Lovely wine. Roses, dried and fresh fruit on the nose. Palate consistent with nose plus a bit of grapefruit rind. Tannins showed up as the bottle sat out (without food). Mouthwatering acidity. Palate is light, true to the vintage. Color just starting to darken in the rim. In a great spot.
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After 4-5yrs in hibernation this wine is ready to party. Paired w hazelnut crusted salmon and wild rice pilaf. The nose alone explodes w bright red fruit. I found myself smelling an empty glass a couple of times. Elegant wine w/ nice weight and concentration. Score with food. Still primary fruit of pomegranate, raspberry and bright cherry. Spice. Grapefruit rind frames the long cherry finish. Tannins not noticeable until drinking wo food. Opened one hr before drinking. Not overly complex but this has added the weight and balanced acidity I was hoping for. Feel like it will be in this drinking window for a while.
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Agree with recent reviewers that the nose is muted, but I gave it about an hour and it started to come out of its shell. Two hours later this was singing! Give it time and focus and you will be rewarded. This was a colder year, less exuberant than other years. The nose offers earth, strawberries and cherries with an understated intensity. The mouthfeel is truly enjoyably soft with round tannins, followed by a surprising lingering taste of raspberries, wet earth, hint of shiitake mushroom and black cherries. This Laurene definitely keeps you searching. This wine is somewhat understated, but should not be underrated...
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Nose very muted which is correct for an 8 year old pinot. However fruit seems muted as well on the palate from this wine that showed power and finesse just a few years ago, now with very few secondary or expected tertiatry components.
I echo the recent reviews. Though very pleasant and light, it must be past its prime based on my long experience with drinking DDO PN (admittedly this is my first tasting of this 9 year old vintage; I should have been more vigilant about sampling over the years). Drink now (2020).
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Late to the party, alas its glory slightly faded. When I asked the vineyard how to approach opening this, here was their response: "Our winemaker, Véronique, is not a big believer in decanting older vintages. The oxygen can effect the wine fairly quickly." Bon chance!
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While greatly enjoyed 4 years ago, this is now in decline. Inviting red color with translucent rose-colored meniscus. Pleasant aromatics of cherry, rhubarb and other red fruits, but faded over the course of the evening. Fruit also present on the attack, but wine drifts into a thin, hollow middle and finish. Surprisingly still tart on the finish. Sulfites very much in presence - we all ended up with headaches several hours later. Drink up.
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Good but not great. The nose was great - floral and red fruit. The palate just seemed a little thin and slightly flabby. The finish was pleasant but it didn't all work together.
Great bouquet, good initial taste, fruit is ok, does not have the earthiness to add that extra to the wine, it opened up a bit but never hit its stride and fruit died a bit towards the end, wine seems to be on the downside, drank with rack of local lamb, would not drink again.
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PNP: Pinot nose with a certain sharp- and youthfulness attached to it. On the palate pleasant; decent volume, with a noticeable tannins and acidity. As the wine warms up it becomes a bit more expansive. On the whole a bit ethereal; relatively short finish. I am not sure there is much more up-side in this wine. I would say: drink up while it is still in good shape
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Fascinating wine, not much bouquet, earthy , balanced, medium bodied, good structure with complexity,drank easier than expected, drank with NZ rack of lamb, not sure if it has much more life as fruit is ebbing, will drink again since Ihave another bottle, the entire package works well even if fruit is lacking.
Tasted at the winery. Another of many examples on this trip of 2011 Pinot’s that are aging great and will be gorgeous for many years to come. It is a light to medium ruby color with an earthy and spicy nose that screams white pepper. The acidity and tannin are both medium high but starting to integrate. The mouth feel is quite rich and the flavors include spicy raspberry, strawberry and earthy mushroom in complex layers and a long finish. This is one to look for and way better than the critics surmised!
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Excellent Ore. PN. Not super pronounced in any aspect but nicely balanced between NW light red fruit, earthiness and round wood influence. Bright and tart. Medium weight and length. There are better at this price point but not a waste of money either.
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This wine lacks any definition. no finish , very little fruit and just not enjoyable. Other Drouhin wines have been much more enjoyable. Much better Oregon pinots out there for this price
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Showing much more elegance than the 2012 but still pretty ripe for a 2011. Not some much of the Dundee Hills big cherry. Having some pomegranate and cranberry mixed in. Needed 60 minutes of air to start opening up. Good to drink now with a brief decant or wait 2-4 years.
