Coravin'd for two hours. Medium light color with a wide clear rim tapering to a "read through" core. Bright red cherry, cinnamon, and sweet herbs on the nose lead to flavors of cherry, cranberry and some darker fruit elements. The texture is firm without being lean. There's a balanced concentration with evident tannins. Lithe and polished, this is quite elegant for the vintage. 90pts. Now through 2020.
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At J & A's. Med red color with orange hue. Burgundian fruit and great spice with what another reviewer adroitly called 'sweat' and 'funk'. Almost an animal-attraction thing and I loved it. Best pinot of the week.
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Brown, spicy, mulchy aromas with yellow lentils, bay and ethereal old Pinot notes of veggie stock, menthol and sweat. The palate is sweetly fruited with raspberry at mid and lemony acidity at mid to long. There is a bit of hard, citrus zest bitterness on the finish that is not unappealing. This is lovely and silky but has a cloying character at mid that makes it hard to drink much. Good length.
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PnP. Wonderful out of the bottle. Much better than the bottle I opened just 5 months ago. Seemed to lose a little by the end of the evening, so think at least this bottle was about at peak. Suggest drink up.
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Opened for three hours but not decanted. Medium color with a hint of brick dust in the otherwise wide clear rim. Savory, briary nose with earth, red berries and sweet spices. The spicy red fruit flavors are well focused, bright and lively with cinnamon gumball and spice cake flavors. Rather light on its feet, this snappy effort is drinking well now and will certainly hold if not improve with a bit more time in the cellar. Considerably more evolved than a bottle from the same case in February, drink now through 2013.
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Quick note. Nose classic Pinot fruit. Palate rich with fruit and the tannin/acid structure is mellow, only becoming noticeable on the medium finish. This is hold up very well for an "entry level" wine.
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This has not lost a beat - still loaded with sweet cherry and classic earth flavors that saturate the palate and a finish that was quite lengthy. Nose was of beautiful strawberries. Yum! Was as good as the first time I tried this about 4 years ago. Sadly, I consumed my last bottle during the Final Four. I seemed to recall WS thought this would last until 2015 - I think they're right - wish I had more.
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Semi-translucent ruby in color and a nose of strawberry & rhubarb. Strawberry & raspberry fruit bright and forward with dark cherry cola, mild green/black pepper wrapped in mild cedar tannins. Very long finish.
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Decanted and enjoyed over two hours. Medium dark, young primary color. Unmistakeably Cristom/Doerner whole cluster spices--exotic, sweet. Tart cranberry rhubarb flavors with notes of tart cherry and fruit skin. Very bright and primary. Reminds me of a young Chorey les Beaune. Somebody thinks this is ready to drink? Not me. Best guess--2012-2016.
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What a good drinker and good QPR! Midweight with dull color. Everything is in balance, with spice and cherry and meat. Beautiful acidity and integrated tannins, giving rise to a lithe wine that pulls you back easily.
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4th in our all Pinot month. This is more like it. After a pretty big Zenith from Oregon, this is leaner, with good but not heavy fruit. Sharp but not noticeable acidity until it is looked for. Extremely refreshing, so much so we easily finished the bottle over dinner, which doesn't happen with heavier wines. ABV is
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First time I've had this wine. Nose: Heavy earthy nose with traces of rose petals and briary red fruit. Palate: Soft flavors of cherry with nice richness, but the flavors are very light and subtle almost to a fault. The flavor intensity does not match the medium richness, however there is good acidity and this pairs well with the pork chops on the Weber grill. Nice wine but would not buy again. I prefer more presence in my OR Pinots.
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Tasted February 21, 2008 as part of the WinExiles tasting for February. Opened and decanted about an hour before serving. Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear hue throughout. Some hints of leather, roasted meat and dustiness up front followed by some raspberries and soft brown spices. Flavors of black cherries, raspberries and red berries. Bright acidity, young tannins, light to medium body. Drink now with a short decant or over the short to perhaps medium term.
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With its strong acid core this has a way to go before reaching its apex, but it's already showing well. Pale and rosy, with subtle notes of baking spices and ripe but delicate cranberry, strawberry, and currant flavors. Fine, with excellent length. This should become deeper and more velvety in just a few years. A good pairing with a mushroom-festooned bolognese vodka-tomato-cream sauce pasta dish. Fermented with 45% whole clusters and native yeasts.
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Had this over 2 days. Oh wow…what great aromatics. Showing its stem inclusion. On the second day there was more toasty oak showing. This is very young and behaving like it. Big fruit and big acid with a small touch of sweet tannin. With its youthful changes, the wine had put on some weight on day two. It also showed a slightly more funky earthy side. Thankfully, the still present acid kept a nice balance on the wine. This wine reminded me of a Brewer Clifton … but at $28, I found much easier on my bank account. My initial guess would be to drink this over the next 9-12 months or lay it down for 3-5 years.
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Medium raspberry red hue, considerably lighter than the Eileen by comparison. Dark mushroom compost aroma that seems to typify many '05s around here. Quite jammy, red cherry, some pepper, spice and smoke, good acidity but not dense. Not as complex and interesting as the Eileen or Sommer's Reserve, but yet considerably less expensive. So which would you choose?
