Minimal intervention is no longer a radical concept — at least not among the kind of American producers that we feature in this newsletter. Thank goodness for that, though we should bear in mind that over 90% of today’s American wines continue to be made in what are essentially factories. 

With that aside, let’s introduce a new champion of minimal intervention wines from Oregon:  Hundred Suns, founded by former Beaux Frères winemaker Grant Coulter. Coulter makes wines that feel alive, precise, and true to their vineyard origins — Pinot Noirs that reflect Oregon’s patchwork of volcanic hills, ancient marine sediments, and wind-swept ridges.

This release gives us a rare chance to taste those differences across the Willamette Valley’s key AVAs. The Dundee Hills’ Carson Phillips Vineyard brings perfume and red fruit from its volcanic soils. The Sequitur Vineyard in Ribbon Ridge offers darker fruit and brooding spice — the legacy of vines planted by Mike Etzel of Beaux Frères. And the Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir shows the structure and savory lift that this wind-exposed region is known for. Together, they form a vivid portrait of Willamette terroir.

Hundred Suns also bottles two “Old Eight Cut” wines — a Pinot Noir and a Chardonnay — that blend fruit across sites to capture the house style at a more approachable price. The Pinot is a perfect entry point. But the surprise may be the Chardonnay. Once Oregon’s afterthought, Chardonnay now routinely rivals Pinot for quality — and in the case of Hundred Suns, often surpasses it. 

Minimal intervention may no longer be radical, but in the hands of Hundred Suns, it’s elevated. These wines are neither throwbacks nor novelties; they’re benchmarks — pure, balanced, and expressive of place. They show us that Oregon has geographic diversity of its own, and that it’s time to start exploring: 

Hundred Suns Willamette Valley Chardonnay Old Eight Cut 2023 - $34.99

Hundred Suns Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Old Eight Cut 2023 - $34.99