Bright red fruits, delicious, long finish. Great mid-palate. Again though, at the end of the third night this shows a slightly astringent finish. Less than last bottle, but this may be a sign of some decline. Still, a wonderful wine, and especially for the price. Drinking well now, and for another 5-8 years?
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Bottle # 10 of 14. Blasting nose of deep, ripe cherries. Palate rich and deep, though it starts thin and builds over time. Great mid-palate. Slightly astringent finish detracts from this slightly. Note from the second night. Hard to tell how much time this has in hand. Tannins emerge towards the end, and not sure if it's cracking up or showing structure for a long life. I might vote the former. Hmmmm......
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Bottle #9 of 14. Absolutely stellar at first, then cracking up and seeming to fall apart on the second night, and finally pulling itself together somewhat to show the possibility of its age worthiness on the third evening. Significant acid and tannin there on the second night, and even some on the third, but more secondaries and even some tertiaries showing up to balance that. Brilliantly primary and laden with 08 vintage ripe fruit, with superb cut and nuance that first evening, so not sure what this foretells. I have to say I love this wine, I remember remarking that first evening that this could easily pass as a top 1er Cru from a superb vintage. Enjoy, this is a beauty.
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Vegetal nose of tomato plant, green pepper, herbs, and pine needles. On the palate, red cherry and plum, green and red bell pepper, cayenne, and graphite. Lots of green notes. First bottle was corked. Lighter bodied Oregon Pinot - 13% alcohol.
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Beautiful, vibrant, deep, still dark Burgundy red color, with some slight lightening on rim. Nuanced, spicy, deep, brambly pinot nose. Dark fruits on the palate, with crisp acidity, and substantial medium grained tannins still. Finishes with some dark bitter chocolate notes, is a tad shortish, and while the mid-palate could develop, this is a serious, layered, subtle yet strong and dynamic, tastefully built and delicious pinot. This has decidedly gained stature. Distinctly new world, but not in the over-extracted or over ripe sense, more just very deep fruited and muscular, which is a big shift from its lacy early years. I can't believe I actually had the discipline to let this go the two years I intended, and am glad I did, as this is showing its ageability and quality. Twould be a waste to consume this bottling early. Plenty, and I mean plenty, of potential and time in hand - and really, not quite ready yet. Almost. So glad I have another 6 bottles to relish over the coming decade plus. A true winner. 92pts, with upside possible.
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for the money, this is an extraordinary value. The flavors are not your typical new world pinot. What I found was a domiannt floral nose with red currants and strawberry rhubard behind this. Prominent nose. The mouth feel is lively and explosive and full of exotics high toned red berry fruit with a tinge of metallic as well as stems. That bitterness was mildly the way of the purity of the fruit, but not so much that I couldn't enjoy it. As a matter of fact, after a glass I was done and didn't want to indulge anymore - just tired from work - but couldn't resist the flavors and had to revisit. First time with this winery and for $18 paid, I can't think of a better new world pinot for the price that has so much going on.
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Good mouthfeel, Black fruit, currants, bitter cherry. At the winery the winemaker talked about Hungarian oak and we noted some caramel flavors then. These are less apparent now but may be contributing to the depth. Agree with the full, dense comment. Not a wimpy wine. Full, fruit forward but balanced and great QPR.
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Tasted side by side with 2007 Johan Estate, with notes, over three days. Obviously deeper, denser, less acid, more tannins. A blast of brambly, slightly candied, crushed berries on the nose. Earthy and rich, with some wood notes on the palate. I pick up a bit of a nice granulated sugar texture. Medium bodied and delicious, this bottle confirms its ageability. Starting to come a bit out of its shell. Give it another couple of years, and it'll last for ten more after that. 91+
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Nicely done. Nice aroma of berry/cheery, good fruit to go along with the aroma, not a great finish. Too little less acid for my palate. A good wine all around though.
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Side by side with 08 Amalie Robert Vintage Debut. A bit more depth of color. Much more explosively fruity, more crushed berries/cherry cobbler in orientation, more alcohol, varnish, heat as it warms. Deeper, cherry cola hints, brambly, more fruit yet also drier, more crunchy primary fruit, dry, sour, some heat, and definitely more ho-hum on the palate. Over time showing more of a tendency towards flabbiness. Not sure about the balance here, combined with maybe being a bit too forward for aging potential. Losing its vivacious youth, and not sure there's anywhere else to go. Drink on the cool side! 91 now, with maybe a point to the upside. 2011-2020. Yawn.
