Brief Willamette Valley Notes

Tasted Monday, June 27, 2011 by esb with 428 views

Introduction

Trip to Portland with some tasting. My highs and lows follow.

Vintage Perspective:

I continue to be disappointed with the 2007 vintage. I hear and read about its positive qualities but I don't see it in the glass. Now that 2008 and 2009 are released, the vintage’s deficiencies are even more obvious. Overall, the wines are thin. Most have lost any fruit they had and show mushroom, loam and wood. Several I have tasted recently are showing excessive oak. On the plus side, some wines have a elegant, pretty aroma.

The 2008s are good, structured as advertised, and in some cases are starting to drop their youthful growl. In a recent tasting I was surprised to find some approachable, enjoyable wines. Great wines were made but they are not great across the board and should be purchased after careful consideration.

My early opinion on 2009 is very positive. It seems like a vintage that is very deep in quality. For example, the basic vintage wines from Crowley and Willakenzie have forward, almost powerful, complex, pure pinot fruit. I have not noticed purney, overripe fruit which was definitely present in some 2006s. They are also nice in the mouth - big, rich, easy drinking with soft tannin. They may not age forever, but they will offer great pleasure short term, medium term and, who knows, maybe long term. This is a vintage that is easy to like.

Flight 1 (8 Notes)

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