Description
92 POINTS, GOLD MEDAL!
2021 CRITICS CHALLENGE WINE COMPETITIONTightly wound, but showing great promise for unwinding elegantly. A Gold Award winner at the 2021 Critics Challenge International Wine & Spirits Competition.
92-POINTSFrom a spectacular estate in the rolling hills of Yamhill/Carlton AVA of Willamette Valley comes this modern-styled Pinot Noir. With 50% new French oak, this is not what Burgundy fanatics would call terroir-driven. However, its a very successful execution of what I would call a broadly-appealing Pinot Noir, plush and fruit-driven yet made with tremendous finesse while still retaining good energy. This is the exact same blend the winery bottles which retails for well over $40/bottle. The 2016 and 2017 vintages have scored between 90- and 92-points from The Wine Spectator and Robert Parker. Fleshy, ripe wild strawberry, black cherry and black raspberry notes are seamlessly welded on top of a dark earth and toasty, perfectly integrated oak. Silky and smooth on entry turning succulent and juicy across the palate with effortless richness and energy leading to a pure, resinous finish echoing with red and black fruits. Fleshy and pure with ripe fruit and polished tannins, this Pinot Noir is made in a modern-style, perfectly executed.July 2nd UPDATE – OG N.65 – dark and dense out of the bottle but opens up with a few minutes of air to reveal layers of black cherry, cinnamon, earth and sincere French oak…really nice wood, fine grained, Allier forest, air-dried, seasoned and toasted long and med…great barrels here. The wine is powerfully built and just unwinding. 24-hour decant is recommended for near-term drinking…this wine will age magnificently.
Wine Details
100% Pinot Noir, 100% estate fruit
50% new French oak
14.2% alcohol
Bottled September 16th, 2020