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Superb. Consistent notes. This is a sleek, red fruited hottie. I am normally not a 'drink em up young' kinda guy, but this wine is corrupting me. This does seem to be deepening, more cola and earth emerging, and I'm noticing that I'm racing to catch these in their exquisitely vibrant youth. I'll use these to help wait for my other 08s to rest, hope I'm not making a mistake as these have all the materials and balance to be brilliant later also. I'll keep a few bottles of this stashed just to be sure, and see what happens. Even with all the great 09 Bojos out there, this is an excellent choice for an under $20 house red. Sexy! 2 nights later this is beginning to break down. Intuition to drink early seems right on.....
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Pop and pour - served alongside Roast Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze. Incredibly bright cranberry nose. Showing a little more earth and Oregonness on the palate, and the 08 vintage is starting to show itself - depth and structure emering to balance the superb fruit. This is best served at cellar temp right now - 60 degrees is a bit too warm and loses the bright red fruitedness. Still outstanding - superb balance, beautiful acidity and hidden tannins. I can't remember a young wine I've enjoyed more. Consistent notes, though maybe the last bottle was a bit off or served too warm. No rush, as my last noted hinted, though I can discern a subtle deepening. I have to say I'm in no rush for this to change in any way, this is brilliantly bright right now. Wowza!
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This bottle more evolved, less crisp, more oriented to crushed tart cranberries and sour red fruits. Much more candied and blowsy. Served a bit warmer, maybe 62 degrees, so not sure if this difference is from bottle variation, but it sure seems very different from previous bottles. Hmmm.... Next evening, served at 57 degrees. Rebounding a bit, but I'm wondering 'Is this starting to go into a bit of a shell?' Open, forthcoming nose of soft black cherries and red berries, sweet floral notes, amber, caramel, some alcohol and vanilla, yet interestingly, at the same time muted a bit. On the palate this shows a deeper register of earthy, spicy, tart, blazingly acidic, strong black and red fruits, and subtle, buried, but very present fine tannins. Finish a tiny bit clipped, but then continues, lending evidence to the 'closing down' theory. This has put on substantial weight and will age. Maybe this is passing quickly through its glorious youth. If you have a few bottles, and if it's been stored in a cool cellar, try one now!
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Consistent with, and maybe even better than, previous note. This is in an excellent place right now. Beautiful lifted candied red cherry liqueur nose. Strong, forward, sweet red fruits, balancing and even bracing acidity, nice drying tannins. A longer finish would spill it into the next level, but this is a delicious, well made and unbelievably great QPR. Years ahead of it, but this is super hard to resist now. Not many wines I would choose the blush and vibrancy of youth over a more nuanced and mature version, but this is one. Can this get better?
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Bright pomegranate red. Lifted, spicy, ripe cherry/raspberry nose. Bright, savory, tart, red fruit attack, with a burst in the mid palate of spice, ripe red-fruit sweetness, and a bit of Luden's cough drops on the tail end. A pleasant bitterness on the finish and inner cheek coating dryness. Excellent acidity, this is clean and light, in a very flavor-filled way. Not built on tannins. Nor extra long or dense or powerful or max anything, I can see this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Smokers especially beware, this wine is very understated and sleek, crisp and crunchy. Subtleties galore for the sensitive pinotphile. If this is what 08 Oregon pinots are like in the mid range, whooo-eee! 91 pure quality, 93 personal preference.
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Dundee Hills Tasting Event In Portland (Portland, OR): When I smell this, I get notes of caramel, blackberries, and pine lumber. The blackberries are gentle on the palate and some crisp raspberries show as well. Some oak comes into play toward the finish. Everything is clean and direct, and even though it isn't too complex, the blackberry fruit is good.
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Wow! This wine was good when we tasted it at the winery but after it rested a few weeks, we opened this and were amazed by the entire experience of this wine. From the sound of the cork leaving the bottle to the first scent of the wine, the aroma of cherry and berries flooded my nose. The wine was carmel-like (is that a word?) and filled the mouth with a super nice balance of sweet-tart flavors. It would have been nice if the finish was a bit longer (the flavors were so wonderful on the palate!) but perhaps I was simply enjoying the wine too much! The only sad part was that at some point, we had to finish the bottle.
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3/12/2018 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Bright red fruits, delicious, long finish. Great mid-palate. Again though, at the end of the third night this shows a slightly astringent finish. Less than last bottle, but this may be a sign of some decline. Still, a wonderful wine, and especially for the price. Drinking well now, and for another 5-8 years?
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11/12/2017 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Bottle # 10 of 14. Blasting nose of deep, ripe cherries. Palate rich and deep, though it starts thin and builds over time. Great mid-palate. Slightly astringent finish detracts from this slightly. Note from the second night. Hard to tell how much time this has in hand. Tannins emerge towards the end, and not sure if it's cracking up or showing structure for a long life. I might vote the former. Hmmmm......
