For the holiday weekend, I picked up several Oregon Pinot Noirs, rolled out the grill, and enjoyed the moment. I wanted to share these notes with you.
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- 2003 Stevenson-Barrie Pinot Noir
Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon Alcohol: 14% Bottling Notes: Unfined
Color and Appearance: Clear, vibrant ruby red. Insanely viscous -- long, drawn-out legs continued for a full six minutes after tasting(!).
Aroma: Cherry, strawberry, leather, oak, smoke, and clove. Presented lovely bouquet upon opening, and became much more complex with breathing.
Taste and Finish: Fruit-forward berry. Soft, succulent, silky on the palate. Balanced acids. Smooth, gracefully waning finish. The tiniest zest of pepper at the very end.
Pairing Suggestions: Grilled lamb stuffed with rosemary sprigs and garlic. Cedar plank BBQ'd salmon. Simple greens with oil and vinegar.
Overall Opinion: This is from a recently-new producer, and the first wine of their label that I've ever tried. What a fantastic wine. Despite its initially robust, oaky character, it opened up and showed a lovely feminine quality you'd typically expect from a Pinot Noir. It's nice to find a "gentle" Oregon Pinot Noir given the "cherry bomb" trends exhibited by some local wineries.
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- 2001 Iris Hill Pinot Noir
Appellation: Oregon Alcohol: 11.9%
Color and Appearance: Light ruby red, very clear.
Aroma: Bright cherry and wild berry.
Taste and Finish: Brief fruitiness was overpowered by a tart, acidic finish. Additional breathing only accentuated these characteristics.
Pairing Suggestions: Tums chewable antacids.
Overall Opinion: Disappointing. Many Oregon Pinots that need mellowing do so after four years in the bottle. This one, however, already seems well past its prime, and I couldn't help but think it was this way to begin with. 11.9% is quite low alcohol content for such a P.N. -- which leads me to wonder if the vintner didn't try diluting it down to cut the acidity.
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- Cardwell Hill Cellars Pinot Noir
Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon Alcohol: 13.1%
Color and Appearance: Deep red. Moderate legs.
Aroma: Oak and berry, but a distinct sweat/musty/geranium odor soon came to the forefront.
Taste and Finish: Surprisingly soft and supple. Nice cherry notes and a touch of spice.
Pairing Suggestions: None.
Overall Opinion: This is a recently-new producer. Unfortunately, I would not recommend it. The geranium odors are indicative of oxidation from not enough Sulphur and/or unsanitary conditions during fermentation. 90 minutes of breathing helped a bit, but this wine's fate was sealed prior to bottling.
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- 2003 Stag Hollow Pinot Noir
Appellation: Yamhill-Carlton (Willamette Valley), Oregon Alcohol: 14.9% Bottling Notes:
Color and Appearance: Brilliant red-maroon. Ample viscosity with long legs and sheets.
Aroma: Quite complex, a nasal treat that continued to surprise for well over an hour as it began to breathe. Initial waves of cherry, smoke, and earth eventually gave way to richer, spicier plum, vanilla, and leather.
Taste and Finish: Rich and smooth at each tasting interval. Medium length finish, smooth the entire time. Well-balanced acids.
Pairing Suggestions: BBQ grilled chicken with pan-seared mushrooms. Zucchini grilled in olive oil with fresh margarom, parsley, and oregano. Italian paysan loaf spread with brie.
Overall Opinion: A wine like this demands its own timeline and space in which to open up. Uncork, decant, and watch patiently from a distance. Sample, and wait. Repeat multiple times over 90 minutes, and serve.
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- 2005 Evasham Wood Pinot Noir
Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon Alcohol: 13% Price: $15
Color and Appearance: A dark, ruby red. Thick in appearance. Long legs quickly dissipated. A bit of sediment along the inner edge of the glass, but hardly enough to bother over.
Aroma: Earthy, mineral, plum and oak.
Taste and Finish: Jammy, with a lengthy, moderately spicey finish.
Pairing Suggestions: Grilled lamb or chicken. This one has enough zest to be compatible with traditional Shiraz pairings -- peppery, grilled, heavier/richer red meats and dishes, etc.
Overall Opinion: A lovely wine, especially given the price. I noted the sediment, and simply reverted to the Stevenson-Barrie -- in that the vintner perhaps chose to leave "all the good things" in the wine and forego fining.
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Whether this weekend is a three-day holiday for you or not (Labor Day here in the States), I hope you will all take a moment to relax and enjoy your favorite wine.
Cheers,
David Anderson OregonWines.com