Earthy character and oak overshadow the subdued dark, spicy fruit. Paired decently with roasted salmon, but not my favorite style of Pinot. Not sure it will benefit from further ageing. Probably reflects the relatively weak 2007 vintage in Oregon.
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NEEDS TIME TO IMPROVE. Keep this in your cellar if you can. I believe time with put this wine in 90 point territory. Nose is buttery raisins with some cherry. Palate is red fruits and then some earthy mushroom notes. It finishes nicely, if a bit heavy. This is not mature and even decanting this didn't really help.
$29.99 OH retail www.austinbeeman.com
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Some of the brightness and high-toned fruit I liked about this wine are still there today, but there is an underlying earthy/mushroom component now that is quite good. Some darker fruit flavors are also present, but this isn't showing as much age as I expected. More weighted than I remember, this has gained some muscle. Balanced, late-acting tannin and firm acid remain. Quite good, I liked this before and am happy to say it is still drinking quite good today.
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Nice strawberry notes on the nose along with slight hints of white pepper and baking spice. Darker fruit tones on the palate, with light cola flavor along with strawberry, raspberry and huckleberry as well as some nice spice. Bits of sassafrass on the finish and some slightly bitter minerals. Almost a copper tone. Good acid. Should continue to evolve and improve for a few years yet.
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Restrained aromas and taste. Flat rather than vibrant with slight underlying woodiness, though not unpleasant. Nice earthy qualities present but muted. Expected more.
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Ketchup and raisins on the nose. Actually tastes better when you just guzzle it without smelling first and that's a sad statement. A stunningly disappointing wine from a producer I'm very fond of. Raises concerns about the reliability of OR Pinot Noir for me. I realize 2007 is an off vintage but this wine is awful. Not recommended.
(Update: Opened a 2nd bottle and it was much better. This bottle was flawed- oxidized I now believe.)
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Very light in color. The nose was earth and red fruit but eventually became quite vegetal and off-putting. On the palate, the fruit seemed almost diluted with the earthy flavors carrying over. Very short finish. We tasted this blind versus four 2007 Cali Pinots and one 2007 Burgundy. As suspected, this clearly was outmatched. Fairly mediocre wine from a poor vintage.
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This blend was an interesting beast, because when I first tasted it there were overwhelming notes of earth, musty leaves, mushrooms, bark, smoke, and dark raspberry. I wasn’t that impressed, but enjoyed the hidden pomegranate and nutmeg flavors. I found it a bit too nutty for me however, until i put it down for 30 minutes to enjoy letter G (you’ll have to wait to see that one). After opening up in the glass, the overwhelming bark had blown off to reveal rich cherry and raspberry flavors, with a touch of dark cocoa. Considering the ~$20 price tag, this is a very affordable example of Oregon Pinot Noir. I definitely recommend that you BUY it, and would encourage you to decant it for maximum enjoyment
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taste: medium bodied with medium+ acidity and understated tones of dark red fruits, dark berries, and some bits of earthen tones
overall: this was a very good base pinot and ready to drink right now. Certainly not a fruit forward pinot, it shows a slight herbal streak but it is far from overpowering
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Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black berries, raspberries and a hint of grapefruit. Flavors of raspberries, red berries and light notes of red cherries. Light to medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink over the shorter term.
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When I smell this wine, I find myself thinking of a big pile of blackberries, wrapped up in leather, and stored under the stairs in a concrete basement. This pinot noir is gentle up front, and has an even texture through the entire experience. Some nice apple flavors show up, and the darker fruit flavors are light in nature and make me wish they were a little more pronounced. There's a hint of dirt as well, which makes a nice contribution to the experience.
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Pleasant but unremarkable. We opened this on a whim and put the bottle into a bucket with a handful of ice. The slight chill on the second glass improved the balance substantially. Some cherry and a hint of pepper on the nose. Nice cherry in the mid-palate, but a little thin on the finish.