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11/17/2015 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Bottle #9 of 14. Absolutely stellar at first, then cracking up and seeming to fall apart on the second night, and finally pulling itself together somewhat to show the possibility of its age worthiness on the third evening. Significant acid and tannin there on the second night, and even some on the third, but more secondaries and even some tertiaries showing up to balance that. Brilliantly primary and laden with 08 vintage ripe fruit, with superb cut and nuance that first evening, so not sure what this foretells. I have to say I love this wine, I remember remarking that first evening that this could easily pass as a top 1er Cru from a superb vintage. Enjoy, this is a beauty.
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1/3/2015 - Rollerball wrote: 90 Points
Holds your interest in a triangular frame with bitter clove and orange.
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9/7/2014 - Rollerball wrote: 89 Points
Still very good but came off aggressively sharper than prior bottles. Age may be revealing an imbalance.
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3/12/2014 - SLR204 wrote: 88 Points
Vegetal nose of tomato plant, green pepper, herbs, and pine needles. On the palate, red cherry and plum, green and red bell pepper, cayenne, and graphite. Lots of green notes. First bottle was corked. Lighter bodied Oregon Pinot - 13% alcohol.
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10/30/2013 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful, vibrant, deep, still dark Burgundy red color, with some slight lightening on rim. Nuanced, spicy, deep, brambly pinot nose. Dark fruits on the palate, with crisp acidity, and substantial medium grained tannins still. Finishes with some dark bitter chocolate notes, is a tad shortish, and while the mid-palate could develop, this is a serious, layered, subtle yet strong and dynamic, tastefully built and delicious pinot. This has decidedly gained stature. Distinctly new world, but not in the over-extracted or over ripe sense, more just very deep fruited and muscular, which is a big shift from its lacy early years. I can't believe I actually had the discipline to let this go the two years I intended, and am glad I did, as this is showing its ageability and quality. Twould be a waste to consume this bottling early. Plenty, and I mean plenty, of potential and time in hand - and really, not quite ready yet. Almost. So glad I have another 6 bottles to relish over the coming decade plus. A true winner. 92pts, with upside possible.
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10/23/2012 - UpfromtheCellar wrote: 84 Points
Nasty. Poorly made. Disappointing.
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2/9/2012 - lolo66 wrote:
for the money, this is an extraordinary value. The flavors are not your typical new world pinot. What I found was a domiannt floral nose with red currants and strawberry rhubard behind this. Prominent nose. The mouth feel is lively and explosive and full of exotics high toned red berry fruit with a tinge of metallic as well as stems. That bitterness was mildly the way of the purity of the fruit, but not so much that I couldn't enjoy it. As a matter of fact, after a glass I was done and didn't want to indulge anymore - just tired from work - but couldn't resist the flavors and had to revisit.
First time with this winery and for $18 paid, I can't think of a better new world pinot for the price that has so much going on.
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11/27/2011 - Rollerball wrote: 92 Points
Playful redfruits unfold, revealing a refreshing, minerally core. A shadow of its former self on day two.
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11/17/2011 - Atwellian wrote: 89 Points
Good mouthfeel, Black fruit, currants, bitter cherry. At the winery the winemaker talked about Hungarian oak and we noted some caramel flavors then. These are less apparent now but may be contributing to the depth. Agree with the full, dense comment. Not a wimpy wine. Full, fruit forward but balanced and great QPR.
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8/21/2011 - sawira wrote: 91 Points
Tasted side by side with 2007 Johan Estate, with notes, over three days. Obviously deeper, denser, less acid, more tannins. A blast of brambly, slightly candied, crushed berries on the nose. Earthy and rich, with some wood notes on the palate. I pick up a bit of a nice granulated sugar texture. Medium bodied and delicious, this bottle confirms its ageability. Starting to come a bit out of its shell. Give it another couple of years, and it'll last for ten more after that. 91+
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4/27/2011 - twofthrs wrote: 89 Points
Nicely done. Nice aroma of berry/cheery, good fruit to go along with the aroma, not a great finish. Too little less acid for my palate. A good wine all around though.
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4/4/2011 - sawira wrote: 91 Points
Side by side with 08 Amalie Robert Vintage Debut. A bit more depth of color. Much more explosively fruity, more crushed berries/cherry cobbler in orientation, more alcohol, varnish, heat as it warms. Deeper, cherry cola hints, brambly, more fruit yet also drier, more crunchy primary fruit, dry, sour, some heat, and definitely more ho-hum on the palate. Over time showing more of a tendency towards flabbiness. Not sure about the balance here, combined with maybe being a bit too forward for aging potential. Losing its vivacious youth, and not sure there's anywhere else to go. Drink on the cool side! 91 now, with maybe a point to the upside. 2011-2020. Yawn.
