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 Vintage2011 Label 1 of 36 
TypeRed
ProducerEvesham Wood (web)
VarietyPinot Noir
Designationn/a
VineyardLe Puits Sec
CountryUSA
RegionOregon
SubRegionWillamette Valley
AppellationEola - Amity Hills

Drinking Windows and Values
Drinking window: Drink between 2016 and 2023 (based on 107 user opinions)

Community Tasting History

Community Tasting Notes (average 90.4 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 24 notes) - hiding notes with no text

 Tasted by Louvin on 1/27/2024 & rated 90 points: Waited too long for this; loss of fruit but retains an excellent body of tannins and acid and more forest floor elements. Very enjoyable and delicate. (245 views)
 Tasted by ClaytonDave on 2/26/2022: Gifted. (712 views)
 Tasted by Motz on 8/31/2021 & rated 93 points: Another excellent showing of this Burgundy-like vintage and wine. Compelling perfume, high, piercing energy, sophisticated, and vivacious. It outpaced the 2010 Cuvee J by a noteworthy margin. High QPR! (1884 views)
 Tasted by Motz on 3/4/2021 & rated 93 points: Strikingly energetic and still evolving. Exceptional balance of fruit, substance, oak, and place. Medium plus to high acid make this wonderfully juicy. The austere vintage, and the Old World style in which this wine is made, might fool experienced tasters for Burgundy. 93-94. (1915 views)
 Tasted by PhN on 12/26/2020 & rated 91 points: Excellent moderately colored EW delicious and ready to drink b (1190 views)
 Tasted by OregonLoafer on 12/16/2019: Drank too early. I decanted this all day, but it remained muddled and underwhelming, pretty acid-dominated.

The next morning, I had the last remaining sip from a glass left out all night, and it had become just what I’d expected this wine to be: Delicate, ethereal, with secondary flavors, extremely aromatic. It was just one sip, and it was 5:45 AM, but it was beautiful.

Hold or decant for at least 18 hours. (1284 views)
 Tasted by LightDancer on 10/29/2018 & rated 88 points: Decanted an hour before dinner with M&P. Still tannic. Some of the fruit fading. Slightly disappointing. Left too long? (1295 views)
 Tasted by LightDancer on 1/20/2018 & rated 90 points: PnP'd. Dinner with M&P. Elegant pinot. Red fruit dominated the nose and palate, but darker elements came out as the wine opened. Good acid and a tart foundation made this a fine accompaniment to a garlic-infused roasted chicken dinner. I think this is in the middle of a long drinking window. With more time, I anticipate that the dark fruit elements will become more pronounced. (1319 views)
 Tasted by ClaytonDave on 11/23/2017: Light, tart, little depth. Don’t see this improving. (1289 views)
 Tasted by JBee on 12/24/2016 & rated 90 points: This wine has nice tartness. Domestic pinot is rarely this tart, and it takes an hour for the palate to lose the initial fruit punch element, although it never really subsides on the nose. The mouthfeel gets lighter and more expansive as it opens, and the drying, tart finish keeps your mouth watering for more.

Firm acidity and low sugar frame an elegant wine here. I don't get anything tertiary, but this well-made beauty is fun to drink, and may improve in a year or two. (1761 views)
 Tasted by JM_MadTown on 6/5/2016 & rated 90 points: I agree that the nose offers some dill and rose scents. On the palate it is a lighter style, sort of like a Côte de Beaune. It has lovely cherry fruit, maybe a little sour cherry, nice acidity, good minerality and a medium finish. Very enjoyable. (1955 views)
 Tasted by Neecies on 6/13/2015 & rated 91 points: Bill's lunch, Coop's wine. Light color. Ethereal, aromatic nose of roses and Oregon rain forest with raw mushrooms and thyme on the palate. Less about power than emotion, and I love that about this cool vintage. (2466 views)
 Tasted by David J Cooper on 5/14/2015 & rated 93 points: Light red. Great nose of roses, light red cherries, pencil shavings and thyme. Great light flavours. Dry finish. Should improve. The acid is huge but balanced.

