White Rose Estate Pinot Noir 2010
A breathtaking Oregon Pinot, the 2010 White Rose Estate possesses a graceful sensory arc of candied cherries, rose petals, sweet spices, and sous bois. It’s elegant and nimble in the mouth, framed in fine, sweeping tannins that crescendo and submerge beneath layers of cinnamon bark, chokecherry, and rose hip. Whole-cluster fermented, from the estate’s old […]
Open Claim Vineyard Chardonnay 2015
There is a story to this wine, and one that explains the reason why the bottle was shot in its thoughtful tissue wrap—you see, I took it on a date, this was the second date, mind you, with a person who by all accounts enjoyed wine immensely. And somewhere in the midst of that date, […]
Open Claim Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir 2015
A new and very small project, the winery website mentions only 121 cases altogether, Open Claim Vineyards 2015 Pinot Noir hails from a historic site so named “by the virtue of the Donation Land Claim Act 1850, parcel #68 in Polk County, Oregon was offered in open claim…” Headed up by veteran winemaker Tony Rynders, […]
Tendril Wine Cellars Pretender White Pinot Noir 2014
The aptly named Pretender is a White Pinot Noir from Tendril Wine Cellars, and offers a rather glorious, pure-fruited nose of white peach, melon, grilled pineapple, and quince. On the palate, texturally, it’s like biting into a ripe market peach—peach fuzz brushes across the palate before subsiding to a lemon-and-pomace-infused acid spine. Nicely done. 13.0% […]
Rain Dance Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir 2016
A well of plush red fruit set against a frame of silky tannins and moderate acidity, Rain Dance’s Estate Pinot Noir 2016 has much to offer, mainly, pleasure. Black cherry, macerated strawberries, Madagascar vanilla bean, cola, and warm spices round out the nose. This blend of 44% Dijon Clone 667, 14% Pommard, 14% Wädenswil, 14% […]
Rain Dance Vineyards Grand Oak Vineyard Estate Riesling 2017
Crafted from Reisling sourced from Rain Dance’s estate vineyards—Grand Oak Vineyard lies within Willamette Valley’s Chehalem Mountains sub-appellation and the vines are seated in Jory and Laurelwood-type soils. Aromas of yellow apple, lemon drop, and ripe pear anoint the nose, on the palate, it’s softly-textured thanks to sur lie aging in French oak—perfectly dry and […]
Brooks Amycas 2016
Straw yellow in the glass, Brooks’ 2016 Amycas is an aromatic white blend of 44% Riesling, 21% Muscat, 18% Pinot Blanc, 10% Gewurztraminer, and 7% Pinot Gris. At this stage in its evolution, that classic Muscat florality takes the center stage. White flowers and chamomile segue into delicate fruit aromas of Asian pear, lemon drop, […]
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. […]