Opened but not decanted and consumed over about 3 hours. Very deep, nearly opaque red-garnet color with just a bit of wateriness at the rim. Deep, earthy, and rich on the nose with an almost searing spiciness but little complexity or tertiary aromas. Equally rich and ripe on the palate but there's no overripeness and no heat. Even at 15 years of age this remains a fruit-forward wine with plenty of acidity and fine tannins to keep it all in balance. I am a bit disappointed that there is no more development at this stage but that may just be a characteristic of this vintage. The wine drinks like a far younger wine. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Opened a few hours prior to serving, tasted over the course of about three hours. Pours a glorious light garnet. The nose is a mix of earthy pepper and baking spice, forest floor, and red berry fruit. It's all integrated in a fantastically complete package. On the palate it's even better, as the acidity is just about perfectly integrated at this stage. The wine is deep and soulful, with so many layers weaving in and out across the palate. Just ridiculously good stuff.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Very nice nose - rich spicy oak, thick jammy fruit, warm and welcoming. Medium-Full body. Very good balance - though a strong oak presence. Lots of fruit at this stage - both cranberry & raspberry. Interesting, tasty, and very drinkable. Acidity is nicely integrated. Food friendly. I prefer a lighter pinot, but this is a very good wine, just not a classic pinot. Fans of new world pinot will love it. Likely in it's prime.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose is more or less what I expected. Rose petal-ey and earthy. The wine is silky smooth. Darker in the glass than I would've expected. It is characterized by earthy tones, lots of mushroom, very little fruit to be found. Maybe some cherry. Long finish. Slight spice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A great BerserkerDay deal, and a wonderful way to be introduced to a new winery. A surprising wine, however, as it doesn't smell of the typicity of an Oregon Pinot, with my limited experience. Its nose is rather dark, rose petals, red/black fruits, not the brightness and clean, snappy yet elegant nose I expect from Oregon Pinot. Very interesting, however, and it carries through right to the palate, which is also much richer and darker in character. Good weight, strong acidity, particularly at the finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Nose of dust, cherry, lavender, and baking spice. Really lovely nose. In the mouth, it's very restrained; tart red fruit but a distracting slightly chewy finish tells me I should have waited. Still a very nice wine. I hope this is indicative of their "house style".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Decanted for just under two hours before tasting. Medium garnet core, slightly lighter rim. On the nose; somewhat restrained, but displays hints of cool Pinot fruit, flowers, earth, stony minerals and cola. On the palate; medium to light bodied – lacks a little fruit, but it has a nice nice earthy feel to it and enough acidity to make it go well with rustic food. More reminiscent of something out of Burgundy than your stereotypical US Pinot. Pleasant drinking, but for me it's a little too austere to merit a top score.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Wine Blogger's Conference 2012- Oregon Wines; 8/15/2012-8/18/2012 (Portland, OR): Tasted at 2012 Wine Blogger's Conference. Subtleties on the nose- baking spice, fig, lavender and earth. Rich fruit of cherry and fig on the palate with touches of mineral, earth, savory spice and sage. Dense and rich with silky elegance and polished tannin. Medium to full finish. Very nice, but let this one hone its chops a little longer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Visits to Cristom, St. Innocent, Johan, Argyle, Dobbes, Chehalem: Not giving up much today, this particular bottle was just opened and not showing as well as the bottles I consumed over the summer. Still, the structure is very impressive, and this may just be in a shut down phase again. The palate was pretty light, but showing some buried complexity beneath the structure. Some depth and acid is present, with the tart fruit. Great depth on the finish, and things slowly begin to open up after swallowing. Quite soft, but pretty darn tight today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
No formal notes taken, but this was magnificent tonight. The first bottle may have been open longer or something, as it was the most approachable. However, the fruit throughout this wine was delicious, with impeccable balance of structure elements on the palate. Everything was in place, layer upon layer. One of the most pleasurable, balanced Oregon Pinot Noirs out there. While it's still tight, it's definitely approachable today. By comparison, the 2008 Three barrel was still very tight, though that wine will be killer in a decade. You don't have to wait so long here.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Smells beautiful, red fruit nose of cherry and raspberry with notes of cooking spices. The palate shows more of those red fruits with the cherries playing more to the forefront, some stones and a light floral note in the finish. Very bright fruit here, the acidity is full and helps hold the intensity of the fruit up without it feeling overdone. Very long on the finish, the flavor and structure diminish in parallel leaving hints of the fruit behind. This is some killer wine. Tasty now and will no doubt improve with more time in bottle. