Tasted Monday, June 27, 2011 by esb with 428 views
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.
2010 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Gris 90 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Light, very nice clean fruit, light in the mouth, crisp, dry, delicious. One of the best I have had in quite a while. Much preferred this against the '09 Pinot Blanc.
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2010 Wine By Joe Pinot Blanc 87 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Great fruit - mineral and melon. All very promising until the finish which is slightly sweet and flat. Nice wine - Pinot Blanc on training wheels.
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2009 Crowley Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Dundee Hills not indicated. This is the plain WV. Fantastic spicy aroma. Very pure pinot with low oak and great complexity. Nice in the mouth already but will improve with a few years age. Amazing QPR.
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2006 Panther Creek Pinot Noir 20th Anniversary Reserve 92 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Fantastic. Forward smoke, slight tea, red fruit but integrating. Bold and lush in the mouth with a classy feel. Now or wait short term. Very nice '06.
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2009 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée 91 Points
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Plentiful spicy young red fruit. Big and rich in the mouth but balanced. With air, very enjoyable already.
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2006 Cristom Pinot Noir Sommers Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Light Brett at opening which doesn't go away. Real Pinot fruit doesn't develop. Slight oxidation. Not good. I have no idea if this was flawed or just bad.
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2008 Green & Red Vineyards Zinfandel Chiles Canyon Vineyards 90 Points
USA, California, Napa Valley
Very nice integrated, slightly jammy, Zin fruit. Forward, balanced, not over the top. Very enjoyable at the table.
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1999 Castello di Verduno Barbaresco Faset 85 Points
Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barbaresco
Brett on the nose but also a nice floral quality and tar. Fairly light and lean with light tannin although it seems ready. Not completely together in the mouth. Fine but not special.
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