Notes:
We were very excited about this wine, buying it on a Saturday evening spent alone-together out in nature (thus we didn't bring a pen/paper to take more extensive notes). What impressed us and has become increasingly more important is that this winery claims to "practice holistic farming, employing practices from both organic and Biodynamic agriculture."
At popping the nose and first sips did not disappoint, but did not taste at all like a classic Pinot Noir, rather more like a fruity Merlot. We thought it would get better, but it never did. It wasn't terrible but did have that unmistakable essence of cheap wine. The overall experience was, well, rather fake. Sweet and fruity, jammy even, with no earthy, green, or dirty-sock aspects that one expects in a Pinot Noir. Some nice grapefruit, but otherwise like a simple, run-of-the-mill Merlot.
(Click here for an explanation of our ratings ...)
Our Rating: 75
Would we drink it again? 
Nope. It wasn't all that enjoyable, ultimately, and even if you brought one to our house we would ask "Did you bring anything else?"
Would we buy it again?
Nope. A very poor value. Sorry Maysara, but this one misses big time. Pazzzz!
Winemaker's notes
Refreshingly vibrant and fruit-forward, Maysara Jamsheed Pinot Noir packs dark cherry and cassis flavors with touches of rose petal and spice. Supported by fine-grained tannin and lively acidity, this Oregon Pinot finishes with touches of mineral and earth.
In 1997, Moe and Flora Momtazi purchased 532 acres of abandoned wheat farm just south of their home in McMinnville, Oregon. Though most saw it as wild and uncared for, Moe saw a vital, thriving piece of land that had been free from chemicals for seven years.
The first year was spent mainly on infrastructure and land reclamation. Though the use of chemicals would have made the process much quicker and more economical, not a single one has been or will be used. Instead, the ground was turned over many times during that first summer to eliminate unwanted plants and weeds and return it to a usable state.
We began planting in March of 1998 with three blocks of self rooted Pommard clone Pinot Noir, consisting of 13 acres total. In early spring of 1999, over 120,000 plants were grafted in our own greenhouses. These vines were planted towards the end of the summer. We put quite a bit of time and research into planting different varieties in the different soil types found around the vineyard to find the best combinations possible. Today we have over 200 acres of vines planted.
In 2001 an 8-acre reservoir, the first and largest of two on the property, was completed. Fed by natural springs and run-off, they are a source of irrigation water and a new home for some rainbow trout. Rainbow trout require the purest water, and since the reservoirs sit at the lowest points on the property, we consider their thriving population a testament to our farming methods. The original 13 acres produced fruit the same year, making 2001 our first vintage.
From the beginning we felt the location had promise, and this was confirmed by our 2001 vintage. Our unique niche in the foothills of Oregon’s Coastal Range separates us from valley weather influences. This microclimate provides slightly warmer days and much cooler nights with less rain. The property has highly diversified soil types consisting primarily of Nekia and Yamhill Series, laced with veins of Peavine and Jory. By training and pruning our vines to produce between 1.5 to 2 tons per acre, we believe we are getting the best fruit possible from this unique spot.
Both the vineyard and terroir are important, but vineyard practices are key. We believe that ninety percent of winemaking takes place in the vineyards. As such, we have held ourselves to a strict form of land use. Unlike conventional farming, we do not mine the land, but nurture it and reap the rewards. There is a complete absence of chemical use throughout the property. Instead we grow a variety of plants and herbs that we make into compost teas to harness their beneficial properties. It is essentially a “from nature to nature” philosophy. As such, compost and Biodynamic preparations are extremely important to our vineyards. We have multiple compost piles at all times, and as they mature, the resulting humus is worked into our vineyards and potential vineyard sites throughout the farm. It is our goal to achieve long-term earth and vine health.
We believe that healthy soil and healthy vines will produce superior grapes, without the need for man-made chemicals and poisons. Our quality shows in the dedication of our grape buyers year after year, and the wines that they produce with Momtazi grapes, which are often their best of the vintage. The consistent high quality of the wines made from Momtazi Vineyard grapes leads us to believe that our dedication to the terroir and our natural farming techniques is working.
About the Willamette Region
Natural boundaries and the Willamette River create the 100-mile long, 60-mile wide Willamette Valley, home to more than 300 Oregon wineries and many wine shops. Coolest of Oregon's wine regions, this elongated, "V"-shaped Valley is bordered to the north by the Columbia River, to the south by the Calapooya Mountains (south of Eugene), to the east by the Cascade Mountain foothills, and to the west by Oregon's Coast Range.
Considered to be a cool, marginal wine-growing region, the Willamette Valley's climate is suited to a narrower range of wine grape varieties than many other American wine regions. Its average temperatures are cooler than 75% of Washington's wine growing areas... not surprisingly, since almost all Oregon wineries are located to the west -- the "wet side" -- of the Cascade Mountains, while most Washington wineries are located to the east of the range. The Valley's climate is particularly well matched to the early-ripening Pinot noir grape, for which Oregon wineries in the region are strongly identified.
When the Willamette Valley AVA was first authorized 1984, its geographic description included some 3.3 million acres! Twenty years later, winemakers and wine growers succeeded in submitting applications for approval of six sub-regions within the Willamette Valley, to better describe micro climates proven over the years to be distinctly suited for the growing of wine grapes. McMinnville Foothills, Dundee Hills, Ribbon Ridge, the Yamhill-Carlton District, Eola-Amity Hills District and the Chehalem Mountains were all authorized as official American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in 2005 and 2006.
Most of the wine grapes grown in the Willamette Valley come from vineyards located on bench-land hillsides in the western portion of the Valley. To its north, the Willamette Valley includes Oregon's largest city, the beautiful Portland, Oregon, providing travelers a wide variety of amenities while visiting this beautiful wine country and the many local Oregon wineries.
