1999 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

As we did last year, a group of us got together to taste Willamette Valley Pinot Noir at 15 years on. The argument being, some wines might be fading but it would be hard to argue they need more time to really show well. Last year I did a duck focused menu but this year we had a friend do a Japanese menu including Cucumber and Tofu salad, Smoked Dried Grilled Mackeral, Copper River Sockeye Fermented in Sake Lees, and a Braised Pork Belly with Sous Vide Egg.

We each brought a bottle and tasted them double blind. Most had been double decanted for 4 hours. I flighted the wines by nose, without tasting them.

I was suprsied how much better these wines showed than the 98s last year where up to half of the wines felt over the hill. Lots of inky color and expressive, youthful aromatics. No need to rush opening them but a good time to check in if you haven't recently.

• NV Bérêche et Fils Champagne Premier Cru Ludes Les Beaux Regards

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Overwhelming acid, then cheese, raw cabbage, almost pinot-like dirt, mineral finish

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• 1999 The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Dead ringer for Sauternes. oxidezed nose of peaches, botrytis?, lime, ginger, finishes with toasted graham cracker.

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Chehalem the clear winner here. Lots of interesting spice.

• 1999 Chehalem Pinot Noir Ridgecrest Vineyards

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  Classic dark cherries on the nose, Camembert, spicy in the mouth, a bit hot with a dynamic, spicy finish. A suprise to most of us when revealed, a sleeper.

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• 1999 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Jerome Reserve

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Ocean and seaweed on the nose that eventually blew off to reveal sweet cherries and fresh rose petals. A forward wine but not over the hill.

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• 1999 Torii Mor Pinot Noir Quail Hill

  USA, Oregon, Washington County

  Distinct bloody calf liver on the nose, then sweet cocoa powder, aromatically very complex but the Brett just crushed the palate and finish, cutting the show short. Not enjoyable beyond the funky nose.

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I've had good luck with Cristom Jessie, but not here. Impeccable provenance too. Win some, lose some.

• 1999 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Sweet fruit on the nose, hot, jammy fruit, hot menthol on the nose and palate, finishes with oak. Past prime.

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• 1999 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Southeast Block Reserve

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Blueberry juice.

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• 1999 Sineann Pinot Noir Reed & Reynolds

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Beautiful classic cherry nose, some cola and crushed dried flowers. Then big but integrated acid in the mouth with big ripe fruit and a long finish. If someone wanted to know what textbook Oregon Pinot should taste like, I'd point them here. Classic, clean, pure, nice adicity. Very shocked when this was revealed. Great vineyard and you can see why the French wanted it.

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• 1999 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard

  USA, Oregon, Yamhill County

  I'm done with Beaux Frere. The wines just don't show well for me. Sweet cocoa on the nose with some lavender. Spicy in the mouth, no acid, then hot finish. Simplistic.

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These are ex-chateau, topped and recorked at the winery.

• 1999 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Some bricking and more advanced than the other 99s today. Olives, blueberries, and ripe canteloupe. Big Acids in the mouth carrying some cola, then an odd overripe pumpkin on the finish. Definitnely very complex but not sure it all fits together well.

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• 1999 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  I smelled bad body odor, others smelled dirty oily dog (not wet) that eventually blew off revealing seaweed and other savory notes, then some brett which blew off too, then some spearmint and other cool herbs. Much more integrated than the Reserve but just as beguiling.

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If Thomas is your thing, you'd be all over this.

• 1999 Thomas Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Very light in color. Some brett on the nose that never blew off but always stayed in the background. Tar, rubber, then red cherries, then mint, elegant, lithe, good acid, extensive finish that just kept going. Some would say the wine of the night.

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• 1999 Cameron Pinot Noir Brickhouse Vineyard

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  If a horse had dreadlocks, it would smell like this wine. I was able to pick out some sweet very typical Cameron cherries though.

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We finished with some of Vincent's Nocino. It was spicy and awesome.

Surprisingly great showing from the Chehalem and Sineann, good shows from the Eyrie South Block and Thomas, as expected. Looking forward to next year!