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One of two pinots served at our wine tasting party (other was 2012 Walt Savoy vineyard). Selected based upon a big variance in the pro reviews (ranged from 85 to 96). Found the wine to be pleasant and fruit forward, a nice balance of cherry and red berry flavors. Finish was shorter than I expected. Not as great as the best score, but far better than the worst- in my opinion.
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Light cherry color with rose-colored meniscus. Medium intensity, bright cherry, red floral notes on the nose. Really sings on the palate: tart cherry, red fruits, some cola on the palate. Medium finish. Excellent.
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Medium nose, notes of red fruits, plum, strawberry. Herbal notes, oak, spices, game, mushroom. Palate is dry, high acid, med- tannin, med body, med+ intensity. Notes of red fruits, fresh plum, strawberry, raspberry, sour red cherry. Herbal, spice, oak. Slight earth. Medium finish. Oak well integrated, good complexity, lacking in concentration.
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A Day in the Willamette Valley (Willamette Valley, OR): Wood, spice, smoke, berries, and a touch of tea. Body shows cranberry, bing cherry, tart acidity and very fine tannins. Quite structured at this stage, and certainly ready to pair well with food.
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Opened & poured three short glasses. Enjoyed with a variety of cheese & charcuterie as Hors d'oeuvres before Christmas dinner. This showed a spicy nose with some red fruit lingering about. The palate is nuanced & effortless. Even with limited airtime, this showed exceptional fruit/structure balance & so many layers to consider.
Fast forward to after dinner. We opened more wine to pair with Filets for Christmas dinner, so just under half the bottle breathed for an additional 3-4 hours. This is now showing elegant red fruit, soft acid & just enough tannin to show some muscle. The package is much tighter from aromatics to finish with the airtime. The finish lingers. Spectacular wine.
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On the nose plenty of spice (white pepper) on palate some bitterness (Is this a common trait of Drouhin of Oregon?) Interesting and sufficiently complex for me to buy a bottle. We'll wait an\d see...
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Let's face it. 2011 was a down year for Oregon Pinot. Yet, this winery has shown the ability to produce fine Pinot for many years. It is young and tight, but should be much better in a few years.
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12/29/2023 - Oregonnative Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely wine. Roses, dried and fresh fruit on the nose. Palate consistent with nose plus a bit of grapefruit rind. Tannins showed up as the bottle sat out (without food). Mouthwatering acidity. Palate is light, true to the vintage. Color just starting to darken in the rim. In a great spot.
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9/30/2023 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Delightful. Very rich and very fruity. Well balanced with also some earthy flavors and hints of Christmas spice. Long finish.
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6/4/2023 - jenapple Likes this wine: 90 Points
Still tasting delightful. So ready to drink right away.
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11/11/2022 - Ganso Likes this wine: 93 Points
Raspberry,strawberry,mature red fruits.
The aroma is explosive!!!!
Still some acidity,ready to drink.
Do not decant…
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1/23/2022 - jmcafee Likes this wine:
Very, very lovely as per my previous notes.
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3/8/2021 - jmcafee wrote:
Aerate or decant. This will smooth out the finish. Lovely, with bright acidity and well aged fruit. Drink through 2023.
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12/31/2020 - Oregonnative Likes this wine: 95 Points
After 4-5yrs in hibernation this wine is ready to party. Paired w hazelnut crusted salmon and wild rice pilaf. The nose alone explodes w bright red fruit. I found myself smelling an empty glass a couple of times. Elegant wine w/ nice weight and concentration. Score with food. Still primary fruit of pomegranate, raspberry and bright cherry. Spice. Grapefruit rind frames the long cherry finish. Tannins not noticeable until drinking wo food. Opened one hr before drinking. Not overly complex but this has added the weight and balanced acidity I was hoping for. Feel like it will be in this drinking window for a while.
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11/29/2020 - andreask888 Likes this wine: 94 Points
This was fantastic compared to my previous bottle. Refined restrained come to mind here. Good fruit healthy acidity and gentle tannic structure.