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Cristom, St. Innocent, Johan Vineyards (Eola-Amity/Willamette Valley, OR): As this was poured for me I could smell it from 5 feet away. Fairly primary in its aromas, but it's pretty awesome, vibrant fruit. More vibrant fruit on the palate, which is really soft with a massive tannic clout building. Impressive structure on the palate, but the wine is showing very nice balance of acidity, tannin and fruit, despite it's soft, shut down nature on the palate. The finish kicks with really nice tart fruit and spice. Really good balance. I'm an acid whore so I could go for some more acid here (as the 2007 presented), but the fruit here is larger and tastier than the previous vintage. Both are impressive wines. I think this will be open for business a few years before the 2007 is, as the fruit is certainly more at the forefront. As I swirled this in the glass and had a few sips the finish depth kept slowly revealing itself. I really enjoyed how it lingered. Again, fairly shut down at present, but you can tell it'll be a beauty in 5 years. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
4/1/2023 - tomandlu wrote: 90 Points
Opened but not decanted and consumed over about 3 hours. Very deep, nearly opaque red-garnet color with just a bit of wateriness at the rim. Deep, earthy, and rich on the nose with an almost searing spiciness but little complexity or tertiary aromas. Equally rich and ripe on the palate but there's no overripeness and no heat. Even at 15 years of age this remains a fruit-forward wine with plenty of acidity and fine tannins to keep it all in balance. I am a bit disappointed that there is no more development at this stage but that may just be a characteristic of this vintage. The wine drinks like a far younger wine. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/14/2020 - thalver wrote:
drinking well....popped and poured...took about an hour or so to open up a bit.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/16/2017 - ucbeau Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened a few hours prior to serving, tasted over the course of about three hours. Pours a glorious light garnet. The nose is a mix of earthy pepper and baking spice, forest floor, and red berry fruit. It's all integrated in a fantastically complete package. On the palate it's even better, as the acidity is just about perfectly integrated at this stage. The wine is deep and soulful, with so many layers weaving in and out across the palate. Just ridiculously good stuff.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/25/2017 - subtlet Likes this wine:
No formal note, but I wanted to mention that this is showing great now. It's been a long wait, and I'm glad I still have a few!
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/13/2015 - markswine wrote: 87 Points
Just nothing interesting going on for me. May be a bad bottle. Not sure.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
9/26/2015 - A Cook With Wine... Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very nice nose - rich spicy oak, thick jammy fruit, warm and welcoming. Medium-Full body. Very good balance - though a strong oak presence. Lots of fruit at this stage - both cranberry & raspberry. Interesting, tasty, and very drinkable. Acidity is nicely integrated. Food friendly. I prefer a lighter pinot, but this is a very good wine, just not a classic pinot. Fans of new world pinot will love it. Likely in it's prime.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
9/7/2014 - GrapesRGreat Likes this wine: 88 Points
A little darker than expected. Would like to see if it gains any funk in a few more years.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/8/2014 - Furry Goat wrote: 91 Points
Nose is more or less what I expected. Rose petal-ey and earthy. The wine is silky smooth. Darker in the glass than I would've expected. It is characterized by earthy tones, lots of mushroom, very little fruit to be found. Maybe some cherry. Long finish. Slight spice.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
4/2/2014 - scott w Likes this wine: 90 Points
Muted nose, dark cherry black cherry baking spice, dark wine with lively acid. Silky and delicious.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
2/20/2014 - Todd French Likes this wine:
A great BerserkerDay deal, and a wonderful way to be introduced to a new winery. A surprising wine, however, as it doesn't smell of the typicity of an Oregon Pinot, with my limited experience. Its nose is rather dark, rose petals, red/black fruits, not the brightness and clean, snappy yet elegant nose I expect from Oregon Pinot. Very interesting, however, and it carries through right to the palate, which is also much richer and darker in character. Good weight, strong acidity, particularly at the finish.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
11/28/2013 - Chrisinroch Likes this wine:
Nose of dust, cherry, lavender, and baking spice. Really lovely nose. In the mouth, it's very restrained; tart red fruit but a distracting slightly chewy finish tells me I should have waited. Still a very nice wine. I hope this is indicative of their "house style".
