Return to Willamette; 7/2/2023-7/8/2023 (Portland & Willamette): This is drinking quite nicely. Mostly we wanted to try the vintage which always seems to be a good one across different areas and usually under-rated. This was again that classic styling and drinking well. Still on the young side, but overall good.
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Lovely. Full of rich, perfectly ripe, spice-accented berry fruit, with masses of fine velvety tannins. Similar to the regular BP vineyard but better in every way. Drinking beautifully without any mature, tertiary notes.
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Decanted for two hours, tasted alongside a 2013 Sea Smoke Southing. The Belle Pente was the belle of the tasting. Mature, with a supple burgundy character.
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PnP. Nose of spices and red fruits. Relatively simple body, but with a longer finish of slightly tart red fruit. Tannins still evident at finish. In a good place.
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Decanted 3 hrs. Agree with Loren Sonkins recent note - a very good wine though perhaps I had higher expectations of where this stands today. Some funk and a tiny bit of VA blew off pretty quick in the decanter giving the wine a pleasing nose of berries and spice. Sweet, black cherry fruit works with some nice spice layers and pretty good acidity - it just felt a bid muddled together. Hopefully, this is just a by product of youthful adolescence and things will come into clearer focus done the road. I hope to save my last bottle for around 2020 - 22.
Nose is slightly muted but does give up some cherry, a bit of funk and white pepper. Not sure I'd guess pinot in a blind tasting - probably would say a leaner style Zin. Palate comes across soft with some cherry and white pepper. An okay tasting wine but in the end one that is rather tiring to drink due to its softness.
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Oregon Pinot Noir (Mark's): Another wine that seemed to improve all night. ruby in color but looking a bit flat. The nose starts out quite old and dusty but with air it picks up some cherry fruit. On the palate, this has ripe/sweet red fruits. It turns tart and then a bit clipped on the finish. I wonder if this bottle was off a bit or not, just slightly. In any event, at 8 years old, I thought it might have been a bit better although it was very good to outstanding.
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Fresh dark ripe fruit on an inviting nose. It starts off with blackberry then shifts to sour(in a very good way) dark cherry on the palate. It's juicy and fresh from the start and really nice. With about 1 hour in the decanter it picks up weight with iron and sous bois notes added to the tart dark cherry. This is now starting to resemble a top Village level Gevry. It's transformed from good to an excellent wine that is the total package. Fine tannins and very balanced throughout it's evolution. I believe it's just starting to hit it's drinking window. So much better then the first bottle 2 years ago. Drink now with at least 1 hour decant or hold. I'm going to save one for at least 5 years as i believe their is still some upside. This is also a terrific QPR for pinot fans...
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The wine is a nice red to ruby red color. The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices (think cherry pie), some earthiness, fresh wild flowers, minerals, smoke, and a touch of dark chocolate. This has medium body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and good acidity. Fresh and lively on the palate with the cherries and spice carrying the load until some earthy elements come into the picture on the backend adding depth. The finish is long and easy going with the bright cherries and spice again doing the heavy lifting. This may be on the young side but it is very approachable and enjoyable, which really is all that counts.
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Very young on the first night - did not decant. Nice medium bodied package, maybe a little oak showing right now. No rough edges. Leaving half for tomorrow night.
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Not particularly closed, or open, for that matter. Seems to have really good potential and was enjoyable if not terribly remarkable. Curiosity got the best of me.
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Smooth and balanced with aromas and flavors of blackberries, cherries and raspberries and a hint of almost burned pie crust and cinnamon. Very enjoyable.
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Note from after 2 hours in a decanter. Medium to dark ruby red color. Cherry, blackberry, baking spices, dark chocolate, underbrush, and minerals dominate the nose with hints of licorice, smoke, and fresh flowers. Medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Rich fruit and spice on the palate with just a hint of an herbal element creeping in on the back end. Long finish with the fruit turning a bit darker and the herbal note coming in late. Very young but extremely tasty today with some air.
