Tag Archives: oregon

Domaine Drouhin Pin ot Noir 2018, Dundee Hills, Oregon

02 Monday Aug 2021

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Virtual tasting #20 started off on a high gear with the Reserve Pinot Gris, only to have it overshadowed by this stunner.  Once people started sniffing all I could hear were Oooh, Aaah…  On the nose the group noted aromas of licorice, forest floor, pepper, white chocolate, cardamom, black cherry, raspberry and rosewater.  How’s that for complexity?

The palate was absolutely delicious- I was so excited to drink this wine.  Super smooth with silky tannins and gentle acidity- we got flavors of raspberry, black cherry, Rooibos tea but it lost the pepper component.  The depth of this wine was beguiling.  On our tasting sheet I gave it a near perfect 19/20.  Technically speaking, this $35 wine gets 93 points and 5 stars from me.  You could cellar some, but why wait?  Damn that was good.  Might end up on the best-of list.  Salut….

 

Chris Baker Yamhill-Carlton Pinot Noir 2019, Willamette Valley, Oregon

27 Tuesday Jul 2021

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This Pinot is pretty opaque for the varietal.  A lovely shade of ruby with watery legs that give clue to the low 13% ABV.  On the nose I get spice box, red cherry, pomegranate and cranberry.  On the palate this wine is a touch tart and lacks any discernible tannins- not that I am complaining.  I like Pinot with a touch of sourness and no dryness, makes for a crisp mouthfeel.  The red fruit flavors are quite pronounced and balanced but I also get blueberry on the mid palate.  I like the weight but the finish is a touch short.  This bottle has what I really like in Pinot Noir- elegance and lightness with freshness and not too much oak influence.  It is seductive and lithe, maybe not very complex but it delivers lots of fruit flavors.  I would drink this one till 2025, perhaps pairing with Duck or Strip steak.  89 points from me and at $20 it’s a good deal that gets 4 stars.  Salut….

Scott Kelley Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2019, Oregon

12 Wednesday May 2021

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This Oregonian Pinot is see-through and medium ruby. The nose is quite intense with red cherry and strawberry. Cloves also come to mind but I can smell a whiff of the 13.5% alcohol. The palate is rounded and gives me ripe, squishy strawberry and some spice box alongside the cherry and now raspberry flavors. The wine is quite acidic and I get fine grained tannins on the mid palate. The red fruit theme continues to a mid length finish where the fruit overtakes any secondary flavors I previously got. It is New World with restraint in style, something I appreciate. The tannins really grip on the back end and the acidity does a nice job of balancing it out. Medium body and generally very pleasant- it gets 90 points from me and at $20 it’s worthy of 5 stars. Yummy stuff to drink till 2026. Salut….

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Van Duzer Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir 2016, Willamette Valley, Oregon

26 Monday Apr 2021

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Dark purple and more opaque than I was expecting for this Pinot Noir. The nose has extracted black cherry and spice box, quite interesting. I also get a hint of bergamot and some deft oak notes. On the palate it is very smooth and delicious. Rich cherry, strawberry extract, spices and cedar. The mid palate shows a little bit of sour cherry which leads into an acidic finish that is making my jaw water. I find it difficult to discern tannins in this varietal but I do get a hint of some well integrated ones. The finish is long in length and echoes that Cherry theme from the get-go. The acidity is very much in play on this wine keeping it fresh and delicious. I’m going with 91 points, with a drink-by 2027 window. For $60, it’s a bit pricy and gets 3 stars from me. Salut….

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Gypsy Dancer Estates Christine’s Cuvee Pinot Noir 2017, Willamette Valley, Oregon

06 Tuesday Apr 2021

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See-through and pale purple, this Pinot has a touch of murkiness to it. On the nose I get baker’s spice, dark cherry and pomegranate. The initial palate is rich and warm- cherry cobbler, fruitcake, clove and rooibos tea. It is extracted, but deftly so. The mid palate is where I start to get some really nice acidity that overlays the rich fruit with a juiciness. My jaw is starting to water as the wine gets to the finish. Lasting dark red fruits, spice, and a hint of lithe tannins take me to the medium length closure. I’m enjoying this wine a lot. It is a nice balance of New World fruit and winemaker restraint, producing a juicy yet medium bodied wine to enjoy till 2027. I am going with 92 points and for $45 it gets 5 stars. Salut….