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10/18/2020 - redz wrote: 91 Points
rich pinot noir, holding up well
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9/11/2020 - Explorateur Likes this wine: 91 Points
Agree with recent reviewers that the nose is muted, but I gave it about an hour and it started to come out of its shell. Two hours later this was singing! Give it time and focus and you will be rewarded. This was a colder year, less exuberant than other years. The nose offers earth, strawberries and cherries with an understated intensity. The mouthfeel is truly enjoyably soft with round tannins, followed by a surprising lingering taste of raspberries, wet earth, hint of shiitake mushroom and black cherries. This Laurene definitely keeps you searching. This wine is somewhat understated, but should not be underrated...
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6/15/2020 - andreask888 wrote: 88 Points
Nose very muted which is correct for an 8 year old pinot. However fruit seems muted as well on the palate from this wine that showed power and finesse just a few years ago, now with very few secondary or expected tertiatry components.
Either in a dumb phase over the hill already.
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5/22/2020 - jmcafee Likes this wine:
I echo the recent reviews. Though very pleasant and light, it must be past its prime based on my long experience with drinking DDO PN (admittedly this is my first tasting of this 9 year old vintage; I should have been more vigilant about sampling over the years). Drink now (2020).
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5/22/2020 - Carib Likes this wine: 89 Points
Late to the party, alas its glory slightly faded. When I asked the vineyard how to approach opening this, here was their response: "Our winemaker, Véronique, is not a big believer in decanting older vintages. The oxygen can effect the wine fairly quickly." Bon chance!
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5/7/2020 - vino_per_tutti wrote: 89 Points
While greatly enjoyed 4 years ago, this is now in decline. Inviting red color with translucent rose-colored meniscus. Pleasant aromatics of cherry, rhubarb and other red fruits, but faded over the course of the evening. Fruit also present on the attack, but wine drifts into a thin, hollow middle and finish. Surprisingly still tart on the finish. Sulfites very much in presence - we all ended up with headaches several hours later. Drink up.
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4/24/2020 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Good but not great. The nose was great - floral and red fruit. The palate just seemed a little thin and slightly flabby. The finish was pleasant but it didn't all work together.
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3/20/2020 - mwneil wrote: 90 Points
Great bouquet, good initial taste, fruit is ok, does not have the earthiness to add that extra to the wine, it opened up a bit but never hit its stride and fruit died a bit towards the end, wine seems to be on the downside, drank with rack of local lamb, would not drink again.
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3/23/2019 - Bandreas wrote:
PNP: Pinot nose with a certain sharp- and youthfulness attached to it.
On the palate pleasant; decent volume, with a noticeable tannins and acidity.
As the wine warms up it becomes a bit more expansive.
On the whole a bit ethereal; relatively short finish.
I am not sure there is much more up-side in this wine. I would say: drink up while it is still in good shape
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3/20/2019 - golfhawk wrote: 89 Points
Drinking great now but a little lighter than I was expecting. I will pair it with some lighter fare next time.
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1/15/2019 - xuaeinw wrote: 92 Points
Definitely in its prime now.
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10/26/2018 - mwneil Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fascinating wine, not much bouquet, earthy , balanced, medium bodied, good structure with complexity,drank easier than expected, drank with NZ rack of lamb, not sure if it has much more life as fruit is ebbing, will drink again since Ihave another bottle, the entire package works well even if fruit is lacking.
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8/23/2017 - oldwines Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted at the winery. Another of many examples on this trip of 2011 Pinot’s that are aging great and will be gorgeous for many years to come. It is a light to medium ruby color with an earthy and spicy nose that screams white pepper. The acidity and tannin are both medium high but starting to integrate. The mouth feel is quite rich and the flavors include spicy raspberry, strawberry and earthy mushroom in complex layers and a long finish. This is one to look for and way better than the critics surmised!
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7/10/2017 - Muledog71 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Bigger style of Willamette Pinot, prob has years to go to boot! Pepper on the finish, cherry on the palette, medium finish with loads of acid.
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4/6/2017 - jmasterj Likes this wine: 90 Points
Excellent Ore. PN. Not super pronounced in any aspect but nicely balanced between NW light red fruit, earthiness and round wood influence. Bright and tart. Medium weight and length. There are better at this price point but not a waste of money either.