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The nose is straight forward with a bit of smoke and some light cherry scents. The cherries appear on the palate, and are totally enjoyable. Some apple fruit appears as well along with some oak that is blended nicely with the other flavors. There's a good hit of acidity hear too and this bottle is far and away the best basic bottle of Elk Cove's WV I've had so far. Nice stuff for its price point. 89-
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Tasted at winery on August 15, 2009. Nice entry level pinot. Light to medium dark brick. Nose dominated by dark fruit with hints of funk and spice. Simple but pleasant on palate.
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nose: soft nose, but with good balanced tones of red cherries, earthen tones, and some dark plum tones. Though not complex, everything is well in place and works well together
taste: good medium/light feel with nice medium acidity and tones of red cherries and dark plums
overall: a really good entry pinot from elk cove. Nice balance and aromas that have nice depth for a entry level pinot. I enjoyed this more then the 06 which didn't taste that much like pinot, and here we have a wine that tastes and acts like pinot, very nice
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Tasting the Willamette Valley--2009, Day One (Willamette Valley, OR): Lighter ruby. Nose of dark fruits and some green pepper. Palate of black and some red cherry, spice, earth. A little thin but more rounded than the Five Mountain. Given the vintage the Willamette Valley cuvee seems to have benefitted from blending.
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Willamette Valley Visits 6-09 (Local OR Wineries): Straight forward OR pinot nose full of dark fruit and an earthy, funky tang along with a little heat. The wine is simple on the palate with some dark fruits and oak. Nothing too exciting, but it's decently integrated and still enjoyable.
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This was rather tart and tight at first; to be expected, since 2007 was a year that produced tannic wines in Oregon. A 2 hour decant and it started smoothing out, and the earthy Willamette Valley nose finally emerged. In its third hour, the wine starting gaining some heat on the finish (the alcohol is a "Burgundian" 13.5%). Overall it's a good value bottling, that might improve with a couple of years of cellaring. Nothing special at this point and rather unripe, but definitely not bad at $20.
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1/13/2020 - SeattlePaul wrote:
Strange excessively caramel nose which continued on the palate. This wine was probably better at one point, but that point is not in the recent past.
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8/5/2016 - dfitzg2 Likes this wine: 90 Points
This wine has held remarkably well. A favorite with skewered chicken.
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6/7/2016 - Mark Larson Likes this wine: 90 Points
And 90 pre Parker.
Well worth seeking out and aged well.
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3/13/2016 - winepaw wrote: 87 Points
Earthy character and oak overshadow the subdued dark, spicy fruit. Paired decently with roasted salmon, but not my favorite style of Pinot. Not sure it will benefit from further ageing. Probably reflects the relatively weak 2007 vintage in Oregon.
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5/12/2015 - stevemarti wrote: 90 Points
still fresh, substantial. i worried i had waited too long but it was excellent.
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1/21/2015 - aChave wrote: 86 Points
Dark ruby. Good dark cherry aromatics and fruit, but a rather sharp bramble finish. Elk Cove is usually better; likely the character of the vintage.
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2/2/2013 - austinbeeman- austinbeeman.com Likes this wine: 88 Points
NEEDS TIME TO IMPROVE.
Keep this in your cellar if you can. I believe time with put this wine in 90 point territory. Nose is buttery raisins with some cherry. Palate is red fruits and then some earthy mushroom notes. It finishes nicely, if a bit heavy. This is not mature and even decanting this didn't really help.
$29.99 OH retail
www.austinbeeman.com
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12/18/2012 - TheBigD52 wrote:
Nice.
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12/8/2012 - gripNsip Likes this wine: 89 Points
Some of the brightness and high-toned fruit I liked about this wine are still there today, but there is an underlying earthy/mushroom component now that is quite good. Some darker fruit flavors are also present, but this isn't showing as much age as I expected. More weighted than I remember, this has gained some muscle. Balanced, late-acting tannin and firm acid remain. Quite good, I liked this before and am happy to say it is still drinking quite good today.
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4/15/2012 - MidLifeVices wrote:
Similar experience as Winiac. Wished I spent a few bucks more.