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/12/2013 - Pebben wrote: 88 Points
Decanted for just under two hours before tasting. Medium garnet core, slightly lighter rim. On the nose; somewhat restrained, but displays hints of cool Pinot fruit, flowers, earth, stony minerals and cola. On the palate; medium to light bodied – lacks a little fruit, but it has a nice nice earthy feel to it and enough acidity to make it go well with rustic food. More reminiscent of something out of Burgundy than your stereotypical US Pinot. Pleasant drinking, but for me it's a little too austere to merit a top score.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/1/2013 - John_D Likes this wine: 90 Points
Reminds me of a good burgundy.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/16/2012 - MattMauldin wrote: 93 Points
Wine Blogger's Conference 2012- Oregon Wines; 8/15/2012-8/18/2012 (Portland, OR): Tasted at 2012 Wine Blogger's Conference. Subtleties on the nose- baking spice, fig, lavender and earth. Rich fruit of cherry and fig on the palate with touches of mineral, earth, savory spice and sage. Dense and rich with silky elegance and polished tannin. Medium to full finish. Very nice, but let this one hone its chops a little longer.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/17/2011 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 91 Points
Visits to Cristom, St. Innocent, Johan, Argyle, Dobbes, Chehalem: Not giving up much today, this particular bottle was just opened and not showing as well as the bottles I consumed over the summer. Still, the structure is very impressive, and this may just be in a shut down phase again. The palate was pretty light, but showing some buried complexity beneath the structure. Some depth and acid is present, with the tart fruit. Great depth on the finish, and things slowly begin to open up after swallowing. Quite soft, but pretty darn tight today.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
8/27/2011 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 92 Points
No formal notes taken, but this was magnificent tonight. The first bottle may have been open longer or something, as it was the most approachable. However, the fruit throughout this wine was delicious, with impeccable balance of structure elements on the palate. Everything was in place, layer upon layer. One of the most pleasurable, balanced Oregon Pinot Noirs out there. While it's still tight, it's definitely approachable today. By comparison, the 2008 Three barrel was still very tight, though that wine will be killer in a decade. You don't have to wait so long here.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
8/20/2011 - Kiltedtaz wrote: 88 Points
Big dark fruity flavor, very interesting.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/26/2011 - gripNsip wrote: 91 Points
Smells beautiful, red fruit nose of cherry and raspberry with notes of cooking spices. The palate shows more of those red fruits with the cherries playing more to the forefront, some stones and a light floral note in the finish. Very bright fruit here, the acidity is full and helps hold the intensity of the fruit up without it feeling overdone. Very long on the finish, the flavor and structure diminish in parallel leaving hints of the fruit behind. This is some killer wine. Tasty now and will no doubt improve with more time in bottle. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
10/9/2010 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 91 Points
Cristom, St. Innocent, Johan Vineyards (Eola-Amity/Willamette Valley, OR): As this was poured for me I could smell it from 5 feet away. Fairly primary in its aromas, but it's pretty awesome, vibrant fruit. More vibrant fruit on the palate, which is really soft with a massive tannic clout building. Impressive structure on the palate, but the wine is showing very nice balance of acidity, tannin and fruit, despite it's soft, shut down nature on the palate. The finish kicks with really nice tart fruit and spice. Really good balance. I'm an acid whore so I could go for some more acid here (as the 2007 presented), but the fruit here is larger and tastier than the previous vintage. Both are impressive wines. I think this will be open for business a few years before the 2007 is, as the fruit is certainly more at the forefront. As I swirled this in the glass and had a few sips the finish depth kept slowly revealing itself. I really enjoyed how it lingered. Again, fairly shut down at present, but you can tell it'll be a beauty in 5 years. 91+
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment