Jan 23rd Dundee Hills Visit

An afternoon visit to wine country yielded 3 rounds of tasting despite our compressed schedule. I'm always fond of White Rose, but their wines really delivered today. I'm not including much narrative for this event, but I wanted to create it to display that all of these wines were tasted around the same time.

• 2008 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Chardonnay Arthur 84 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Baked apples and pear skins play out on this rich nose, but some heat shows through as well. Everything suggested by the nose comes across. The flavors are enjoyable, but the heat really distracts me.

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• 2007 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Great strawberry and cherry scents on the nose along with some kiwi fruit and funky leaves. Crisp cherries show up on the palate along with some minerality. The flavors are delicate, and a bit of tannic structure shows through later, after the fruit fades.

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• 2006 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  This wine is dark and brooding right away. It smells like tire rubber right after running over a huge patch of ripe blackberries. Faint notes of strawberries and some bright acid show through on the nose as well. The wine shows some nice minerality when tasted, and the fruit flavors remind me more of dark cherries than blackberries. The tannins evolve a bit across the palate, and the fruit skins that show on the finish are quite nice.

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• 2007 Domaine Serene Chardonnay Dijon Clones Clos du Soleil 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Big apple scents, along with citrus notes and something that reminds me of a herbal appertif show up when I smell the wine. The texture is lighter, and it stays very even all the way across the palate. The oak flavors are balanced and pleasant. Some lemon peel shows up later, and the herbal note from the nose makes an appearance as well. The finish is lovely, and the unusual herbal note makes the whole experience pretty interesting.

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• 2007 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Yamhill Cuvée 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Graphite and cherries appear on the nose. The wine shows some acid on the palate, but it doesn't feel very full, almost "too skinny". There's a little more heat than I would like too, but the cherry flavors are nice. 88-

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• 2006 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Evenstad Reserve 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This wine has an interesting nose that reminds me of a grill after you've finished cooking on it, along with some good blackberry scents. It's got a nice mouth feel with some good cherry flavors. The acidity is on the lower side, but the texture is even, and the whole experience is clean overall.

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• 2006 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Jerusalem Hill 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This vineyard is in the Eola Amity AVA. It delivers bright cherries and nice oak on the nose, along with a hint of rhubarb that works well for me. Clean cherry and orange flavors appear on the palate. The tannins are nice and even, and the acidity lingers for a long time on the finish.

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• 2006 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir Winery Hill Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  The nose is full of fruit, showing apples and nice blackberry scents. Some watermelon scents, and a hint of cherry candy show themselves as well. The mouth feel is nice and even, and it evolves toward dusty tannins later. The cherry candy shows up on the mid palate. The fruit is a bit on the sweet side overall, with light but enjoyable acidity showing up late.

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• 2005 Domaine Serene Syrah Rockblock Del Rio Vineyard 86 Points

  USA, Oregon, Southern Oregon, Rogue Valley

  Blackberries dominate the nose here, but it smells like a hot dog is buried beneath the fruit. The wine has a smooth and even texture for a syrah, and delivers some dirty cherries and some light acidity.

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• 2007 White Rose Estate Pinot Noir Mercotti's Milieu 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Light color in the glass, with some gentle blackberry scents coming in, and a bit of tire rubber in the back ground. A light minerality appears on the palate, and the wine has a great smooth texture. Mild, but even acid lingers across the palate, and darker raspberry makes up the bulk of the fruit. 89-

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• 2007 White Rose Estate Pinot Noir Quiotee's Lair 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Full on Oregon funk on the nose of this wine along with some barnyard, and a whiff of raspberry. The texture on this is absolutely lovely, with great acidity that hangs on through a lingering finish. Wonderful raspberry and apple flavors fill the mouth.

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• 2007 White Rose Estate Pinot Noir Dragon's Bluff Vista Hills 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Oregon funk wrapped up with raspberry and apple scents appear on the nose. There's something suggesting minerality as well, and the fruit has an excellent "tart" component to it that I'm excited about. The wine starts out very light on the palate. It continues to be very smooth, and delivers some nice apple flavors and even acid. The tannins are soft, and toward the finish the acidity makes my mouth water as the light fruit fades. 89-

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• 2007 White Rose Estate Pinot Noir Dragon's Bluff White Rose Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Funky leaves appear on the nose under some rich blackberry scents. A lovely tart apple note, supported by rhubarb, appears right out of the gate. Enjoyable acidity delivers from the start to the finish, where they begin to intensify and make your mouth pucker a bit as the soft and smooth tannins caress their way into memory.

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• 2008 Jesus Guillen Pinot Noir Dream Catcher Vista Hills 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Deep blackberries and bright acid appear on the nose. Lovely acidity comes through on the palate along with some very ripe blackberry flavors. A lighter floral note and some heat appear as well, and the whole package is built upon some nice dusty tannins. 89-

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