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4/1/2012 - Winiac wrote: 86 Points
Pleasant bouquet but tad off balance with unripe fruit and flabby flavors. The length is short as well.
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2/13/2012 - garvens wrote: 89 Points
Had with lamb roast. Very good pinot.
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2/12/2012 - nrickman wrote: 84 Points
Decent bottle.
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2/8/2012 - vegasoenophile wrote: 85 Points
Nice strawberry notes on the nose along with slight hints of white pepper and baking spice. Darker fruit tones on the palate, with light cola flavor along with strawberry, raspberry and huckleberry as well as some nice spice. Bits of sassafrass on the finish and some slightly bitter minerals. Almost a copper tone. Good acid. Should continue to evolve and improve for a few years yet.
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4/17/2011 - Mark Larson wrote: 88 Points
Tight and unyielding, this needs a couple more years.
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10/30/2010 - marshalc wrote: 85 Points
Restrained aromas and taste. Flat rather than vibrant with slight underlying woodiness, though not unpleasant. Nice earthy qualities present but muted. Expected more.
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8/19/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: 84 Points
Nice enough if not spectacular Oregon Pinot Noir. Faint stemmy aromas distract from what would otherwise be a clean enjoyable wine.
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8/15/2010 - RobertDwyer wrote: flawed
Ketchup and raisins on the nose. Actually tastes better when you just guzzle it without smelling first and that's a sad statement. A stunningly disappointing wine from a producer I'm very fond of. Raises concerns about the reliability of OR Pinot Noir for me. I realize 2007 is an off vintage but this wine is awful. Not recommended.
(Update: Opened a 2nd bottle and it was much better. This bottle was flawed- oxidized I now believe.)
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8/7/2010 - cbkamp wrote: 84 Points
Very light in color. The nose was earth and red fruit but eventually became quite vegetal and off-putting. On the palate, the fruit seemed almost diluted with the earthy flavors carrying over. Very short finish. We tasted this blind versus four 2007 Cali Pinots and one 2007 Burgundy. As suspected, this clearly was outmatched. Fairly mediocre wine from a poor vintage.
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6/13/2010 - thptrek wrote: 87 Points
Nice cherry colour, berries and smoky nose. Nice fruit but not complex flavors for a higher score
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5/21/2010 - winebratsf wrote:
This blend was an interesting beast, because when I first tasted it there were overwhelming notes of earth, musty leaves, mushrooms, bark, smoke, and dark raspberry. I wasn’t that impressed, but enjoyed the hidden pomegranate and nutmeg flavors. I found it a bit too nutty for me however, until i put it down for 30 minutes to enjoy letter G (you’ll have to wait to see that one). After opening up in the glass, the overwhelming bark had blown off to reveal rich cherry and raspberry flavors, with a touch of dark cocoa. Considering the ~$20 price tag, this is a very affordable example of Oregon Pinot Noir. I definitely recommend that you BUY it, and would encourage you to decant it for maximum enjoyment
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5/3/2010 - KeithAkers wrote: 87 Points
3rd Annual Expedition Wines American Homegrown tasting (Webster's Wine Bar, Chicago IL): nose: fragrant and subtle nose of earth tones, herbs, and dark red fruits
taste: medium bodied with medium+ acidity and understated tones of dark red fruits, dark berries, and some bits of earthen tones
overall: this was a very good base pinot and ready to drink right now. Certainly not a fruit forward pinot, it shows a slight herbal streak but it is far from overpowering
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4/17/2010 - RedLoverJim Likes this wine: 89 Points
Mild on the nose, a little cherry cobbler funk. Earthy, baked cherry flavors. Not robust, but good!
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4/10/2010 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 81 Points
North Willamette Vintner's Wine Trail Weekend; 4/10/2010-4/11/2010: Very green nose, light fire, and cauliflower. Kind of sugary sweet palate, some green acid... and just uninteresting. Green, asparagus finish, with tart tannins. Nope, can't get into this one.
