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….

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….

This Oregonian Pinot Noir is pale purple and see-through in the glass, as expected. On the nose I get a dose of cherry, some straw and strawberry. The palate is a touch spicy- ginger perhaps? The cherry flavors are very prominent but I also get red currants. The mid palate brings a shot of acidity that is really nice, not overpowering. The spice factor is no longer there, just red cherries and rhubarb. The finish is a juicy affair with the acidity really taking off. It’s not overpowering, but there’s a definite cut. The ending takes me back to the spice box- cinnamon and clove. Really tasty and still very young, it will drink well till 2025. 90 points from me for this $30 wine that gets 3 stars. I paired it with Turkey and stuffing! Salut….

This Oregonian Pinot is quite dark and nearly opaque, very extracted and brooding.  On the nose I get cinnamon, cherry and black currants.  It’s an interesting mix for this varietal.  The initial palate is telling- very fruity with tannic grip right off the bat.  This is not your typical Old World Pinot folks, it’s full throttle with all the bits and pieces.  Cherry cola, sassafras and a hint of oak are all present.  The mid palate is a continuation of the theme but there is now a hint of acidity showing up.  It’s quite nice if you like this style of Pinot.  The finish is a dry affair, tannins and black tea alongside the red fruits and spice.  It’s not my cup of tea but it will certainly appeal to many.  Technically speaking I would give this $23 wine 90 points and 4 stars.  Drink till 2027 with lighter fare.  Salut….

This was the star of the 4th Virtual Wine Tasting.  I would normally taste a Pinot Noir right after the whites/Rosès and well before a hearty Merlot- but this wine was the ringer.  I knew it would be the overall favorite so I wanted it to come last and stand on it’s own merits.  It was stunning.  It showed very nicely in the glass, see through with medium shades of purple.  On the nose I immediately got the telltale cherry.  Others noted cinnamon, chocolate and strawberry.  It was not heavily tilted on any one component, rather a very nice melangè of all the smells.  On the palate it showed off black cherry, spice box, cedar in the form of cigar box.  Fine grained tannins and a very balanced acidity made this wine very balanced and gave it a nice crisp mouthfeel.  Many in the group did not like some of the tannic wines- this one was right up their alley.  Pinot, being such a delicate and light grape is difficult to grow and make into a balanced and delicious offering- once again this winery has done it very nicely.  This cuvee is their lower priced offering that hits on all cylinders.   I am going with 91 points and 5 stars for this $45 beaut.  Drink till 2028 with lighter fare.  Salut….