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1/18/2011 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Superb. Consistent notes. This is a sleek, red fruited hottie. I am normally not a 'drink em up young' kinda guy, but this wine is corrupting me. This does seem to be deepening, more cola and earth emerging, and I'm noticing that I'm racing to catch these in their exquisitely vibrant youth. I'll use these to help wait for my other 08s to rest, hope I'm not making a mistake as these have all the materials and balance to be brilliant later also. I'll keep a few bottles of this stashed just to be sure, and see what happens. Even with all the great 09 Bojos out there, this is an excellent choice for an under $20 house red. Sexy!
2 nights later this is beginning to break down. Intuition to drink early seems right on.....
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12/21/2010 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Pop and pour - served alongside Roast Chicken with Pomegranate Glaze. Incredibly bright cranberry nose. Showing a little more earth and Oregonness on the palate, and the 08 vintage is starting to show itself - depth and structure emering to balance the superb fruit. This is best served at cellar temp right now - 60 degrees is a bit too warm and loses the bright red fruitedness. Still outstanding - superb balance, beautiful acidity and hidden tannins. I can't remember a young wine I've enjoyed more. Consistent notes, though maybe the last bottle was a bit off or served too warm. No rush, as my last noted hinted, though I can discern a subtle deepening. I have to say I'm in no rush for this to change in any way, this is brilliantly bright right now. Wowza!
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12/13/2010 - sawira wrote: 87 Points
This bottle more evolved, less crisp, more oriented to crushed tart cranberries and sour red fruits. Much more candied and blowsy. Served a bit warmer, maybe 62 degrees, so not sure if this difference is from bottle variation, but it sure seems very different from previous bottles. Hmmm....
Next evening, served at 57 degrees. Rebounding a bit, but I'm wondering 'Is this starting to go into a bit of a shell?' Open, forthcoming nose of soft black cherries and red berries, sweet floral notes, amber, caramel, some alcohol and vanilla, yet interestingly, at the same time muted a bit. On the palate this shows a deeper register of earthy, spicy, tart, blazingly acidic, strong black and red fruits, and subtle, buried, but very present fine tannins. Finish a tiny bit clipped, but then continues, lending evidence to the 'closing down' theory. This has put on substantial weight and will age. Maybe this is passing quickly through its glorious youth. If you have a few bottles, and if it's been stored in a cool cellar, try one now!
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11/22/2010 - sawira wrote: 92 Points
Consistent with, and maybe even better than, previous note. This is in an excellent place right now. Beautiful lifted candied red cherry liqueur nose. Strong, forward, sweet red fruits, balancing and even bracing acidity, nice drying tannins. A longer finish would spill it into the next level, but this is a delicious, well made and unbelievably great QPR. Years ahead of it, but this is super hard to resist now. Not many wines I would choose the blush and vibrancy of youth over a more nuanced and mature version, but this is one. Can this get better?
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11/9/2010 - sawira wrote: 91 Points
Bright pomegranate red. Lifted, spicy, ripe cherry/raspberry nose. Bright, savory, tart, red fruit attack, with a burst in the mid palate of spice, ripe red-fruit sweetness, and a bit of Luden's cough drops on the tail end. A pleasant bitterness on the finish and inner cheek coating dryness. Excellent acidity, this is clean and light, in a very flavor-filled way. Not built on tannins. Nor extra long or dense or powerful or max anything, I can see this wouldn't be everyone's cup of tea. Smokers especially beware, this wine is very understated and sleek, crisp and crunchy. Subtleties galore for the sensitive pinotphile. If this is what 08 Oregon pinots are like in the mid range, whooo-eee! 91 pure quality, 93 personal preference.
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8/26/2010 - subtlet wrote: 88 Points
Dundee Hills Tasting Event In Portland (Portland, OR): When I smell this, I get notes of caramel, blackberries, and pine lumber. The blackberries are gentle on the palate and some crisp raspberries show as well. Some oak comes into play toward the finish. Everything is clean and direct, and even though it isn't too complex, the blackberry fruit is good.
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6/1/2010 - Beaujolais Beaut wrote:
Wow! This wine was good when we tasted it at the winery but after it rested a few weeks, we opened this and were amazed by the entire experience of this wine. From the sound of the cork leaving the bottle to the first scent of the wine, the aroma of cherry and berries flooded my nose. The wine was carmel-like (is that a word?) and filled the mouth with a super nice balance of sweet-tart flavors. It would have been nice if the finish was a bit longer (the flavors were so wonderful on the palate!) but perhaps I was simply enjoying the wine too much! The only sad part was that at some point, we had to finish the bottle.
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