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| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 90.2 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 42 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by peternelson on 7/7/2022: Really tasty, black and blue fruited balanced (but richer) Oregon PN. w/home made duck confit in Seattle (1208 views) | | | Tasted by rjmp96 on 4/25/2022 & rated 92 points: Darker in color than I was expecting. Richer in stature as well. A mouth filling sip, with red plum, black cherry, and raspberry fruit. Powerful on the entry, with an expansive midpalate. Juicy, delicious fruit that is not over the top at all. Will definitely keep and develop some nuance if you let it. Some candy apple, vanilla and cardamom appear as well. Drink or hold. (602 views) | | | Tasted by sid_loves_wine on 1/3/2022 & rated 95 points: Pretty much the same as last time I tried it, maybe with slightly less "forward" fruit this time but making up for it with more pronounced minerality and better-integrated acids. This is stunning for $30- it shows true balance, the kind of rare wine harmony where all the aspects work together without diminishing one another. Gorgeous pure woodland berry fruits, well-integraged earthy/mineral/herbal inflections, whispers of pretty oak spice, sappy/sticky little fine tannins, wonderful acidic energy that never feels forced or tart. It's a true gem. (1901 views) | | | Tasted by leadpencil on 10/5/2021 & rated 88 points: Closed. Dark ruby. Earth and tannin. Dark cherry. Needs time (1821 views) | | | Tasted by newkid on 8/2/2021 & rated 87 points: Not a PN; certainly not an Oregon PN. The wine lacked nuance and suppleness, instead offering intense fruit, and finishing fairly hot, even though the alcohol wasn't out of line for some Oregon pinots, at 14.1%. disappointing effort. (2038 views) | | | Tasted by Al Ehrhardt on 7/9/2021: Agree with the note 'ocassiuso' wrote on 6/11/2021. Unfortunately, didn't read notes in advance and I didn't decant. Not sure air will solve all of the problems, but extremely shy nose, not giving anything. VERY tight and difficult to evaluate at this point. I was a Failla fan, but haven't had one in many years. Disappointed I purchased three... The other two are getting buried for a few years. (1653 views) | | | Tasted by ocassiuso on 6/11/2021: Loam, acetate, a little black cherry. Dry, moderate acidity, drying tannins, medium-bodied, 14.1°. Black fruit, char. Going to decant this and give it another chance... An hour later the harsh edges have come off, but it's still thick and charmless for a Failla. (1517 views) | | | Tasted by MMiazga on 5/15/2021 & rated 90 points: Bright cherries and earth. Took a 2 hour decant to open, very clean fruit like failla’s California pinots in style. Good example of a top notch pinot maker showing their skills in Oregon. (1317 views) | | | Tasted by jweedin on 4/10/2021 & rated 91 points: Very solid Oregon Pinot for the price. Tried to make in the californian style. Tasted as a combo of the two (1436 views) | | | Tasted by mks83 on 4/8/2021 & rated 86 points: Unlike other reviewers positive comments, if blind, I might guess $18 Argentina Malbec from a winemaker who is trying to market his/her wine as European style with finesse (but coming up with something different).
Jammy/cloudy fruits - a lot of blueberry/mulberry and cooked dark cherry with equal amount of bitter oak (vanilla/toast/raw wood/coffee). Hint of almond, green lentils, black spices. Some reviewer mentioned cola, I totally see it in the aftertaste, in a negative way. No brightness of pinot. Aromatically short finish with rich aftertaste/mouthfeel (like malbec again).
It has some kind of complexity/concentration/focus, but none of the element is something I expect from pinot noir. Technically 87+points to be fair (nothing technically wrong) but I’m disappointed like 85-points considering $30+ price, excellent reputation of this winemaker, and its disproportionate lack of identity. (1248 views) | | | Tasted by stbraunt on 3/3/2021 & rated 91 points: Really nice Pinot. Smooth, well balanced and easy drinking. (1545 views) | | | Tasted by mlemaire on 2/27/2021 & rated 89 points: Restrained nose and silky mouthfeel, I would mistake this wine as burgundy tasted blind. Seems like a good value at 25 since Bourgogne increasingly is floating into the mid thirties and this wine has everything I want when I reach for one of those bottles. (1354 views) | | | Tasted by Ikesmith on 2/18/2021 & rated 89 points: Very pretty rose water and cola nose but fairly thin and acidic. Better next year. (1427 views) | | | Tasted by Matteo1 on 2/10/2021: Earthy, with orange peel and subdued mixed blue and red fruits. Old school take on the new world. Elevated alcohol but hidden. good acidic drive from start to finish. Certainly worth cellaring (1290 views) | | | Tasted by dlduchon on 2/7/2021 & rated 89 points: Lean, elegant style that I enjoy with a bit of tension. No disjointed ripeness in this wine. (1181 views) | | | Tasted by Triforwine on 2/6/2021 & rated 91 points: This was mainly notes from day 3 of 4. Initially tried with Coravin as part of a virtual tasting. Day 2 another Coravin taste. Color is garnet to ruby. Aroma is cherries, spice and some leaf. Mouthfeel is light to medium and the palate taste is cherry, cranberry and some stems and nuttiness (Perhaps walnut). The wine has a nice medium linear finish which is not very complex but pleasant with some dusty tannins. May improve with some time in the cellar. Paired with spaghetti and turkey tomato meat sauce and sauteed portobellos. Stayed consistent with 2 days of Coravin and 2 days after opening and saving the last glass with vacuum wine stopper. Very good. 91 (1063 views) | | | Tasted by Rhwinetracker on 1/26/2021: Agree with everything said by SID_LOVES_WINE.