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3/15/2010 - schnittle wrote:
Really nice. yummy, light and feminine. A great example of Willamette Valley PN.
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2/13/2010 - wineismylife wrote: 88 Points
WIML87-88
Tasted at a retail tasting.
Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of black berries, raspberries and a hint of grapefruit. Flavors of raspberries, red berries and light notes of red cherries. Light to medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink over the shorter term.
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2/13/2010 - RedLoverJim wrote: 87 Points
Some tart, dry fruit with a nice finish. Nice Pinot Noir, but one dimensional. Wouldn't buy for the price.
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1/16/2010 - subtlet wrote: 84 Points
When I smell this wine, I find myself thinking of a big pile of blackberries, wrapped up in leather, and stored under the stairs in a concrete basement. This pinot noir is gentle up front, and has an even texture through the entire experience. Some nice apple flavors show up, and the darker fruit flavors are light in nature and make me wish they were a little more pronounced. There's a hint of dirt as well, which makes a nice contribution to the experience.
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10/30/2009 - PrinceLightfoot wrote: 86 Points
Pleasant but unremarkable. We opened this on a whim and put the bottle into a bucket with a handful of ice. The slight chill on the second glass improved the balance substantially. Some cherry and a hint of pepper on the nose. Nice cherry in the mid-palate, but a little thin on the finish.
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9/16/2009 - subtlet wrote: 89 Points
The nose is straight forward with a bit of smoke and some light cherry scents. The cherries appear on the palate, and are totally enjoyable. Some apple fruit appears as well along with some oak that is blended nicely with the other flavors. There's a good hit of acidity hear too and this bottle is far and away the best basic bottle of Elk Cove's WV I've had so far. Nice stuff for its price point. 89-
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8/20/2009 - MichaelJennings wrote: 88 Points
Tasted at winery on August 15, 2009. Nice entry level pinot. Light to medium dark brick. Nose dominated by dark fruit with hints of funk and spice. Simple but pleasant on palate.
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8/5/2009 - batphone wrote: 93 Points
So great
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7/22/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 87 Points
nose: soft nose, but with good balanced tones of red cherries, earthen tones, and some dark plum tones. Though not complex, everything is well in place and works well together
taste: good medium/light feel with nice medium acidity and tones of red cherries and dark plums
overall: a really good entry pinot from elk cove. Nice balance and aromas that have nice depth for a entry level pinot. I enjoyed this more then the 06 which didn't taste that much like pinot, and here we have a wine that tastes and acts like pinot, very nice
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7/14/2009 - cgrimes wrote: 86 Points
Tasting the Willamette Valley--2009, Day One (Willamette Valley, OR): Lighter ruby. Nose of dark fruits and some green pepper. Palate of black and some red cherry, spice, earth. A little thin but more rounded than the Five Mountain. Given the vintage the Willamette Valley cuvee seems to have benefitted from blending.
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6/27/2009 - subtlet wrote: 86 Points
Willamette Valley Visits 6-09 (Local OR Wineries): Straight forward OR pinot nose full of dark fruit and an earthy, funky tang along with a little heat. The wine is simple on the palate with some dark fruits and oak. Nothing too exciting, but it's decently integrated and still enjoyable.
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3/20/2009 - bundydavis wrote: 88 Points
Perfect half bottle for a Thursday night. Nothing special, but not bad.
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2/1/2009 - joraesque wrote: 88 Points
This was rather tart and tight at first; to be expected, since 2007 was a year that produced tannic wines in Oregon. A 2 hour decant and it started smoothing out, and the earthy Willamette Valley nose finally emerged. In its third hour, the wine starting gaining some heat on the finish (the alcohol is a "Burgundian" 13.5%). Overall it's a good value bottling, that might improve with a couple of years of cellaring. Nothing special at this point and rather unripe, but definitely not bad at $20.
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11/27/2008 - dfitzg2 wrote: 95 Points
Highly recommended by an AIWF member, this met all expectations. Very drinkable, nice complexity, great fruit,. Nice nose and finish.
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