: Adult Signature Required
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