Hate to use the B word but.. (2368 views)
 Tasted by marka on 4/17/2015 & rated 88 points: B+. Don't remember much about this except that Evesham Wood almost always tastes good. The only problem is when I open them too soon. (1928 views)
 Tasted by gfish on 4/16/2015 & rated 92 points: Part of 2011 Oregon Pinot Noir tasting.
Lighter style
- Nose of floral notes, ripe raspberry and red cherry
- On the palate red cherry and mineral notes. (1764 views)
 Tasted by Onthelees on 12/3/2014 & rated 89 points: PNP; Turbid cherry red; acidic cranberry nose; cranberry-pomegranate fruit with herbal, mushroomy undertones, light spice, and granite. More open on second day. Very much as Prof B describes. Significant sour acidic finish with light tannins. I was not sure about this wine until a plate of mushroom stuffing with cranberries arrived, whereupon it tasted great. (1722 views)
 Tasted by wormfarmer on 10/28/2014 & rated 91 points: Had at Solano Cellars -- all I remember is earth, tobacco, black tea -- but that makes it sound like it was devoid of fruit, and it wasn't at all. Really lovely stuff. Eager to revisit. (1595 views)
 Tasted by vancouvermatt on 8/29/2014 & rated 92 points: Lean profile, reflecting the cooler growing season. Bright, fresh with great vibrancy and acidity. Food friendly (1720 views)
 Tasted by Ron Felthoven on 8/11/2014: notes consistent with other taster's impressions. Pretty lifted red fruit, chalk/gravel and grippy tannins. Not as much spice and interest as I would have liked. Very solid but not terribly complex, but still quite tightly wound. I might wait 5 more years on the two I have left. (1705 views)
 Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 6/4/2014: Planted in '86 and almost all Pommard clone. Very pretty, and powerful nose. Has that dark fruit of Pommard. More supple on the palate than the "basic", but still with that back bone of Eola Amity. Needs a touch of time on this one. (2085 views)
 Tasted by prof b on 4/28/2014 & rated 90 points: Cranberries, mushrooms, and fresh cut straw come across on the nose, which is a bit reticent but starting to open up after being open a couple of hours (no decant). tart cherries and cranberries come across most on the nose along with something approaching granite. There's plenty of acid that makes for a long finish. Not a big wine, but a more elegant and friendly pinot. This is an interesting wine with some future ahead of it. (1821 views)
 Tasted by gripNsip on 1/10/2014 & rated 87 points: Reserved nose of dried cranberry, wet clay and something floral, edging toward roses. The nose is more interesting than immediately delicious. I'm going to agree with a previous user's comment that this is surprisingly easy on tannins for a Le Puits Sec, I would say this is drinking good now. Dark cherries lead into some cranberries and a strong herbal note as the wine is swallowed. The tannins pick up intensity the more you sip the wine, however they have a nice texture and don't overwhelm the mouth. This shows nicely balanced acidity. Overall not what I expected, perhaps a bit "boring" for a Le Puits Sec, this seems rather lazy compared to the nervous, somewhat energetic nature I expect from this wine. (2086 views)
 Tasted by Sycamore on 10/14/2013 & rated 90 points: Extremely young and primary, but quite elegant. Very light color. Starts light aromatically and on the palate as well. Opens up to show a surprising amount of drive. Less prominent tannins than usual for Le Puits Sec. Excellent mouthfeel. Now + 7-10 years seems right. (1717 views)
 Tasted by Kirk Grant on 10/7/2013: Color: Light ruby
Smell: Light, delicate scents of rose, red fruits, and mushroom
Taste: Tart cherry, tomatoe leaf, cranberry, clove, and macintosh apple
Overall: Excellent to Outstanding. This light-bodied, high acid, med- fruit wine is all about the delicate and humble side of Pinot Noir. While enjoyable now, I believe that this would be best served with 2-4 years in the cellar. If you open it...give it a solid decant for 1-2 hours. (1781 views)

Professional 'Channels'
By Allen Meadows
Burghound, Jan-15, Issue #57
(Evesham Wood Vineyards & Winery Pinot Noir - Le Puits Sec Red) Subscribe to see review text.
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Burghound. (manage subscription channels)

CellarTracker Wiki Articles (login to edit | view all articles)

Evesham Wood

Producer Website

Our Philosophy
At Evesham Wood, small is beautiful.To maintain a high level of quality, we rely on two basic principles: obtaining optimally ripe low-yield fruit from the best possible sites in our area, and using minimal intervention in the winemaking process. We feel that this is the surest way to create wines which express their unique heritage. For example, our Pinot Noirs and vineyard-designated Chardonnays are not filtered prior to bottling, so as to preserve texture and flavor complexity. Our main sources of inspiration and advice have come from two of Burgundy's top small producers: the legendary Henri Jayer (Vosne-Romanée), and Michel Niellon (Chassagne-Montrachet). Even if, as "new world" vintners, we aren't ashamed to admit that we strive for certain subtle aspects of great Côte d'Or Pinot and Chardonnay, we appreciate the fact that there will always be identifiable Eola Hills' characteristics in our wines, distinguishing them from every other region of the world.

In order to realize the goal of emphasizing the uniqueness of our terroir (and thus our wines), in 2000 Evesham Wood obtained organic certification of Le Puits Sec vineyard. With the enactment of federal regulations governing organic certification in 2002 (the USDA's National Organic Program), our winery processing was certified as well. Additionally, we are charter members of DRC (Deep Roots Coalition), a group of local growers/producers which advocates the use of natural methods in the vineyard and cellar, especially the harvesting of grapes exclusively from non-irrigated vineyards (thus forcing the vine's roots to grow deeper into the soil). Indeed, we feel that the concept of terroir would have little validity in an irrigated vineyard.

