February 27, 2012
Brooks featured in Palate Magazine

Written by Cole Danehower January/February 2012

The story of Brooks winery is one of the most poignant—and ultimately uplifting—in the Northwest. Just before harvest in 2004 the popular upcoming young winemaker and owner, Jimi Brooks, suddenly died at age 38. It was tragic, yet his friends in the industry, including many legendary Oregon winemakers, stepped up and contributed their time and effort to harvest Jimi's contracted fruit (from 11 different vineyards), make his final vintage, and keep the winery open. Jimi's sister, Janie Brooks Heuck, took over managemnet of the winery and Jimi's son, Pascal Brooks, became the world's youngest winery owner.

A heartwarming story, true, but if Brooks didn't make superb wines it would just be another story. Today Brooks has a full-time winemaker in Chris Williams, a new winery in the Eola Hills, a biodynamically-farmed estate vineyard with 35-plue-year-old vines, and an ongoing reputation for crafting superb Pinot Noir and leading Riesling wines that remain a tribute to the winery's founder. I am embarrassed that I did not include them in the first edition of my book.

Brooks has always been a leader in Northwest Riesling. Their Ara Riesling is a blend of older area vines and offers rich dried apricot, minerals, white peach and lots of punch—one of the reference points for Northwest Riesling. The Willamette Valley Riesling is a bright, crisp, white peach and pear-nuanced wine that showcases the grape's elegance and vibrancy. Sweet P is the winery's "medium sweet" Riesling, with a creamy palate and sweet grass and spring blossom qualities; Tethys is made from frozen withered grapes for an intense, honeyed, late harvest version of Riesling.

The Brooks Rastaban Pinot Noir is a small-production barrel selection of estate-grown fruit that typically shows depth and power in good balance, with freshness of berry flavors and tight tannins—a good cellar candidate. More immediately accessible is the Janus Pinot Noir, a juicy wine with raspberry and blackberry notes combined with smoke and spice. The Willamette Valley blend is prototypical Oregon Pinot, with black cherry and raspberry character.

Brooks winery is no mere monument to its founder, nor does it seek to trade on the power of its story (indeed, most fans of Brooks wines are unaware of its history). Instead, Janie, Chris and Pascal have continued to employ the principals upon which Jimi founded Brooks winery (organic and biodynamic farming, promoting the potential of Pinot and Rieling, and a focus on non-interventionist winemaking), and have successfully grown the quality of Brooks wines, putting them in the top ranks of Northwest producers.