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Pinot Palooza: Zesty nose of bubble gum and stems, w/some nice bal frt mixed in; good mth, OK I guess. Must get used to this, and some say it ages better.
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Enjoyable pinot, but this one needs time to open up. Drank over the course of 6 hours and would recommend decanting at least 2 hours prior to consumption to smooth out the hard edges. Typical aromas of red cherries, red raspberries, and faint barnyard. Same fruit and a hint of spice on the palate; sour cherry on the finish. For $30, this is a very good Oregon pinot.
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Tasted June 16, 2007 at the winery. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of raspberries, spice and white pepper. Light flavors of raspberries, red berries and red cherries. Light acidity, firm tannins, light body. Hold for 6 months to a year to soften a bit. 13.5% alcohol.
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This is tasty enough but right now it lacks the elegance of the 2004. Could just need a year or two to mellow out but it's a bit heavy handed and finishes with a bit of bitterness. Plenty of raw material though so could improve a lot.
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2/12/2018 - jfagan Likes this wine: 90 Points
Coravin'd for two hours. Medium light color with a wide clear rim tapering to a "read through" core. Bright red cherry, cinnamon, and sweet herbs on the nose lead to flavors of cherry, cranberry and some darker fruit elements. The texture is firm without being lean. There's a balanced concentration with evident tannins. Lithe and polished, this is quite elegant for the vintage. 90pts. Now through 2020.
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5/7/2015 - Neecies Likes this wine: 92 Points
At J & A's. Med red color with orange hue. Burgundian fruit and great spice with what another reviewer adroitly called 'sweat' and 'funk'. Almost an animal-attraction thing and I loved it. Best pinot of the week.
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9/12/2012 - Nosey Nose wrote: 90 Points
Brown, spicy, mulchy aromas with yellow lentils, bay and ethereal old Pinot notes of veggie stock, menthol and sweat. The palate is sweetly fruited with raspberry at mid and lemony acidity at mid to long. There is a bit of hard, citrus zest bitterness on the finish that is not unappealing. This is lovely and silky but has a cloying character at mid that makes it hard to drink much. Good length.
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8/15/2012 - bvwino wrote: 92 Points
PnP. Wonderful out of the bottle. Much better than the bottle I opened just 5 months ago. Seemed to lose a little by the end of the evening, so think at least this bottle was about at peak. Suggest drink up.
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5/6/2012 - greenwalter wrote: 88 Points
A little tired and soft. Not much fruit or interesting flavor. A bite in the aftertaste. Short. Still a nice dark rich color.
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3/16/2012 - bvwino wrote: 90 Points
P&P. Very nice out of the bottle, but improved an mellowed over the evening.
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10/3/2011 - jfagan wrote: 90 Points
Opened for three hours but not decanted. Medium color with a hint of brick dust in the otherwise wide clear rim. Savory, briary nose with earth, red berries and sweet spices. The spicy red fruit flavors are well focused, bright and lively with cinnamon gumball and spice cake flavors. Rather light on its feet, this snappy effort is drinking well now and will certainly hold if not improve with a bit more time in the cellar. Considerably more evolved than a bottle from the same case in February, drink now through 2013.
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7/28/2011 - chcook wrote: 89 Points
Quick note. Nose classic Pinot fruit. Palate rich with fruit and the tannin/acid structure is mellow, only becoming noticeable on the medium finish. This is hold up very well for an "entry level" wine.
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4/5/2011 - enovino wrote: 92 Points
This has not lost a beat - still loaded with sweet cherry and classic earth flavors that saturate the palate and a finish that was quite lengthy. Nose was of beautiful strawberries. Yum! Was as good as the first time I tried this about 4 years ago. Sadly, I consumed my last bottle during the Final Four. I seemed to recall WS thought this would last until 2015 - I think they're right - wish I had more.
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10/4/2010 - Wino Joe wrote: 91 Points
Semi-translucent ruby in color and a nose of strawberry & rhubarb. Strawberry & raspberry fruit bright and forward with dark cherry cola, mild green/black pepper wrapped in mild cedar tannins. Very long finish.
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2/26/2010 - jfagan wrote: 89 Points
Decanted and enjoyed over two hours. Medium dark, young primary color. Unmistakeably Cristom/Doerner whole cluster spices--exotic, sweet. Tart cranberry rhubarb flavors with notes of tart cherry and fruit skin. Very bright and primary. Reminds me of a young Chorey les Beaune. Somebody thinks this is ready to drink? Not me. Best guess--2012-2016.
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12/12/2009 - TL wrote: 91 Points
Very food friendly wine. Clean wine, typical of an estate level Oregon Pinot. Definitely worth the price
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12/5/2009 - greenwalter wrote: 92 Points
What a good drinker and good QPR! Midweight with dull color. Everything is in balance, with spice and cherry and meat. Beautiful acidity and integrated tannins, giving rise to a lithe wine that pulls you back easily.
