The 2009 Pinot Noir Summum Seven Springs Vineyard was raised in 40% new oak but was otherwise treated the same as its siblings except for the choice of vineyard parcels and clones. It offers up greater aromatic complexity, displays a superb combination of elegance and power, and a lengthy, pure finish. It is one of the stars of the vintage.Evening Land Vineyards is a group headed by movie magnate Mark Tarlov that also owns Pinot vineyards in the Sonoma Coast and Santa Rita Hills and is making wines in Burgundy. They gained control of one of the Willamette Valley’s prized properties, Seven Springs Vineyard, and created an immediate sensation by signing on Dominique Lafon of Comte Lafon in Burgundy as consulting winemaker. The Evening Land group is also making a major effort to restore the health and vitality of Seven Springs. The most recent development is the addition of renowned Master Sommelier Larry Stone as President and GM of the group in August 2010.Tel. (503) 395-2520; www.eveninglandvineyards.com

There are only 65 cases of the 2007 Pinot Noir Summum Seven Springs Vineyard. Similar to the La Source bottling but more backward and tightly wound, this richly fruited effort delivers no more pleasure than its sibling; whether it will ultimately justify the lofty price remains to be seen.Evening Land Vineyards is a group headed by movie magnate Mark Tarlov that also owns Pinot vineyards in the Sonoma Coast and Santa Rita Hills. They gained control of one of the Willamette Valley’s prized properties, Seven Springs Vineyard, and created an immediate sensation by signing on Dominique Lafon of Comte Lafon in Burgundy as consulting winemaker. The good news is that the Evening Land group is making a major effort to restore the health and vitality of Seven Springs; the bad news is that several wineries that made terrific wine from Seven Springs fruit will no longer have access. 2007 was a superb year for Willamette Valley white wines because of the vibrant natural acidity provided by the cool vintage conditionswww.eveninglandsvineyards.com