Antica Terra

WIllamette Valley, Oregon, United States

In Oregon’s Willamette Valley, Antica Terra crafts exceptional wines in the Eola-Amity Hills region, renowned for its unique rocks and soils that contribute to remarkable wines. Founded in 2005 by Scott Adelson, John Mavredakis, and Michael Kramer, the winery has flourished under winemaker Maggie Harrison, who came on board shortly after the vineyard’s purchase. The land tells its own fascinating story—the vineyard, established in 1989, lies on the site of a former ancient seabed, which inspired the name “Antica Terra” (Italian for “ancient earth”). This distinctive terrain imparts a special character to their wines, distinguishing Antica Terra from other wineries in the area.

The People Behind Antica Terra: Maggie Harrison

Maggie Harrison is the lead winemaker and co-founder of Antica Terra, a renowned winery in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. She has been at the helm of Antica Terra since 2006, bringing nearly two decades of experience to the winery. Prior to her role at Antica Terra, Harrison was an assistant winemaker at the iconic Sine Qua Non in California. Under Harrison’s leadership, Antica Terra has gained significant recognition:

1. The winery has become one of the most famous wine labels in Oregon.
2. Antica Terra’s wines have been name-checked by celebrities like LeBron James.
3. The winery has been featured in prestigious publications such as The New York Times Magazine and Air Mail.

Harrison’s winemaking philosophy is unique and innovative:

1. She employs a blind blending technique, tasting samples from hundreds of barrels to create the perfect balance of flavours.
2. Harrison works with both Oregon and California fruit across three different labels: Antica Terra, Lillian, and the Glories.
3. She focuses on creating small-batch wines that highlight Oregon’s best wine qualities.

The winery team also includes Chef Timothy Wastell, who has overseen Antica Terra’s food program since 2017. This emphasis on pairing food with wine is a significant part of the Antica Terra experience. In addition to their exceptional wines, Antica Terra also offers grower champagne, carefully selected to complement their curated food pairings, enhancing the overall tasting experience. Antica Terra’s approach to winemaking is centred on sustainability and biodynamic methods1. The team carefully sources grapes from specific areas in the Willamette Valley to create complex and detailed wines that truly represent the region’s unique terroir.

The Wine Philosophy of Antica Terra

Antica Terra employs a unique approach to viticulture and viniculture that emphasizes sustainability, terroir-driven practices, and meticulous attention to detail.

Viticulture

Antica Terra is a certified organic and biodynamic farm. They carefully select grapes from specific areas in the Willamette Valley to create wines that truly represent the region's unique terroir. The winery team monitors the vineyards closely throughout the year, from pruning to fertilization, adhering strictly to organic agricultural practices.

Key aspects of their viticulture include:

• Handpicking grapes between September and October
• Farming all vines with the intention of producing Pinot Noir, regardless of the final wine style
• Allowing grapes to ripen fully, ensuring they are flavorful and structurally symmetrical

Viniculture

Antica Terra's winemaking process is characterized by its attention to detail and innovative techniques:

• Fermentation: Grapes are sorted twice by hand into small, open-topped fermenters. They're allowed to reach ambient temperature and ferment using only the natural yeasts present in the vineyard and winery.
• Blind Blending: The winemaking team, led by Maggie Harrison, employs a unique blind blending technique. They taste samples from hundreds of barrels to create the perfect balance of flavours.
• Barrel Aging: Wines are aged in French oak for up to 36 months, contributing to their complexity.
• Rosé Production: For their rosé wines, Antica Terra uses an unconventional method inspired by Northern Italian macerated whites. The Pinot Noir is fermented on the skins for about a week before being transferred to barrels.
• Minimal Intervention: The winery focuses on small-batch production, allowing for intimate attention to each fermentation. Wines are often bottled without fining or filtration.
• Flexibility: Rather than adhering to strict rules, the winemaking process at Antica Terra is guided by sensory evaluation and the pursuit of beauty in each vintage.

This combination of meticulous vineyard practices and innovative winemaking techniques results in Antica Terra's distinctive, terroir-driven wines that have gained recognition in the wine world.

Critical Acclaim and Awards

Antica Terra's wines have been recognized for their quality and complexity by several prominent wine critics and publications:

• James Suckling: In 2021, James Suckling included Antica Terra's 2018 Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills Antikythera in his Top 100 Wines of the Year.
• James Suckling: In 2023, Antica Terra was among three Willamette Valley wineries to receive the rare and coveted 100-point score for their wines. Two of these perfect scores were awarded to Chardonnays, highlighting the winery's excellence in producing this varietal.
• JamesSuckling.com: The publication awarded Antica Terra's 2019 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Botanica the 32nd spot in their Top 100 Wines of the USA list.
• Decanter World Wine Awards: Antica Terra has been winning awards since at least 2012, demonstrating a consistent track record of quality wine production.

The critical acclaim and awards bestowed upon Antica Terra underscore its position as one of Oregon's most prestigious wineries. It is known for producing world-class Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that consistently rank among the best wines from the region and beyond.