Day 1: Popped and Poured. Had it stored in the garage which is sitting at about 40 degrees. Garnet colored, right on the edge between red and purple.
Let it sit in the glass for an hour or more until it started to warm up before I tasted it. I did take a couple of whiffs though ... Nothing at first, but then strangely I got a big hit of Concord Grape Jelly.
After an hour, nose started to open to a mocha driven nose with highlights of rose petals and just a bit of mineral to cut it off. Aromas are deep and strong, but a bit one-dimensional. Smells great though.
Mild attack, good mid range of mocha and dark fruit. Very little tannin and alcohol, but enough to keep it from being flabby. Tastes more like a very soft 10+ year old WA BDX blend ... Mocha-driven.
Good long finish where the mocha dissipates and only the dark fruit remains, with just enough tartness to keep your taste buds on edge, even long past where the flavor is gone.
I really like this wine ... Problem is, I can't really place it. Not a typical OR Pinot, not a fruit laden CA Pinot, not an restrained Burgundy ... Its a Pinot trying to be something else ... And doing it very well. Day 1: 91
Day2: Not fairing well at all! All the mocha aroma is gone. On the palate, the mocha and dark fruit is gone as well. All that remains is a bit of cherry cola spritz that ends with cedar and heat. finish is still medium or so, but primarily a slow descending burn off ... Day2: 86
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Fragrant but not flamboyant nose of cherries, raspberries, iron, mineral and loam. Nice midweight palate. Finish doesn't feel hot, but there is a definite alcohol burn that's not my favorite sensation, but pretty excusable for 06. This wine doesn't come off overly rich or alcoholic for the vintage. Also, the oak on this wine is definitely tucked into the background, and less present than the 02 that I recently tried. (Is this due to the higher alcohol level of this wine?)
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I had a very bad day (my golf game got rained out on 7 and I was playing really well) so I pulled this out to make the hurt go away . Sniff, sniff.
Perhaps a bit lighter around the edges than the last bottle, still pretty deep red. Still a ripe and rich nose, flowers, black fruit, spice but not showing minerally aspects. Medium-full bodied, big for OR Pinot but not overblown. Great Asian spices, ripe blackberries, a bit of forest floor. Medium finish, lovely spice, ripe fruit but not a bit cloying or over-ripe.
This was perhaps not up to a bottle last year but still a damn good cup a Murto. Still have 3 left so I think I'll wait a year or two before my next taste.
As an aside, we had a 2003 BP Murto at Joel Palmer's a couple of weeks ago. I haven't written up the TN yet, but it was really singing and fresh. I'm guessing Brian is up to the challenge of ripe vintages!
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Decanted 1 hour and consumed over 4 hours. Notes say, “paid $35 at wine shop; drinks more like a $25 grocery store wine". Not bad, just weak-nosed, thin, and flimsy. Balanced acidity helps keep the score at 87, but dissapointed overall; might just be the vintage more than anything. Drink now, as it is likely to be water in a couple of years.
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Complex and subtley sweet nose of bitter orange, red cherry, plums, indian spices, tobacco, and a touch of smokiness. At this point, palate is still pretty wound up, with nice verve and abundant but not bothersome tannins. Powerful enough to stand up to smoked brisket with spicy bbq sauce, yet not sappy or overly alcoholic in spite of the warm vintage. I will wait two to three years before opening other bottles.
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Decanted 1 hour. Brilliant young color. Plenty of sweet spice, cinnamon, cloves, and red fruit aromas. Slightly briary deep red fruit flavors are full bodied and powerful with out being overly ripe or heavy. The wine finishes with a warming glow (serve on the cool side). I remain an unrepentant fan of this vintage at the best addresses as they will provide great drinking pleasure while we wait out the 05s, 07's and '08s. Drink now--2013.
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Nice. Very good classic Burgundian nose. A great food wine. Nice bright cherry flavors with a hint of good earthy funk. I will definitely savor the last remaining bottle I have.
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For me, marred by the vintage. Almost stewed fruits, certainly more cumbersome than I really enjoy in pinot. While not bad wine, not what I am hoping for when I pull a cork.
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Decanted 1 hour. Somewhat dissapointed given the marks for this wine. Color beautiful Burgundy, but nose and taste lacking in intensity. Nose mushrooms and smoke, though understated. Thin on the midpalate. Consumed with Rare Tuna and nicoise vegetables which ordinarily would comprise a good pairing, but sadly not quite this time.
