Bryn Mawr: Vineyards on a "High Hill"

Hailing from small lots planted on rocky, volcanic terrain at high elevation, the wind-blown vineyards of Bryn Mawr produce energetic wines. Appropriately, Bryn Mawr is Welsh for "high hill". Winemaker Rachel Rose leads both the vineyard and the winemaking program with the aim of integrating the natural world and its effects into her wines. These wines salute approximately the one-decade mark since Jon and Kathy Lauer purchased the 26-acre estate.

Red
91
Bryn Mawr 2018 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 14.1% $28
Pleasantly ripe with vinous, black cherry fruit, suave tannin and elegantly acidity, this is a harmonious - if rather straightforward - wine. It ticks all the boxes of the classic Willamette Valley Pinot Noir; it has a playful, gluggable character and well-defined Pinot Noir character. Clean and beguiling, it is very drinkable now. It's moderate finish and mild concentration suggest this is best enjoyed early on, even if it may hold to the mid-term. 1,900 cases made.
Drink: 2021-23

Whites
91
Bryn Mawr 2018 Chardonnay Eola-Amity Hills 12.6% $25
I don't use score bands or +/- or ? in my scores. Every wine I score is a reflection of that wine's place in time. This, however, is a wine for which I really wanted to put a "?" behind the score. 

My score here is based on my Day 2 tasting. On Day 1, I was ready to throw this out. It tasted like pickles. I can appreciate low alcohol, reductive winemaking, and I chow down pickles like a champ. But, this Day 1 tasting was a strange experience. 

On Day 2, I was grateful that I had saved the wine. It is firm, chiseled, mineral and - though I probably shouldn't compare any wine to another region - almost Chablis like. I LOVED the wine on Day 2. I hope the odd Day 1 was a one-off. 

Very saline with Saltine notes on the nose, this wine has an oyster shell edge, too. The palate feels a bit plush, even if the light flavors lean more brisk and herbal: grapefruit, pomelo peel, dill and bay leaf add complexity to the mix. The racy acidity is almost challengingly pungent but provides good, zingy refreshment on the medium finish. It's definitely a wine for the "acid heads". Most importantly, it shows entirely differently than it did yesterday. Only 325 cases made.
Drink: 2021-24 

89
Bryn Mawr Vineyards 2019 Riesling Estate Eola-Amity Hills 11.8% $25
Liberally scented on the nose with delicate notes of white peach, tree flowers and jasmine, this vinous, barely off-dry wine is dazzling in its youthful vibrancy and perfectionistic balance. The palate tingles with such vibrancy that the wine seems to finish dry - yet not drying - and definitely moreish. The moderate to medium finish suggests this wine is best now to the mid-term. But with only 130 cases made, it may sell out soon. Make haste!
Drink: 2021-23