Chris Mazepink has deep roots in wine, having been head winemaker at such esteemed Oregon wineries as Archery Summit, Shea Wine Cellars and Benton Lane. There was a long period in Chris’ career where his winemaking efforts were influenced more by a targeted house style of wine rather than a pure expression of terroir. White Walnut Estate is Chris’ departure from these set winemaking parameters and into an authentic exploration of site that is instead focused on the attentive farming of a remarkable estate vineyard and farm.

For Chris, the most honest form of winemaking is to be a conduit of the energies present in the vineyard. This is reflected in his choice of diverse clonal selections, biodynamic and organic viticulture, and even the choice of fermentation vessels: Concrete tanks from Italy, Terracotta Amphora from Tuscany and Wooden tanks from Burgundy. These old world fermentation vessels themselves are forces of life, constructed by artisans utilizing natural materials and ancient technologies. The wines of White Walnut Estate are hence a unique fingerprint of place, and Chris’ winegrowing and winemaking decisions are made solely around the path of least resistance in letting this story be told through the bottle.

The identity of this place is already written—— it’s never going to be about me asserting that we are going to produce a 777 bottling of pinot noir one year, a pommard bottling of pinot noir the next— the blends were done when we planted these fields in the way that we did. The chorus of dozens of selections/clones all being grown together in harmony, harvested together and fermented together, is only further enhanced with the inclusion of whole cluster fermentations, native yeasts, and fermenters made of wood, concrete and terracotta. This is White Walnut Estate.

Polyculture >