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Dark blue red ruby robe. Nose is not surprisingly hot upfront but opens up to a nice medley of dark fruit aromas backed up with light roasted spice, coffee bean and even lighter volatility and oak influence that I like very much. On the palate the wine is rich, soft and velvety, way more enjoyable than many 2006 Oregon Pinots, even at 14.8% abv. But what I take refuge in is that Brian O'Donnell dry farms (at least on Estate, not positive about Murto) and never waterbacks. As a result, in vintages like 06, his wine is typically rich, dark and ripe. Lots of glycerine, dark fruit, more of the roasted spice, and cocoa notes with slight earth and welcome Pommard funk. Nice acidity considering the abv is a bit awkward. I appreciate the authenticity and power of this wine. Coming out of a dumb phase I think, drink now - 2016.
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3 top tastes at N. Myrtle Beach; 1/17/2010-1/19/2010: Yooza, this is tasty. Not quite full bodied but pretty big. Asian spice, black fruits but still some mineral. Quite spicy and ripe. Tannins resolved but I would expect this to continue to evolve positively for several years.
I love it. Bob Wood...probably not so much....
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Expedition Wines American Homegrown: nose: really good nose filled with ripe cherry tones, red fruits, spices and bits of plum. A bit more california in style then I normally prefer from oregon, but this nose is well balanced while being on the ripe side
taste: very silky feel with plush tones of red fruits, red cherries, and spice tones
overall: really good feel and aromas. This is completely ready to go now as its more on the forward side of things but is well balanced and not over the top
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8/23/2017 - CrazyPinot Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was very very good. Balanced with a long smooth finish. I opened it assuming it was way past its time, but my particular bottle surprised me.
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3/1/2015 - Easter Everywhere Likes this wine:
silky smooth Murto, bit of heat, else great
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8/30/2014 - boylan wrote: 89 Points
Sweet mocha on the nose. Maybe a bit of toasted wood. Very soft in the mouth. Drink now as it's about done.
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5/25/2014 - Atwellian wrote: 88 Points
Dark purple red. Good fruit, enjoyable, a bit too soft.
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2/5/2013 - f22nickell Likes this wine: 88 Points
Day 1: Popped and Poured. Had it stored in the garage which is sitting at about 40 degrees. Garnet colored, right on the edge between red and purple.
Let it sit in the glass for an hour or more until it started to warm up before I tasted it. I did take a couple of whiffs though ... Nothing at first, but then strangely I got a big hit of Concord Grape Jelly.
After an hour, nose started to open to a mocha driven nose with highlights of rose petals and just a bit of mineral to cut it off. Aromas are deep and strong, but a bit one-dimensional. Smells great though.
Mild attack, good mid range of mocha and dark fruit. Very little tannin and alcohol, but enough to keep it from being flabby. Tastes more like a very soft 10+ year old WA BDX blend ... Mocha-driven.
Good long finish where the mocha dissipates and only the dark fruit remains, with just enough tartness to keep your taste buds on edge, even long past where the flavor is gone.
I really like this wine ... Problem is, I can't really place it. Not a typical OR Pinot, not a fruit laden CA Pinot, not an restrained Burgundy ... Its a Pinot trying to be something else ... And doing it very well. Day 1: 91
Day2: Not fairing well at all! All the mocha aroma is gone. On the palate, the mocha and dark fruit is gone as well. All that remains is a bit of cherry cola spritz that ends with cedar and heat. finish is still medium or so, but primarily a slow descending burn off ... Day2: 86
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7/29/2012 - Haltermr wrote: 90 Points
Fragrant but not flamboyant nose of cherries, raspberries, iron, mineral and loam. Nice midweight palate. Finish doesn't feel hot, but there is a definite alcohol burn that's not my favorite sensation, but pretty excusable for 06. This wine doesn't come off overly rich or alcoholic for the vintage. Also, the oak on this wine is definitely tucked into the background, and less present than the 02 that I recently tried. (Is this due to the higher alcohol level of this wine?)
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7/13/2012 - ChrisBeacham wrote: 91 Points
I had a very bad day (my golf game got rained out on 7 and I was playing really well) so I pulled this out to make the hurt go away . Sniff, sniff.
Perhaps a bit lighter around the edges than the last bottle, still pretty deep red. Still a ripe and rich nose, flowers, black fruit, spice but not showing minerally aspects. Medium-full bodied, big for OR Pinot but not overblown. Great Asian spices, ripe blackberries, a bit of forest floor. Medium finish, lovely spice, ripe fruit but not a bit cloying or over-ripe.
This was perhaps not up to a bottle last year but still a damn good cup a Murto. Still have 3 left so I think I'll wait a year or two before my next taste.
As an aside, we had a 2003 BP Murto at Joel Palmer's a couple of weeks ago. I haven't written up the TN yet, but it was really singing and fresh. I'm guessing Brian is up to the challenge of ripe vintages!
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6/4/2012 - pinothoarder wrote: 87 Points
Decanted 1 hour and consumed over 4 hours.
