Vineyard Profile: Bishop Creek Farms
Bishop Creek Cellars
700 E. First Street, #200
Newber, OR 97132
Phone: #503-476-8686 or #503-226-9797
Fax: #503-476-8688 or #503-226-9799
From the standpoint of its layout, the Bishop Creek vineyard is a little quirky. But the fruit it grows is something really special. The Bishop Creek has its own unique signature – it’s dark in color and has healthy tannins, but it’s never “monolithic.” The best wines from the vineyard have layers of flavor, with darker fruit tones and spice elements often complementing each other. Wines from this area feature dark color and concentrated color tones.
Website: http://www.bishopcreekcellars.com/ or http://www.urbanwineworks.com/
Acreage planted:
Bishop Creek Farms is about 80 acres total. However, only 12 acres are planted to grapes, while the rest function as pasture and wildlife habitat. Within these 12 acres, there are 7 distinctive microsites, each with their own soil and aspect. 14 separate planting blocks have been tailored to take advantage of each microsite.
Varieties planted:
Bishop Creek specializes in Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris and is in the Yamhill-Carlton District American Viticultural Area.
Elevation, exposure and soil characteristics of vineyard:
Bishop Creek is on the Willakenzie soil series. Formed in the Eocene era, these soils are derived from marine sediments and ocean floor volcanic basalt. The sedimentary soils of the Yamhill-Carlton District viticultural area are millions of years older than the soils in the surrounding areas. Bishop Creek sits on an isolated, south facing spur jutting out from the foothills of the Coast range. Sheltered by the mountains behind it, Bishop Creek has a cooler, drier microclimate than other vineyards in the area. The result is delayed ripening, more intense flavors, and better retention of natural acidity.
Viticultural philosophies and practices:
Bishop Creek has received Certified Sustainable accreditation from LIVE (Low Input Viticulture and Enology) and Salmon Safe. We use no herbicides or insecticides in the vineyard, and our approach to fruit health depends more on careful cultivation practices than on spraying. When we do spray, we use organically-approved mixtures of natural minerals. We time our soil tillage regime carefully to eliminate erosion and have created wide buffer zones around nearby streams and wetlands.
