There was about a week in August when the temperature in Portland was ridiculously high (by Portland standards)- triple digits and high nineties. As such, this mini-heatwave has (for better or worse) predisposed my impression of '09 Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, approaching them like 2003's & 2006's (both hot summers begining to end), expecting ultra-ripe fruit and correspondingly big-bodied Pinots. However, the one key element I continue to forget is that the weather spring and early summer was quite subdued. This is a very roundabout way to say this particular bottle, while certainly showing qualities of a warm summer, is at it's core a really nicely balanced wine. Make no mistake, this is a full-bodied Pinot, but it also has a wonderful acidic spine that helps round out the plush fruit. Additionally, there's some nice tannins helping to further define and refine the fruit. Not a heavy-hitter, but certainly a nice wine for the price.
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5/1/2013 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
High toned orange zest, cherry fruit, zesty.
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11/25/2012 - JumpAroundOnGrapes wrote: 91 Points
very impressive. dark fruit for PN. good fruit and spice.
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4/28/2012 - oldgrowth45 wrote:
There was about a week in August when the temperature in Portland was ridiculously high (by Portland standards)- triple digits and high nineties. As such, this mini-heatwave has (for better or worse) predisposed my impression of '09 Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, approaching them like 2003's & 2006's (both hot summers begining to end), expecting ultra-ripe fruit and correspondingly big-bodied Pinots. However, the one key element I continue to forget is that the weather spring and early summer was quite subdued.
This is a very roundabout way to say this particular bottle, while certainly showing qualities of a warm summer, is at it's core a really nicely balanced wine. Make no mistake, this is a full-bodied Pinot, but it also has a wonderful acidic spine that helps round out the plush fruit. Additionally, there's some nice tannins helping to further define and refine the fruit. Not a heavy-hitter, but certainly a nice wine for the price.
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11/11/2011 - gaurav0310 wrote: 80 Points
A good Pinot though it felt it could have matured a little more
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9/28/2011 - pdxwineguy wrote: 88 Points
Decent but simple Pinot. Represents the typical Oregon flavor profile and doesn't fade too much on second day.
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