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3/26/2017 - Dr. Claret Does not like this wine: 85 Points
This wine lacks any definition. no finish , very little fruit and just not enjoyable. Other Drouhin wines have been much more enjoyable. Much better Oregon pinots out there for this price
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11/24/2016 - jasonh wrote:
Showing much more elegance than the 2012 but still pretty ripe for a 2011. Not some much of the Dundee Hills big cherry. Having some pomegranate and cranberry mixed in. Needed 60 minutes of air to start opening up. Good to drink now with a brief decant or wait 2-4 years.
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3/27/2016 - kmcfadden wrote: 90 Points
Very floral and delicate.
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12/27/2015 - wine4lux Likes this wine: 90 Points
One of two pinots served at our wine tasting party (other was 2012 Walt Savoy vineyard). Selected based upon a big variance in the pro reviews (ranged from 85 to 96). Found the wine to be pleasant and fruit forward, a nice balance of cherry and red berry flavors. Finish was shorter than I expected. Not as great as the best score, but far better than the worst- in my opinion.
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12/5/2015 - vino_per_tutti Likes this wine: 92 Points
Light cherry color with rose-colored meniscus. Medium intensity, bright cherry, red floral notes on the nose. Really sings on the palate: tart cherry, red fruits, some cola on the palate. Medium finish. Excellent.
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8/7/2015 - PT insurgent wrote:
Medium nose, notes of red fruits, plum, strawberry. Herbal notes, oak, spices, game, mushroom.
Palate is dry, high acid, med- tannin, med body, med+ intensity. Notes of red fruits, fresh plum, strawberry, raspberry, sour red cherry. Herbal, spice, oak. Slight earth. Medium finish.
Oak well integrated, good complexity, lacking in concentration.
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5/26/2015 - Yale79 Does not like this wine: 88 Points
Passive, thin, uninspiring.
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5/24/2015 - dpolivy wrote: 91 Points
A Day in the Willamette Valley (Willamette Valley, OR): Wood, spice, smoke, berries, and a touch of tea. Body shows cranberry, bing cherry, tart acidity and very fine tannins. Quite structured at this stage, and certainly ready to pair well with food.
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5/7/2015 - cupoverflowing1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
best wine from our Drouhin tasting
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4/1/2015 - mrad Likes this wine: 94 Points
Complex. Concentrated. Substantial.
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3/6/2015 - mwneil Likes this wine: 92 Points
full bodied PN, balanced and complex with excellent mouth feel, earthy but fruit blends in nicely, drank with rack of lamb; will drink again.
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2/28/2015 - cstatile Likes this wine: 93 Points
The Laurene never disappoints. Let it breath for at least 2 hours prior to drinking. Pepper nose, lots of fruit up front with a long finish.
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12/25/2014 - Anthony Lombardi Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened & poured three short glasses. Enjoyed with a variety of cheese & charcuterie as Hors d'oeuvres before Christmas dinner. This showed a spicy nose with some red fruit lingering about. The palate is nuanced & effortless. Even with limited airtime, this showed exceptional fruit/structure balance & so many layers to consider.
Fast forward to after dinner. We opened more wine to pair with Filets for Christmas dinner, so just under half the bottle breathed for an additional 3-4 hours. This is now showing elegant red fruit, soft acid & just enough tannin to show some muscle. The package is much tighter from aromatics to finish with the airtime. The finish lingers. Spectacular wine.
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10/9/2014 - Bandreas wrote: 87 Points
On the nose plenty of spice (white pepper)
on palate some bitterness (Is this a common trait of Drouhin of Oregon?) Interesting and sufficiently complex for me to buy a bottle. We'll wait an\d see...
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3/20/2014 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 89 Points
judgement of sweden - wines from oregon and washington state (Operaterassen, Stockholm): bottled but not yet labelled and distributed. Has a good nose, perhaps on the light side of pinot (it was a lean year, I know) but there is structure beneath.
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3/5/2014 - pinhigh wrote: 89 Points
Let's face it. 2011 was a down year for Oregon Pinot. Yet, this winery has shown the ability to produce fine Pinot for many years. It is young and tight, but should be much better in a few years.
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6/2/2013 - Jake112380 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Day Trip to the Willamette Valley (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Spicy nose with red and black fruit notes. Huge through the palate with black cherry and earth flavors. Pie cherry finish. Needs to lay down for a few years.
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