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Aberrant Cellars LÜK Petite Sirah Crater View Vineyard 2017, Rogue Valley, Oregon

28 Sunday Mar 2021

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Really dark shade of purple in the glass and completely opaque. The nose is opulent with blackberry, graphite and violets. The palate is exactly what I was expecting and hoping for: rich black fruit, good structure, decent tannic grip and some zesty acidity. The black fruit theme continues on the midpalate where the tannins start to coat my gums. I also get some black tea and dark cherry. The finish is a rather dry affair with the tannins completely coating my mouth- forcing the acidity aside but still allowing black currants and tea flavors to shine through. The use of oak is evident but not overpowering. I picked this wine tonight to pair with some Argentinian sausages with chimichurri sauce. The tannins will complement the slightly fatty nature of the sausage without overcoming it. Other pairings would include a nice juicy sirloin, perhaps eggplant Parmesan. It gets 91 points for me with a drink window that is open till 2028. Rather pricy at $40, it gets 4 stars. Salut….

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Scott Kelley Tempranillo 2018, Oregon, USA

19 Friday Mar 2021

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This wine is a bright shade of purple and semi opaque. The nose offers up violets, Juniper bush and plum- very interesting mix. On the palate it has a really nice earthiness reminiscent of Rioja, with dust, bramble and black berries. Even the tannins are rustic. The mid palate turns a little more blue but the charm of the varietal sticks with the basics where I now get a hint of oak. The tannic structure is really nice and does well with the mild acidity. The finish is quite dry but the fruit hangs on for a while. It really is a yummy wine that will pair nicely with our shaved steak-stuffed yellow peppers with onion and Provolone. I don’t think I have had Tempranillo from Oregon before- it won’t be my last one. At 90 points this $17 wine gets 5 stars from me. Drink till 2025. Salut….

Patricia Green Cellars Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2018, Willamette Valley, Oregon

21 Sunday Feb 2021

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Next up at the virtual tasting #15 was this Pinot Noir from Oregon. Claret in color and 50% opaque, it was a little denser than most Pinots. The nose was lush with cherry, boysenberry, cedar, Cherry Coke, cotton candy, spice and fruitcake. On the palate it was a bit of a letdown. Chocolate, mulling spices, cherry and tons of cedar (overoaked?) were noted by the panel. There was a hint of greeness for me that cost a point or two. It seemed like the winemaker was trying too hard, extracting too much and missing the point of the svelte nature of this varietal. It’s about finesse for me, this was more of a young bull in the china shop that had austere edges to him. Good tannic structure was noted that led to a long finish with some astringency hanging on for quite a while. I will re-visit this one again, hoping it softens a touch and sheds its muscular grip. For now this $30 bottle gets 90 points and 3 stars from me. Drink till 2028. Salut….

Stangeland Pinot Noir Vermeer Vineyard 2018, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

19 Friday Feb 2021

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This Pinot shows a pale shade of purple in the glass and is totally see-through. The nose is bright and lively with red cherry notes, baking spices and orange peel. The palate is delicious with a hint of strawberry coulis alongside cherries jubilee and cranberries. It is a slightly tart affair but there lurks some very lithe tannins. The mid palate is very light weight with more red fruits and spices. The finish is long and very focused on cherry and cranberry- the tart kind. I can sense the astringency of the tannins long after the wine has subsided- a rare thing for me and Pinot Noir. That will bode this wine well in the cellar. I really like it for it’s delicacy, finesse and core of red fruit. It is going to pair nicely with my roast duck l’orange with sautéed leeks. 91 points from me make this $45 bottle a 4 star effort. Drink till 2028. Salut….

Stangeland Pinot Noir Bethany Heights Vineyard 2017, Eola-Amity Hills, Oregon

13 Saturday Feb 2021

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This wine is very see-through and has a pale purple hue but I am concerned with some effervescence in the glass and bottle. I’ll give it a try before passing judgement. The nose has cherry, mocha and red currant hints. On the palate it kicks off with a strange note of tart cherry and mushrooms. The acidity is bracing to say the least. There is a wave of tannins that hits me on the mid palate but I manage to sense red fruit and rooibos tea. The effervescence I noticed may be interfering with this wine’s flavors, hard to tell. The finish is quite dry and juicy, balanced between the tannic grip and the jaw drenching acidity. Think straight up cranberry juice mixed with sour cherry juice along with a mouthful of black tea in a pouch. I’m afraid I cannot pass judgement on this wine due to the potential flaw with secondary fermentation occurring. I paid $23 per bottle. Shame….