Evening Land Seven Springs ‘Anden’ Pinot Noir 2014
A knee-weakening Pinot Noir, Evening Land’s Seven Springs ‘Anden’ comes from fruit harvested in a single pass through a phylloxerated section of historic Seven Springs vineyard. The 2014 is whole cluster fermented and aged in 100% New oak—it would seem that there’s a method to winemaker Sashi Moorman’s madness in the rather unusual approach to […]
Brooks Duex Vert Vineyard Melon de Bourgogne 2015
Brooks Melon de Bourgogne Duex Vert Vineyard 2015″ width=”200″ height=”200″ /></a>Pleasantly surprised by Brooks’ 2015 Melon de Bourgogne, with it’s filigreed nose of ripe pear, honeysuckle and chalkboard dust. It’s not as lean and leesy as some of my favorite examples from Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (Melon de Bourgogne is the variety used in Muscadet). […]
Bluebird Hill Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2015
Bluebird Hill Cellars is an ultra-boutique winery owned by my dear friends Sue and Neil Shay. I’ve watched them plant vines over the years expanding the blocks that surround their sprawling hilltop home, and more recently they’ve transformed their garage into a small tasting room. The 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot is bright ruby red, displaying […]
Leah Jørgensen Cellars Cabernet Franc 2015
Quite possibly the best example of Oregon Cabernet Franc I’ve ever tasted. Ruby robed with violet reflexes, Leah Jørgensen’s Cabernet Franc captivates the senses with aromas of mulberries, marionberries, incense, and anise. In the mouth it’s velvety and supple with cashmere-like tannins lending support to a red-fruited core. White pepper and hibiscus tea at the […]
Brooks Runaway Red Pinot Noir 2013
According to winemaker, Chris Williams, Runaway Red is the first Pinot Noir the winery blends each season. This is also Brooks’ entry level label, priced at $23.00, it’s soft and accessible with an entirely red-fruited profile. Rhubarb, strawberries, pie cherries and a delicate floral note lead into a wine that is acid driven and lightly […]
Puffin Oregon Pinot Gris 2015
A wine from one of many stops while on an Oregon-Washington themed wine cruise. I was pleasantly surprised by the 2015 Puffin Oregon Pinot Gris made by Ray Walsh, former winemaker at King Estate. King Estate’s jewel is their Pinot Gris, and this unlikely label sold in an equally unlikely place—proprietor Steven Sinkler sells Puffin from his […]
Domaine Serene Jerusalem Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013
Jerusalem Hill Vineyard lies a protected, south-facing slope, and I’m told it’s one of the more moderate sites in the Eola-Amity Hills AVA, lending more intense color and concentration—and that seems to be very accurate to the wine itself, which manages both poise and power. Sous bois, white pepper and dried sage along with fine, […]
Domaine J. Meuret Les Chênes Phelps Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013
Domaine J. Meuret Les Chênes Phelps Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir 2013″ width=”200″ height=”200″ /></a>I was delighted to find Maison Bleue’s tasting room in downtown Walla Walla on my last visit, and even more surprised to taste the Domaine J. Meuret Les Chênes Pinot Noir 2013, the inaugural vintage of this label, all of which are […]
Oregon’s Enduring Spirit of Collaboration
Robed in luxurious, perpetual green, Oregon’s largest AVA is home to more than 270 wineries and over 1,000 vineyards. It’s a region that has enjoyed marked growth over the past few decades thanks, in part, to a handful of families that arrived in the late 1960s with little more than determination and vision. “My father […]
Brooks Winery | Storyteller Wine Pinot Noir 2014
From Portland’s iconic Storyteller Wine Company, this 2014 Storyteller Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir, the fourth and final label to emerge from an intensive two day blending session at Brooks winery last fall. Michael Alberty’s blend is imbued with the fragrance of pure, ripe strawberries, so much so, that it reminds me of making strawberry jam. […]