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I haven't had the regular Belle Pente Estate 2008, but I did have the Murto Vineyard bottling. This one is definitely cut from a different cloth - a robust, muscular style of pinot (like Oregon meets Nuits-St.-Georges) in contrast to the Murto's finesse. Sometimes a "Reserve" selection seems to be chosen for flashiness, and sometimes for structure with an eye towards longevity; the rugged tannin here makes me wonder if this is an example of the latter type. But the fruit's pretty and there's some interesting gravelly stuff lurking underneath.
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Concentrated and rich fruit of black chery and blackberry with just a bit of bitter cherry hiding in there. Nicely balanced with good acidy and tanins and a fresh, fruit-driven finish.
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Slow ox'd for 5 hours in bottle. Black/sour cherry, coffee, pencil lead on the nose. More of the same in the mouth, all bound up in a rich, somewhat unctuous mouth feel that finishes with good acid. A really well balanced wine. As this integrates it will get even better. Big but not over the top at all. Great job.
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7/6/2023 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Return to Willamette; 7/2/2023-7/8/2023 (Portland & Willamette): This is drinking quite nicely. Mostly we wanted to try the vintage which always seems to be a good one across different areas and usually under-rated. This was again that classic styling and drinking well. Still on the young side, but overall good.
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3/7/2021 - coremill wrote: 92 Points
Lovely. Full of rich, perfectly ripe, spice-accented berry fruit, with masses of fine velvety tannins. Similar to the regular BP vineyard but better in every way. Drinking beautifully without any mature, tertiary notes.
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12/5/2020 - bobdobilina wrote: 90 Points
World of Pinot Noir Tasting (13 Pinots from Burgundy, Germany, New Zealand, Oregon and California); 12/5/2020-12/6/2020 (Zoom): Slightly cloudy mid to light garnet color.
Nose of cherries, rose petals, cinnamon.
Sour cherries on the mid weight palate, some metallic notes, and warmth on the finish.
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2/17/2020 - PAPiker Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted for two hours, tasted alongside a 2013 Sea Smoke Southing. The Belle Pente was the belle of the tasting. Mature, with a supple burgundy character.
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1/9/2020 - piedmoose Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Nose of spices and red fruits. Relatively simple body, but with a longer finish of slightly tart red fruit. Tannins still evident at finish. In a good place.
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9/25/2019 - wardamnwine Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is lovely right now.
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9/17/2017 - Dale M wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 3 hrs. Agree with Loren Sonkins recent note - a very good wine though perhaps I had higher expectations of where this stands today. Some funk and a tiny bit of VA blew off pretty quick in the decanter giving the wine a pleasing nose of berries and spice. Sweet, black cherry fruit works with some nice spice layers and pretty good acidity - it just felt a bid muddled together. Hopefully, this is just a by product of youthful adolescence and things will come into clearer focus done the road. I hope to save my last bottle for around 2020 - 22.
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5/26/2017 - bound4er wrote: 87 Points
Nose is slightly muted but does give up some cherry, a bit of funk and white pepper. Not sure I'd guess pinot in a blind tasting - probably would say a leaner style Zin. Palate comes across soft with some cherry and white pepper. An okay tasting wine but in the end one that is rather tiring to drink due to its softness.
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11/16/2016 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 90 Points
Oregon Pinot Noir (Mark's): Another wine that seemed to improve all night. ruby in color but looking a bit flat. The nose starts out quite old and dusty but with air it picks up some cherry fruit. On the palate, this has ripe/sweet red fruits. It turns tart and then a bit clipped on the finish. I wonder if this bottle was off a bit or not, just slightly. In any event, at 8 years old, I thought it might have been a bit better although it was very good to outstanding.
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8/10/2015 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 92 Points
I rated this 91 on night one and increased my rating to 92 on night two...
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7/21/2015 - GARDEN Likes this wine: 92 Points
There is a pronounced flavor of dark cherries. This wine is moving into it's drinking window.
