A visit off the beaten path in the Willamette Valley: De Ponte, 1789, Anam Cara, Crowley

Dundee Hills, Oregon
Tasted Saturday, February 11, 2012 by arthrovine with 785 views

Flight 1 - De Ponte Cellars (5 Notes)

All in all, a pretty mediocre visit to De Ponte. I have enjoyed their wines in the past but this go-round did not seem to be reflective of prior outstanding efforts. I would have liked to taste their more limited wines, but it was nice to taste the 07 at the same time. I love the 07 vintage and Isabelle Dutartre's work. I will seek out more of the 07.
As is usually the case with large groups, there were at least two in attendance and the lone tasting room staff (Suzanne) was barely keeping up.

That being said, I can not wait for Isabelle's take on the 2010 and 2011 cool weather vintages....

  • 2010 De Ponte Cellars Melon de Bourgogne D.F.B. 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    This wine is always gorgeous and in a cooler year with more acidity, simply rocks. White peach, pineapple, lychee and light pear flavors. Great finish length. Pairs with anything in the white/light arena but delicious on its own as well.

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  • 2010 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir Clay Hill 86 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Simple nose of red currants. Palate is also simple with some nice acidity, red fruits, a little smoke, and medium to short finish. While not much complexity, its a safe glass pour at a restaurant. Definite crowd pleaser.

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  • 2009 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 88 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Nose starts with some heat and black fruit. The palate shows dark cherry skins (like you get from a Hood River tasting). Nice acidity. Fruit remains linear (whereas the 08 the fruit seemed rounder) There is also some toffee and spicebox. Tannins are firm. A bit of heat.

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  • 2007 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 87 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    A little funky, hot, green nose. Palate showed nice acid with bright red and some black fruit. This wine was tense. Medium - short finish. Not a stellar 07 as I had hoped for given this winemaker's talent. Perhaps bottle variation. I am actively seeking more to test this theory.

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  • 2008 De Ponte Cellars Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 89 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Nose was reticent. Palate was rich red almost fleshy fruit with mild acid. The latter flavor profile is characterized by some plums showing up - cool! There were nice tannins in this wine. The finish was medium length. This wine needs time to truly shine and it will - yet is very approachable now.

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Flight 2 - 1789 Wines (2 Notes)

We had set this up ahead of time. The winemaker, Isabelle Durarte's own efforts, these wines were really nice and seemed a more reserved style then the De Ponte offerings.

  • 2009 1789 Wines Pinot Noir Single Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Very aromatic nose of black dark bright fruit with some smokey overtones. The palate had nice mid weight smooth mouth-feel of medium toned fruit, smoked spicebox, and fine smooth tannins. Nice acidity. This wine is a more delicate 09 and is ready now. Though nice, it's expensive at $48.

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  • 2008 1789 Wines Pinot Noir Single Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Yep. I really liked this wine. Aromatic aromata-ta-ta. I could just sniff this for awhile. Flowers, scents of a the Hood River Valley during cherry season, toasty barrel, musty forest. Palate was middle weight fruit that was exceptionally pure. Velvety-rounded tannin spreads out and prods palate with flavors. 30+ second finish. A young wine that drinks well now and should improve. $48 and worth every damn penny. Rating is prob a 92+ in a few years.

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Flight 3 - Anam Cara (7 Notes)

A little sign right on 99 marks this place. We've driven by this a ton of times and never stopped. Today we did and it was really a surprise! The owner, Shelia, was really informative and we tried a great line-up of their wines. Stop by this tasting room! Nice wines and really nice experience. I will be seeking out their wines in the next few cool vintages. There was a really nice minerality featured in all of their pinots. The tannins were all unusually smooth as well.

  • 2010 Anam Cara Riesling Nicholas Estate 87 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Light & refreshing, lower residual sugar, slightly unctuous, medium short finish

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  • 2008 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Vineyard Selection 88 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Nice spicey nose. Tasty flavors of black and blue pure clean fruit. Nice acidity. Interesting minerality. Good food wine. Very approachable and open/ready for business. Screw-capped. Excellent restaurant pour. Drink over short term. A really nice $23 (at winery) 08 Oregon Pinot.

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  • 2009 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Nicholas Estate 89 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Nice light color. Floral, somewhat hot, reticent nose. Palate was light in flavors, not hot, nor fleshy like the vintage may impart. Nice red fruit and that minerality and smooth tannic structure that seems to be this estate's signature. Blend of all clones from vineyard. Nice 09 Oregon pinot!

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  • 2008 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Nicholas Estate 88 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Hints of smokey embers and flowers on the nose. Palate showed round higher toned red very pure red fruit. Mid-weight pinot. Seamless smooth tannins. Nice river rock minerality. Blend of all 5 clones in estate vineyard. Tasty now, drink over short term with a little benefit to be gained by waiting.

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  • 2007 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Nicholas Estate 87 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Spicey somewhat hot nose of embers, pine, toast and spicebox. Palate showed acidic high toned red fruit that somehow also had some unusual fleshiness to it. Seamless smooth tannins. Most interesting Nicholas today. I need to try this again...

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  • 2008 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Heather's Vineyard 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Nose has white pepper, ginger-bread house. Interesting flavors of white pepper, ginger candy shortbread, bright red fruit. Velvety tannins and smooth mouth-feel. Nice minerality. Pair with lighter food like salmon (obviously). Drink now or over next 5 years. Clone 114. Neutral oak. 14% abv.

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  • 2008 Anam Cara Pinot Noir Mark III 89 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    A little bit of smokey spices on the nose. Big, nimble, masculine pinot with chewy tannins. Darker baritone fruit profile. This stuff needs to lay down for awhile. Pair with a lean steak: grass-fed or filet. 2/3 new french oak. 13.4% abv

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Flight 4 - Tasting with Tyson Crowley at August Cellars (1 Note)

Tyson was nice enough to meet us at August Cellars where we got to taste through several of his 2010 chardonnays and pinots in barrel. No specific notes taken though and an indelible impression was achieved. His 2010s are going to be great. The 2010 chardonnay fruit from Four Winds and his treatment of it are impressive. No mass production here...only the deft hand of a truly philosophical winemaker with a keen intuition and respect of terroir. He went over all of the details specific to each vineyard and guided us through the nuances during each taste. We did open a bottle of the 2009 Crowley Gehrts Vineyard at the end of the tasting and it was great. I can't wait for his 2010s and will be first in line for his chardonnays. Time to source his 2007 + 2008s.....

  • 2009 Crowley Pinot Noir Gehrts Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    This is an 09? Popped and poured, this wine's initial nose was reticent. As it warmed, I got some spices like cardamon, cedar, smokey red fruit. Palate light cherry and black berry fruit with smooth texture. Some forest and muddy cedar flavors as well. Nice acid. Silky mouth feel. Pretty wine. I really enjoyed this. Am going to be following this vineyard and winemaker....

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