How Clone Diversity Shapes Pinot Noir at Knudsen Vineyards
At Knudsen Vineyards, our Pinot Noir reflects the unique blend of place, clone, and craft. Like Burgundy’s famed vineyards, our Dundee Hills site offers cool nights, moderate days, and varied soils that help produce focused, expressive fruit. With over 20 vineyard blocks on southeast-facing slopes between 500 and 1,000 feet, we showcase how Pinot responds to subtle environmental changes and distinct clones.
Each clone adds its own character—Pommard’s earthy depth, 115’s bright red fruit, 667’s spice, and 777’s dark berry richness. These choices let our winemaker shape each vintage like a work of art. Warmer years highlight some clones, cooler ones others. Some wines spotlight a single clone, while our signature Pinot blends them for complexity.
This clonal diversity gives our wines depth, balance, and a unique story in every glass.
Talking Blocks: Where Clones and Place Speak in Tandem
If clones are the vocabulary of Pinot Noir, then our Talking Blocks series is the conversation.
Each wine in the collection showcases a distinct dialogue between vineyard blocks—paired for their complementary character, clone composition, and elevation—brought to life by the terroir of the Dundee Hills. Whether it’s a harmonious blend of Pommard and 777 or a bold exploration into Chardonnay, these small-lot, block-specific bottlings reveal the subtle magic that happens when site, clone, and intention align.
Let’s meet the Pinot Noir blocks.
Talking Blocks — Backstory
Our past, always present
- Blocks: 6 & 7
- Elevation: 815-870ft (Block 6) and 810-850ft (Block 7)
- Clones: Equal parts Pommard (Block 6) and Dijon 777 (Block 7)
- Planted: 2007
- Spacing: 5×5 ft
- Soil: Classic Jory volcanic red clay
- Barrel: New French Oak 33%
- Tasting Notes: A playful core of pomegranate and strawberry with a nod to Bubblicious, unfolding into velvety textures and a cola-like richness. Subtle aromas give way to a surprising depth on the palate, where cocoa powder and cinnamon spice weave through a balanced mouthfeel and structured finish.
- Story: Planted on higher-elevation slopes, nestled side by side, these blocks share a common border and something quite uncommon—50 years of family ownership and a history of progressive Oregon viticulture. Backstory pays tribute to the Knudsen Vineyards history with this silky, elegant Pinot Noir born of Pommard and 777 French Dijon Clones.
Talking Blocks — Snapshot
Time and place in a bottle
- Blocks: 12 & 13
- Elevation: 740-825ft (Block 12) and 700-775ft (Block 13)
- Clones: Equal parts 828 (Block 12) and 667 (Block 13)
- Planted: 2012
- Spacing: 5×5 ft
- Soil: Classic Jory volcanic red clay
- Barrel: New French Oak 30%
- Tasting Notes: Opens with deep aromas of plum, black currant, and stewed currants, layered with dark chocolate, leather, and a hint of black pepper. The palate is richly textured, framed by barrel spice and smooth vanilla, offering a darker, more brooding expression of Dundee Hills fruit with impressive depth and complexity.
- Story: A vivid portrait of the 2012-era planting expansion—these mid-slope blocks balance youthful energy with structure, showcasing how two bold clones (828 and 667) speak with clarity and confidence. As the name suggests, this 2-block blend of Pinot Noir is a small bottling representing just 8 barrels.
Talking Blocks — Throughline
Crafted with a common thread
- Blocks: 15 & 17
- Elevation: Mid-slope 680-770ft (Block 15) and 590-705ft(Block 17)
- Clones: Equal parts 667 (Block 15) and 115 (Block 17)
- Planted: 2001 & 2000
- Spacing: 5×5 ft (Block 15) and 5×3.3 ft (Block 17)
- Soil: Classic Jory volcanic red clay
- Barrel:New French Oak 40%
- Tasting Notes: This Dundee Hills estate Pinot Noir is bold and expressive, with notes of black pepper, fig, blueberry, and meaty undertones layered over dusty earth and rose petal. On the palate, black raspberry, coffee, and pipe tobacco emerge, supported by hefty tannins and gripping acidity that give the wine a firm, age-worthy structure and savory complexity.
- Story: These neighboring blocks are close in age but contrasting in tone—667 brings richness and structure; 115 offers brightness and elegance. Together, they create a seamless, story-driven Pinot Noir with harmony at its core.
Talking Blocks — Parallels
A tale told in tandem
- Blocks: 9 & 17
- Elevation: Southeast-facing slopes 755-840ft (Block 9), 590-705ft (Block 17)
- Clones: Equal parts 777 (Block 9) and 115 (Block 17)
- Planted: 2008 (Block 9), 2000 (Block 17)
- Spacing: 5×5 ft (Block 9) and 5×3.3 ft (Block 17)
- Soil: Classic Jory volcanic red clay
- Barrel: New French Oak 33%
- Tasting Notes: Vibrant bouquet of red licorice, cinnamon bear, crab apple, and cherry cola. The palate is silky and elegant, with notes of cranberry and red currant balanced by subtle acidity and gripping tannins. A touch of toasty oak lingers on the finish.
- Story: Though they share exposure and soil, these blocks are distinctly different. Their union reveals contrasts in vine age, clone personality, and vineyard history—all culminating in a wine that’s more than the sum of its parts.
How Talking Blocks Change the Conversation Every Year
Every Talking Blocks wine is a chapter in an ongoing story—shaped by the year’s climate, the personality of the clones, and the individuality of each block.
Curious how weather and growing conditions impact each vintage? Check out our Vintage Summaries: A Decade of Oregon Expression to see how every year leaves its mark on flavor and character.
We invite you to explore these stories and discover how clone, place, and climate come together to create the unique expression of each vintage. Follow along with our blogs to taste the evolving dialogue between vineyard and vintage—and experience what makes Knudsen Pinot Noir truly distinctive.
Here, every block has a voice, and every year adds a new layer to the story. Explore the Talking Blocks collection and discover which conversations speak most to you.
