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"Pinot in the City" tasting
Chicago, Ill
Tasted March 7, 2013 by cliffkol with 837 views
Introduction
Willamette Valley Wines:
Great tasting at City Winery in Chicago, with over 60 wineries from the Willamette Valley pouring Pinot Noir and other varietals. The wines were some of the best from vintages 2007 through 2011. Many of the top Oregon winemakers were there: John Bergstrom, Robert Brittan, Lynn Penner-Ash, Luisa Ponzi, Dick Shea to name a few. It gave us a great opportunity to sample some of the best wines in the Willamette Valley including a variety of cult and limited production wines that are not available in our market.
Flight 1 (48 notes)
Red
2011 Big Table Farm Pinot Noir Pelos Sandberg Vineyard
91 points
Bright cherries on nose and palate. Earthy, spices. Very tight right now, needs some time in cellar.
Red
2011 Big Table Farm Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
90 points
Bright red fruits, cherries on nose and palate. Young and fresh. With time this should flourish.
Red
2010 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Basalt Block
92 points
Wow. Wonderful nose and juice. Deep concentrated flavors of dark red fruits, spices, earth. Long finish. And this is still young. (Doris: WOW)
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Comment
Red
2009 Brittan Vineyards Syrah
92 points
Wow, classic Syrah -- mature fruits, earthy, spicy. Deep and concentrated. Tough to make good syrah in Oregon but Bob Brittan seem to have it figured out. (Doris: Wow. Loved this wine.)
Red
2010 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Gestalt Block
90 points
Delicious, however I prefer Basalt over Gestalt. Gestalt is spicier and more of a rough rider than Basalt. Still young, needs more time in cellar.
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Comment
Red
2010 Coleman Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Reserve
90 points
Nice. Nothing exceptional, but very well made. Bright cherries, earth, smoke. Still needs time in the cellar.
Red
2010 Coleman Vineyards Syrah
90 points
Very nice, well made syrah with medium body, forward red fruits, spices. (Doris Wow. loved this wine)
Red
Red
2009 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir Dundee Hills
91 points
Concentrated and fresh, deep cherry flavors. Spices, earth. (Doris: Yes). Could use a little more time in cellar.
Red
2008 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir Dundee Hills
92 points
Well balanced, almost ready for drinking. Ripe cherries, earth, smoke, spices come together in a great presentation.
Red
2009 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir Rambouillet Vineyard
93 points
So nice! Tannins integrated, balanced. Flavors of red fruits, mainly cherries with earth and a sublime amount of smoke. This was an incredible taste. (Doris: Wow. Amazing wine!)
Red
2010 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard
92 points
Great concentrated flavors. Well balanced tannins and integrated for this young a wine. Should only get better with time.
Red
2011 Illahe Pinot Noir Bon Sauvage
87 points
Very early for this wine or else just on the hot side. OK, nothing special. Light bodied and flavors.
Red
2010 Iota Pinot Noir Pelos Sandberg Vineyard
88 points
On the tart side. Does this need more time in cellar? Medium bodied and light flavors.
Red
2009 Iota Pinot Noir Pelos Sandberg Vineyard
90 points
Delicious red fruits, cherries on the palate with undertones of earth and smoke. Drinking great right now. Lynn Pelos, owner. (Doris: Yes)
Red
2009 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Aubichon Reserve
91 points
Beautiful, drinking nice now but will still benefit from more aging. Dark fruits, cherries, smoke and earth co-mingle into a luscious wine. (Doris: Yes)
Red
2009 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Rocheux
90 points
A delicious wine, but not up to the 09 Aubichon and Diversite wines. Less full, less bodied but still a well structured and great drinking wine.
Red
2009 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Diversite
92 points
Dark berries, spices, smoke and earth harmonize in this delicious wine. Tannins soft and integrated. Medium to full bodied, concentrated flavors. (Doris: Wow. Loved this wine)
Red
2011 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Dussin Vineyard
91 points
Lynn Penner-Ash. Although still just a baby, this wine drank very well and smooth considering so young. Brisk aromas and flavors of fresh cherries, blackberries, earth and spices. A good one to buy and hold for a bit. (Doris: Yes)
Red
2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir West Hill Shea Vineyard
91 points
Still just a baby, tight, tannic. But aromas and flavors of beautiful dark berries and cherries along with spices and earth assure this will be a winner. (Doris: Yes)
Red
2010 North Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
88 points
Light in color and flavors. Bright cherries, earth. Tannins integrated. (Doris: Yes)
Red
2011 Planet Oregon Pinot Noir
87 points
Light body and flavors. Lots of smoke. Otherwise a decent middle of the road Pinot Noir.
Red
2010 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
92 points
Rich, silky, elegant. A delicious wine, and it is still fairly young. Concentrated, layered flavors of dark berries, cherries, spices and earth.
Red
2010 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Coast Range Estate
90 points
Light bodied and flavors. Well integrated tannins and silky, elegant wine. (Doris: YES!)
Red
2010 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Estates Reserve
92 points
Jim Frey. One of our favorites in the tasting. Still young, so a little tight with sharp tannins. But overall, an elegant, silky wine with fresh cherries, dark berries, spices, earth. Concentrated and deep. With more time will be amazing. (Doris: WOW. #1 of the 3 Trisaethum's)
Red
2010 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir Pierre Léon
88 points
Seems to try to be an extraordinary Pinot Noir but just doesn't do it. Cherries, dark berries and earthy undertones. A bit tannic but probably just needs time for tannins to resolve.
Red
2007 Winderlea Pinot Noir Estate
93 points
As I've noticed with several other 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir's, they are hitting their stride now. With bad reviews the 07's didn't sell well and there are some to be gobbled up at great prices today. But I digressed. This wine was amazing, a WOW. Silky, elegant, tannins well resolved. Deep concentrated flavors of cherries, dark berries, earth, spices. Kudos to Winderlea. (Doris WOW)
Red
2009 Witness Tree Vineyard Pinot Noir Vintage Select
92 points
A year since we last tasted this wine and it has evolved wonderfully. Smooth and integrated tannins, deep flavors of cherries, spices, earth. Looking forward to continued excellence with time. (Doris: Yes)
Red
2010 Chehalem Pinot Noir Three Vineyard
87 points
Still young, tight. Medium body, nice cherry flavor, some earth. Somewhat middle of the road Pinot Noir. OK QPR at $27.
Red
2011 WillaKenzie Estate Pinot Noir Estate Cuvée
87 points
Medium to light flavors and nose. Non-descript overall.