PHMG WAG: The '09 Oregon Pinots

We opened with the chard while folks were gathering: pairing it with goat cheese and shaved white truffle on baguette toasts: yum! The reds were opened six hours before the tasting, and served somewhat alphabetically, non-blinded.

• 2008 Bergström Chardonnay Sigrid 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Though the QPR is an issue at $70, this is a great wine. Great depth of white stone fruit, some citrus, green apple, even tropical fruit with stone/mineral notes in the background. Nice length and acidity. Great start to the tasting.

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• 2009 Argyle Pinot Noir Nuthouse Eola - Amity Hills 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  First wine of the tasting, it has an open nose of red fruit and spice. On palate : medium body, red cherry pie, winter spices, and good length. Very enjoyable but not the hit of the show.

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• 2009 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  This had a little more color and depth than the first wine of the night. Black cherry, earth, and spice on a very nice texture. Long juicy finish.

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• 2009 Bergström Pinot Noir de Lancellotti 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

  My WOTN, this has everything w/o being over the top. Layers of flavor, both fruit and non-fruit. Nice structure, balance, mouthfeel/texture, with the acidity supporting a long juicy finish as good as the Arterberry's.

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• 2009 Broadley Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate-Sundance Barrel Selection 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This was marked down from the intended (and never realized) $49 price tag to $27 after case discount at Sundance. Fruit: 80% estate and 20% Shea. This is still on the reserved and tannic side, but still quite drinkable. Black cherries, licorice, cranberry, and vanilla/oak. I think this will be great at 5yrs of age and the QPR will be even better than it is.

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• 2009 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Équinoxe 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This wine was a hit. Very nice depth of more red than black fruit, and the wonderful complexity distinguished it from the crowd. The flavors lingered on and on, but the bottle did not. It one of the few bottles finished that evening.

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• 2009 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir La Bohème 87 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

  In this group of wines, it did not match up. Medium body, medium depth of red cherries, and a little spice. Not as long as the others and had a TINY medicinal / cherry cough syrup hit at the end. I would enjoy this on its own w/ dinner but it just fell short in the comparo.

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• 2009 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Dussin Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This hit all the notes: black cherries, raspberry, spice, pie, subtle oak, and stone. Great depth and balance with a nice long finish. It'll be fine for 5-7 years.

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• 2009 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Special Selection Freedom Hill Vineyard 94 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  I take it back, this was my WOTN! Juan Valdez ("it's mountain grown") in a Pinot! It has classic a Pinot ruby/ garnet color w/o being saturated. The nose is moderate and reflects the palate: black cherry, blackberry, plum, asian spice, and a nice floral note. The depth is all you'd ever want in a Pinot w/o being over the top. The tannins are fairly serious but that's always the case with this vineyard. The bizarre part of that, is how the media has never caught on to that issue. One of the few bottles to be finished in this tasting. 42 cases produced - ouch!

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• 2009 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 5 Shea Vineyard 93 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  This is an amazing wine. I was sure something was up when I spied the 15.2 etoh on the label. But it was neither hot nor over-extracted. Nice layers of black cherry, blackberry, and spice on a plush texture. One of three bottles that disappeared in this tasting...

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• 2009 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Abbott Claim Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

  Not that impressive at the end of this tasting. But still, it's a very fine wine w/ decent layers of red fruit: cherry, raspberry, cranberry, and spice on a nice texture and good acidity. Expected more depth and glycerin.

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These wines reflected my experience on a tasting trip through the northern part of Willamette Valley the weekend before Thanksgiving. Most of the wine folk I talked to would also support: the '09's are hedonistic from the get go, need little time, and likely won't make old bones. Drink now through 2016. We finished w/ a 2000 Ferreira LBV and stilton -- aaah!