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12/25/2014 - davest wrote:
Needed some time open to really open up but it was amazing after about an hour. Cherries on thepalate and lengthy finish
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7/12/2014 - fdaner wrote: 93 Points
Fresh dark ripe fruit on an inviting nose. It starts off with blackberry then shifts to sour(in a very good way) dark cherry on the palate. It's juicy and fresh from the start and really nice. With about 1 hour in the decanter it picks up weight with iron and sous bois notes added to the tart dark cherry. This is now starting to resemble a top Village level Gevry. It's transformed from good to an excellent wine that is the total package. Fine tannins and very balanced throughout it's evolution. I believe it's just starting to hit it's drinking window. So much better then the first bottle 2 years ago. Drink now with at least 1 hour decant or hold. I'm going to save one for at least 5 years as i believe their is still some upside. This is also a terrific QPR for pinot fans...
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6/17/2014 - stevemn Likes this wine: 88 Points
Fresh and juicy with blackberry and a touch of tart cherry with a long finish of the same.
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4/14/2013 - cbbrown3 wrote: 94 Points
The wine is a nice red to ruby red color. The very nice nose has cherries, baking spices (think cherry pie), some earthiness, fresh wild flowers, minerals, smoke, and a touch of dark chocolate. This has medium body, fairly solid ripe tannins, and good acidity. Fresh and lively on the palate with the cherries and spice carrying the load until some earthy elements come into the picture on the backend adding depth. The finish is long and easy going with the bright cherries and spice again doing the heavy lifting. This may be on the young side but it is very approachable and enjoyable, which really is all that counts.
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3/12/2013 - joe d wrote:
Opened in memory of Bob Wood. RIP Bob.
Very young on the first night - did not decant. Nice medium bodied package, maybe a little oak showing right now. No rough edges. Leaving half for tomorrow night.
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10/29/2012 - Ron Felthoven wrote:
Not particularly closed, or open, for that matter. Seems to have really good potential and was enjoyable if not terribly remarkable. Curiosity got the best of me.
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2/12/2012 - ICanHasWine wrote: 87 Points
Smooth and balanced with aromas and flavors of blackberries, cherries and raspberries and a hint of almost burned pie crust and cinnamon. Very enjoyable.
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1/29/2012 - cbbrown3 wrote: 93 Points
Note from after 2 hours in a decanter. Medium to dark ruby red color. Cherry, blackberry, baking spices, dark chocolate, underbrush, and minerals dominate the nose with hints of licorice, smoke, and fresh flowers. Medium body with fairly solid, ripe tannins and very nice acidity. Rich fruit and spice on the palate with just a hint of an herbal element creeping in on the back end. Long finish with the fruit turning a bit darker and the herbal note coming in late. Very young but extremely tasty today with some air.
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12/13/2011 - NPBWineGuy wrote: 93 Points
Exceptionally smooth for its age. Rounded fruit (cherries, blueberry), balanced.
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12/12/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 89 Points
I haven't had the regular Belle Pente Estate 2008, but I did have the Murto Vineyard bottling. This one is definitely cut from a different cloth - a robust, muscular style of pinot (like Oregon meets Nuits-St.-Georges) in contrast to the Murto's finesse. Sometimes a "Reserve" selection seems to be chosen for flashiness, and sometimes for structure with an eye towards longevity; the rugged tannin here makes me wonder if this is an example of the latter type. But the fruit's pretty and there's some interesting gravelly stuff lurking underneath.
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10/18/2011 - stevemn wrote: 94 Points
Concentrated and rich fruit of black chery and blackberry with just a bit of bitter cherry hiding in there. Nicely balanced with good acidy and tanins and a fresh, fruit-driven finish.
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10/14/2011 - Ron Felthoven wrote: 93 Points
Slow ox'd for 5 hours in bottle. Black/sour cherry, coffee, pencil lead on the nose. More of the same in the mouth, all bound up in a rich, somewhat unctuous mouth feel that finishes with good acid. A really well balanced wine. As this integrates it will get even better. Big but not over the top at all. Great job.
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