Wine By Joe Oregon Pinot Noir 2015
For those looking for an excellent value Pinot Noir from Oregon (and trust me, they’re hard to find) Wine by Joe offers quality for the price. The nose unfurls with classic aromas of black cherry, macerated strawberries, cola and a touch of underbrush. In the mouth, a softly-fruited core is bolstered by thoughtfully balanced acidity […]
Figgins Walla Walla Valley Estate Red 2014
Ever since I tasted the 2010 Figgins Estate Red, a remarkable and flawless vintage, I’ve come to prefer it over Leonetti, but both are crafted by Chris Figgins. For me these wines are poised, showing more restraint and complexity than I find in most Walla Walla Valley reds. The 2014 is lavishly trimmed in red […]
Locations WA-4 NV
Winemaker Dave Phinney has captured the spirit of Washington State Syrah, accented by Merlot, and Petit Sirah. His latest Locations WA-4 is rife with sumptuous blueberries, blackberries, cassis, vanilla, incense; it’s medium-bodied in the mouth with a core of sweet, juicy fruit nicely counterbalanced and bound by acidity and powdery tannins. A finish of bay […]
Otis Kenyon Syrah 2013
With a quinacridone violet core and that most classic plump, juicy Walla Walla fruit profile, the 2013 Otis Kenyon Syrah has developed nicely. Layered aromas of boysenberry and black fruit rest beneath lighter notes of lavender oil and incense—there is a lovely floral aspect that is certainly appealing. The palate is silky and round, quite […]
Heritance Cabernet Sauvignon 2014
Plush without being over the top, classic notes of black currants, black cherries, plums, vanilla bean and incense round out the nose. The 2014 Heritance Cabernet Sauvignon is modern and moderate in character, it feels slightly cautious. Like a four-door sedan, it’s not a risk-taker by any means, this is the family car of Napa […]
Tendril Wine Cellars Saffron Fields Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013
Hitting its stride, the 2013 Tendril Saffron Fields Vineyard Pinot Noir from winemaker Tony Rynders offers up an alluring bouquet of Dalmatia Sour Cherry Spread, black raspberry, sous bois, decaying rose petal, Asian spice, and crushed stone. It’s supple and pliant on the palate, a dark fruit core tidily wrapped in buoyant acidity with impressive […]
Beaux Frères Zena Crown Pinot Noir 2014
Diurnal flux, and cooling marine breezes can be felt in the 2014 Beaux Frères Zena Crown Pinot Noir. The wind-driven terroir of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA has graced it with a degree freshness—vivid red and blue fruit rest beneath a garland of crushed lavender, exotic spice and freshly grated nutmeg. The palate delivers focused acidity, […]
Beaux Frères Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2015
A vivid spectrum of red fruit and spice, Beaux Frères Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2015 is awash in plump Rainier cherries, raspberries, rose hips, Christmas spice, and cola. On entry, it’s silky, sexy—delivering nuance and power, finesse and fine tannins that lend structure—guardrails on something that could quite possibly break free, such is its exuberance. […]
Knudsen Vineyards Dundee Hills Chardonnay 2016
Textbook Willamette Valley Chardonny from the Dundee Hills AVA—I have toured the vineyard more than once, a parcel planted in 1995, with French Dijon clones—the vines sit in brick-hued volcanic soils at elevations between ranging from 710-650 feet. Purity reigns here—a kaleidoscope of crisp Opal apples, pears and lemon curd sink beneath a dusting of […]
Bergström Old Stones Chardonnay 2015
A bit of a powerhouse, really. Bergström’s 2015 Old Stones Chardonnay opens with aromas of Bosc pear and baked apple rendered more complex by swirling aromas of smoke, iodine, and flinty overtones that are more akin to the profiles I find in some white Burgundy. In the mouth, there’s not much fat, lemon curd adds […]