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3/26/2009 - Colima74 wrote: 92 Points
4th in our all Pinot month. This is more like it. After a pretty big Zenith from Oregon, this is leaner, with good but not heavy fruit. Sharp but not noticeable acidity until it is looked for. Extremely refreshing, so much so we easily finished the bottle over dinner, which doesn't happen with heavier wines. ABV is
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8/27/2008 - jivey wrote: 91 Points
Just a solid Oregon producer. Really enjoy the 06 style.
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6/29/2008 - Amerique wrote: 91 Points
delicious, rich cherry, cranberry, and strawberry fruit, good depth and structure, slight sweetness and vanilla flavors
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3/28/2008 - Nutty08 wrote: 88 Points
Pebble Beach Food and Wine; 3/27/2008-3/30/2008 (Pebble Beach Resort, CA): Rather closed nose. Some interesting dark fruit on the palate, high acidity, but rather light bodied and firm tannins. Medium to short finish. Interesting bottle.
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3/1/2008 - Mattshank wrote: 88 Points
First time I've had this wine. Nose: Heavy earthy nose with traces of rose petals and briary red fruit. Palate: Soft flavors of cherry with nice richness, but the flavors are very light and subtle almost to a fault. The flavor intensity does not match the medium richness, however there is good acidity and this pairs well with the pork chops on the Weber grill. Nice wine but would not buy again. I prefer more presence in my OR Pinots.
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2/22/2008 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML89
Tasted February 21, 2008 as part of the WinExiles tasting for February. Opened and decanted about an hour before serving. Garnet color in the glass, fairly clear hue throughout. Some hints of leather, roasted meat and dustiness up front followed by some raspberries and soft brown spices. Flavors of black cherries, raspberries and red berries. Bright acidity, young tannins, light to medium body. Drink now with a short decant or over the short to perhaps medium term.
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2/1/2008 - mike l. wrote: 89 Points
basically tastes exactly like sweet tarts. loads of tangy strawberry. hot and a little boring but drinkable either way
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12/4/2007 - cookie7 wrote: 89 Points
Very enjoyable Pinot. Medium-bodied, nice fruit but not overwhelming. Good QPR.
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11/11/2007 - Wicker Parker wrote:
With its strong acid core this has a way to go before reaching its apex, but it's already showing well. Pale and rosy, with subtle notes of baking spices and ripe but delicate cranberry, strawberry, and currant flavors. Fine, with excellent length. This should become deeper and more velvety in just a few years. A good pairing with a mushroom-festooned bolognese vodka-tomato-cream sauce pasta dish. Fermented with 45% whole clusters and native yeasts.
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10/27/2007 - AdamRobert wrote: 88 Points
Great example of the pinot noir grape. Well made, but nothing above and beyond. Would drink again.
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10/19/2007 - plitton wrote:
Nice but a little hot and alcoholy. I like the 2004 better.
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9/4/2007 - jasonh wrote: 91 Points
Had this over 2 days. Oh wow…what great aromatics. Showing its stem inclusion. On the second day there was more toasty oak showing. This is very young and behaving like it. Big fruit and big acid with a small touch of sweet tannin. With its youthful changes, the wine had put on some weight on day two. It also showed a slightly more funky earthy side. Thankfully, the still present acid kept a nice balance on the wine. This wine reminded me of a Brewer Clifton … but at $28, I found much easier on my bank account. My initial guess would be to drink this over the next 9-12 months or lay it down for 3-5 years.
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8/8/2007 - Dulcie and Aylwin wrote:
Medium raspberry red hue, considerably lighter than the Eileen by comparison. Dark mushroom compost aroma that seems to typify many '05s around here. Quite jammy, red cherry, some pepper, spice and smoke, good acidity but not dense. Not as complex and interesting as the Eileen or Sommer's Reserve, but yet considerably less expensive. So which would you choose?
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7/14/2007 - peternelson wrote: 87 Points
Pinot Palooza: Zesty nose of bubble gum and stems, w/some nice bal frt mixed in; good mth, OK I guess. Must get used to this, and some say it ages better.
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6/26/2007 - wineaux2 wrote: 88 Points
Enjoyable pinot, but this one needs time to open up. Drank over the course of 6 hours and would recommend decanting at least 2 hours prior to consumption to smooth out the hard edges. Typical aromas of red cherries, red raspberries, and faint barnyard. Same fruit and a hint of spice on the palate; sour cherry on the finish. For $30, this is a very good Oregon pinot.
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6/16/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 89 Points
WIML89,NOWA,NOWS
Tasted June 16, 2007 at the winery. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of raspberries, spice and white pepper. Light flavors of raspberries, red berries and red cherries. Light acidity, firm tannins, light body. Hold for 6 months to a year to soften a bit. 13.5% alcohol.
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5/12/2007 - 60ouvrees wrote:
This is tasty enough but right now it lacks the elegance of the 2004. Could just need a year or two to mellow out but it's a bit heavy handed and finishes with a bit of bitterness. Plenty of raw material though so could improve a lot.
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5/5/2007 - peternelson wrote: 87 Points
Red Carpet: True ruby color; herbal dirt, med. bod, zestiness, rather rich, but zest fest.
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4/15/2007 - blue wrote:
A decent producer from Oregon. Mt Jeferson is cheaper than the winery estate bottles but it is much less interesting.
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