Notes say, “paid $35 at wine shop; drinks more like a $25 grocery store wine". Not bad, just weak-nosed, thin, and flimsy. Balanced acidity helps keep the score at 87, but dissapointed overall; might just be the vintage more than anything. Drink now, as it is likely to be water in a couple of years.
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12/1/2011 - Easter Everywhere wrote: 90 Points
Big, ripe, tasty, seems good now
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5/16/2011 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 90 Points
Minneapolis does Domestic Pinots; 5/14/2011-5/16/2011: A nice wine overall with ripe fruit, minerlas and rose petals on the nose. The palate is more in a fruit forward style. Medium finish.
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5/13/2011 - rocknroller wrote: 90 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club, Domestic Pinots, Blind: Medium dark red. Earth, black cherry, raspberry. Palate seemed a bit thinner, raspberry, spicy, has a nice finish though.
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4/19/2011 - Haltermr wrote: 91 Points
Complex and subtley sweet nose of bitter orange, red cherry, plums, indian spices, tobacco, and a touch of smokiness. At this point, palate is still pretty wound up, with nice verve and abundant but not bothersome tannins. Powerful enough to stand up to smoked brisket with spicy bbq sauce, yet not sappy or overly alcoholic in spite of the warm vintage. I will wait two to three years before opening other bottles.
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4/11/2011 - jfagan wrote: 91 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Brilliant young color. Plenty of sweet spice, cinnamon, cloves, and red fruit aromas. Slightly briary deep red fruit flavors are full bodied and powerful with out being overly ripe or heavy. The wine finishes with a warming glow (serve on the cool side). I remain an unrepentant fan of this vintage at the best addresses as they will provide great drinking pleasure while we wait out the 05s, 07's and '08s. Drink now--2013.
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1/14/2011 - bricksofwine wrote: 91 Points
Nice. Very good classic Burgundian nose. A great food wine. Nice bright cherry flavors with a hint of good earthy funk. I will definitely savor the last remaining bottle I have.
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9/15/2010 - Traxx wrote: 87 Points
For me, marred by the vintage. Almost stewed fruits, certainly more cumbersome than I really enjoy in pinot. While not bad wine, not what I am hoping for when I pull a cork.
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9/1/2010 - Cappie wrote: 86 Points
Decanted 1 hour. Somewhat dissapointed given the marks for this wine. Color beautiful Burgundy, but nose and taste lacking in intensity. Nose mushrooms and smoke, though understated. Thin on the midpalate. Consumed with Rare Tuna and nicoise vegetables which ordinarily would comprise a good pairing, but sadly not quite this time.
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8/15/2010 - sethmorgenlong wrote:
Dark blue red ruby robe. Nose is not surprisingly hot upfront but opens up to a nice medley of dark fruit aromas backed up with light roasted spice, coffee bean and even lighter volatility and oak influence that I like very much. On the palate the wine is rich, soft and velvety, way more enjoyable than many 2006 Oregon Pinots, even at 14.8% abv. But what I take refuge in is that Brian O'Donnell dry farms (at least on Estate, not positive about Murto) and never waterbacks. As a result, in vintages like 06, his wine is typically rich, dark and ripe. Lots of glycerine, dark fruit, more of the roasted spice, and cocoa notes with slight earth and welcome Pommard funk. Nice acidity considering the abv is a bit awkward. I appreciate the authenticity and power of this wine. Coming out of a dumb phase I think, drink now - 2016.
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5/3/2010 - KeithAkers wrote: 90 Points
3rd Annual Expedition Wines American Homegrown tasting (Webster's Wine Bar, Chicago IL): nose: fairly intense nose of dark red fruits, spice tones, strawberries and red cherry tones
taste: plush medium feel with forward tones of dark red fruits, spices, red cherries and some tart berry tones
overall: there is some intensity on the fruit. Shows off the vintage but holds it as well. There is good balance to it along with the fruit
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3/29/2010 - shalansky Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very nice Oregon Pinot. Need to decant.
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1/19/2010 - ChrisBeacham wrote: 92 Points
3 top tastes at N. Myrtle Beach; 1/17/2010-1/19/2010: Yooza, this is tasty. Not quite full bodied but pretty big. Asian spice, black fruits but still some mineral. Quite spicy and ripe. Tannins resolved but I would expect this to continue to evolve positively for several years.
I love it. Bob Wood...probably not so much....
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3/30/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 91 Points
Expedition Wines American Homegrown: nose: really good nose filled with ripe cherry tones, red fruits, spices and bits of plum. A bit more california in style then I normally prefer from oregon, but this nose is well balanced while being on the ripe side
taste: very silky feel with plush tones of red fruits, red cherries, and spice tones
overall: really good feel and aromas. This is completely ready to go now as its more on the forward side of things but is well balanced and not over the top
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