N: baking spices and dark cherry
P: medium body, medium acidity, some fine tannins, some oak. Cherry, cranberry.
Great for the price and a little different from Failla’s California pinot noirs. (1050 views) | | | Tasted by sid_loves_wine on 12/3/2020 & rated 95 points: Killer QPR here at just over $30, really toeing the line between playful/expressive and serious/complex, showing disparate elements working symbiotically rather than a boring, superficial "balance". Plenty of Pinot Noir options will show similarly with greater depth or elegance around the $50 mark, but at this price point I'm not sure I've had any better ones, so it warrants a really high score on my scale.
Effortless, lifted perfume of fresh, airy red and black cherry, a touch of cherry candy (in a good way), darker wild mulberry tartness, extremely well-integrated stemmy tones evoking wet gravel and other earthy/mineral nuances, all wrapped in a tiny, toasty oak note, almonds/vanilla. Very fresh, aromatic and exciting nose, not super "deep" or layered maybe but not one-dimensional either.
Palate is a cranberry sauce adventure, waves of very bright red fruits, great acids, a little on the tart side but also showing an interesting combo of salinity and bready oak. Tannins are sneaky, very silky at first and pretty dusty toward the finish, good structure, could use a few years to integrate better, but extremely enjoyable now.
The only other Failla Pinot I've tried before was a 2012 Savoy Vineyard (Anderson Valley)- also delicious and pretty different, much bigger, more meatiness, but in general not as energetic or expressive, more of a rich/soft style of Pinot. Not a perfect comparison with the bottle age, but I preferred the style of this Willamette. (1639 views) | | | Tasted by Wine2372 on 11/5/2020 & rated 92 points: Lean, restrained red fruit, with smooth tannins, a lithe acidity, and a hint of spice. Young, graceful Willamette Pinot Noir. Drinking well now with several hours of air, and worth a hold. (1083 views) | | | Tasted by vacpl on 10/3/2020 & rated 91 points: Great Pinot from Oregon. (1115 views) | | | Tasted by shorty01 on 7/25/2020 & rated 91 points: Just beginning to work my way through 2018 Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs, and thus far have been more than pleased. With a couple of cellar years, this so called entry level Pinot will likely come into its own. (1286 views) | | | Tasted by Ben Christiansen on 6/16/2020: A young Failla. Crunchy red fruits on the nose. Lively and fresh on palate. Not as carbonic and avant garde as last vintage. Much more like a Willamette Pinot. Lively and fun. Cranberry and spice. (1508 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, Seeing 20/20 – Sonoma & Anderson Valley New Releases (Jan 2020) (1/1/2020)
(Failla Pinot Noir (willamette Valley) Oregon Red) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Failla Producer websitePinot 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.USAAmerican 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
Willamette Valley Willamette Valley Wineries Association | Willamette Valley AVA Wikipedia article
#2012 vintage:
"Broadly speaking, the Willamette Valley's 2012 pinots are fleshy and fruit-dominated, with round tannins and forward personalities. The fruit tends to the darker side of the pinot spectrum--think cherry and blackberry rather than strawberry and raspberry, much less cranberry and redcurrant--and this gives the wines massive crowd appeal. The best wines also have the depth to age, so don't be fooled by their accessible nature in the early going." - Josh Raynolds
#2013 vintage:
"The key to a successful foray into the ‘13s is first to understand that in most instances the wines lean to the red fruit side of Pinot Noir; they tend to be tangy and tightly wound but often lack concentration. While some wines may put on weight and gain sweetness with bottle age, that’s a gamble I’ll personally leave to others. The 2013s also tend to lack the tannic structure for more than mid-term aging although they will likely endure on their acidity, which I suspect will usually outlast the fruit in this vintage" - Josh Raynolds
#2014 vintage:
"The 2014 vintage in Oregon may be remembered as the vintage of a lifetime [for growers] . . . these wines as they will be similar to the 2009 vintage . . . lovely, ripe, rich, deeply concentrated and aromatic" - winebusiness.com
"The conditions made it relatively easy to make good wines, with no worries about achieving ripeness, and the lack of frost risk allowed us to keep grapes on the vine as long as we wished." - Casey McClellan |
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