Mainly Oregon

Noizé
Tasted Friday, October 14, 2022 by SimonG with 141 views

Introduction

A couple of us thought it might be time to have a look at some of the Oregon wines we’d been buying over the past few years, largely untried until now. Flight 1 was served non-blind with a view to seeing if vintage variation was a significant factor — it seemed to make some difference, but on this one wine sample didn’t appear to be as significant as producer and style turned out to be in flight 3. Either way, BH Dijonnais showed well. The whites were served blind and showed very well. Reassured to see that things I’d particularly liked previously I still liked. Good to taste some new things too. Overall I thought the standard of whites was a particular high. Flight 3 was designed to be largely a 2014 horizontal with a few ringers thrown in. Producer styles vary quite a bit, and in general the wines can take some age. The 11 Tori Morr was nicely mature, as was the 13 BH Dijonnais, but otherwise the reds would all have benefited from further age. The 05 Laurene was disappointing though - previous bottles were more open but this was pretty tight, and a whole level of extra tannin over anything else.

Most wines were opened and checked after breakfast and then stoppered to be carried in to London immediately ahead of lunch. Huge thanks to Mathieu and colleagues at Noizé for accommodating the six of us — we organised it as a walk-around tasting before lunch and then enjoyed favourites from the tasting over lunch. A fun and instructive afternoon.

Flight 1 (7 Notes)

Flight 2 (9 Notes)

Flight 3 (9 Notes)

  • 2014 Winderlea Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Vineyards 89 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Single blind. Mid cherry. Spicy oak nose. Quite sweet fruited and seemingly a little gloopier than when opened four hours ago. Quite a bit of density and persistence, but currently lacks some cut and freshness ***

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  • 2014 Maison Roy & Fils Pinot Noir Incline 86 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    Single blind. Mid cherry. More savoury on the nose. Cherry fruit with a slightly bitter edge. Herbal perhaps. This really comes through on the finish. Not quite sure, one to reconsider with food. Still quite dark and dense. Needs time. Bare *(**)

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  • 2014 Winderlea Pinot Noir Winderlea Vineyard 91 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Single blind. The ruby side of cherry. Cherry tune nose. Similar on the palate, some depth here, a herby mineral line too. Some ripeness around the sides too. Grows on one. ****

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  • 2014 Sequitur Pinot Noir 92 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

    Single Blind. Mid to full cherry. Oak, spice and dark strawberry on the nose. Dark and savoury on the palate. Slightly dry edge and then a sense of cola at the edge. Big wine. Might need food but actually it’s not de trop. One to watch overnight…. still showing well after 36hrs. Yes it’s big, and dark fruited, but there’s something really quite engaging here, and I like it, despite the nearly 14.5% abv. The dark fruit is given some focus and line by a nicely savoury quality. The cola element has gone, as has any sense of dryness and there’s quite a bit here considering the vines were only 4 years old.Worth another point. ****

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  • 2014 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard 92 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Blind. Mid to full ruby. Lovely bright strawberry fruit. Strawberry confiture on the attack, quite ripe and rounded but very smooth. Might struggle to drink a bottle, but the first impression is positive. ****

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  • 2019 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 90 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Blind. Bright mid cherry. More savoury, slightly sweaty almost on the nose. Quite dry. ***1/2

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  • 2007 Torii Mor Pinot Noir Chehalem Mountains Select 92 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Single blind. Bright mid ruby. More mature, slightly sweaty, a touch of sous bois. Very mellow. Nicely mature with plenty of interest. **** /92 with upside

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  • 2019 Domaine Didier Fornerol Côte de Nuits Villages 89 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Côte de Nuits Villages

    Single blind. Cherry red. Quite bright. Lovely attack. Very mellow and dense and interesting on the palate. Not one to speed date but lots to contemplate. ***

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  • 2005 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène 88 Points

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Single blind. Far darker and denser. Almost opaque. Denser, slightly sweatier, very chewy. A whole dimension of extra tannin here, needs time. No, doesn’t improve with food. This has retreated in to a difficult phase. *(**)

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