At Evesham Wood it is not our objective to produce wines with mass appeal. This is due in part to the fact that Pinot Noir and Chardonnay want, more than any other noble grape varieties, to reflect their origins in terroir and winemaking approach. Both of these attributes would be diminished by an excessively manipulative approach You may also notice that we don't post wine reviews from national publications on our site. Although we do submit samples (when requested) to a few wine writers, we feel that it may be counterproductive to post their reviews, even when favorable, because the wines reviewed are more often than not already in short supply, thus forcing us to turn away some unhappy customers.

Pinot Noir

Varietal character (Appellation America) | Varietal article (Wikipedia)
Pinot Noir is the Noble red grape of Burgundy, capable of ripening in a cooler climate, which Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot will not reliably do. It is unpredictable and difficult both to grow and to vinify, but results in some of the finest reds in the world. It is believed to have been selected from wild vines two thousand years ago. It is also used in the production of champagne. In fact, more Pinot Noir goes into Champagne than is used in all of the Cote d'Or! It is also grown in Alsace, Jura, Germany, the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Romania, Switzerland, Austria, Croatia, Serbia, Italy, and so forth, with varying degrees of success.


Pinot Noir is one of the world's most prestigious grapes. It is very difficult to grow and thrives well in France, especially in Champagne and Burgundy. Pinot Noir thrives less in hot areas, is picky on soil, and deserves some oak storage.

Pinot Noir, or Blauburgunder / Spätburgunder in German, is a blue grapevine - and, as the German name suggests, the grape comes originally from Burgundy in France.

The grape, which thrives in calcareous soils, is used primarily for the production of red wine, and it is widely regarded as producing some of the best wines in the world. The wine style is often medium-bodied with high fruit acidity and soft tannins. It can be quite peculiar in fragrance and taste, and not least in structure - which may be why it is referred to as "The Grapes Ballerina".
Pinot Noir is also an important ingredient in sparkling wines, not least in champagne since it is fruity, has good acidity and contains relatively little tannins.
The grape is considered quite demanding to grow. The class itself consists of tightly packed grapes, which makes it more sensitive to rot and other diseases.

Pinot Noir changes quite easily and is genetically unstable. It buds and matures early which results in it often being well ripened. Climate is important for this type of grape. It likes best in cool climates - in warm climates the wines can be relaxed and slightly pickled.
In cooler climates, the wine can get a hint of cabbage and wet leaves, while in slightly warmer regions we often find notes of red berries (cherries, strawberries, raspberries, currants), roses and slightly green notes when the wine is young. With age, more complex aromas of forest floor, fungi and meat emerge.

In Germany, Switzerland, Austria and Hungary, it often produces light wines with less character. However, it has produced very good results in California, Oregon and New Zealand.

With its soft tannins and delicate aroma, it is excellent for white fish, chicken and light meat. For the stored wines you can serve small game. Classic duck breast is a matter of course, a Boeuf Burgundy and Pinot Noir are pure happiness.

Pinot Noir loses quality by over-harvesting.
Pinot Noir is prone to diseases, especially rot and mildew. Viruses cause major problems especially in Burgundy.
Pinot Noir are large round grapes with thin skins. Relatively high in alcohol content. Medium rich tannins and good with acid.
As a young person, Pinot Noir has a distinctly fruity character such as raspberries, cherries and strawberries.
A mature Pinot Noir, the taste is different. Cherry goes into plum and prune flavors. It smells of rotten leaves, coffee, moist forest floor and animal wine. This must be experienced.
In warm climates you find boiled plum, some rustic, little acid.
If the grapes are over-grown, the wine will be thin, with little color and flavor.

Le Puits Sec

Le Puits Sec, the gently sloping, east-facing vineyard is tightly-spaced and nestled on a low terrace (300-420 ft. elevation) on the eastern side of the Eola-Amity Hills ridge. This area, known locally as “Spring Valley”, has already proven to have one of Oregon’s best micro-climates for the production of fine wines from Burgundian and Alsatian varieties. It is here that the rather shallow volcanic basalt soils allow us to achieve the low yields we seek for wines of great intensity and complexity. As well, it is the uniqueness of this “terroir” that gives Le Puits Sec wines their signature.

LE PUITS SEC (Estate)

Owner: Erin and Jordan Nuccio

Vineyard manager: Erin Nuccio

AVA: Eola-Amity Hills, Willamette Valley

Vineyard size: 12.5 acres

Property size: 25 acres

Soil: Jory, Nekia, Woodburn

Elevation: 300-420 ft.

Vine age: Planted 1986

Clones: Pommard, 115 and 114 for Pinot Noir and 96 for Chardonnay.

Certification(s): USDA Certified, Oregon Tilth, Deep Roots Coalition, Salmon Safe; certified organic since 2000

USA

American wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.

Oregon

Oregon Wine, Oregon Wineries (Oregon Wine Board)

Willamette Valley

Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley (Oregon Wine Board)
On weinlagen-info including some single vineyards

Willamette Valley Vintage Reviews

Eola - Amity Hills

Eola - Amity Hills (Oregon Wine Board)

 
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