Terroir-istes International - USA-Oregon-Willamette Pinot Noir

A dive into the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir's

• 2014 Erath Pinot Noir Estate Selection Willamette Valley 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Light cherry red with pretty aromas of spice, raspberry and loganberry more than strawberry, gentle spice with a touch of tinned cherry. Fairly intense, the palate entry is dry with a grippy tannins but ripe fruits sandwiched between. The tinned cherry components gathered some pastry notes, cherry cola and a sprinkle of spice. mid-weight, expressive and perhaps obvious, it finishes nicely without being too deep and demanding.
  20% new French oak

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• 2014 Argyle Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  (Tasted Blind): Light crimson red, the aromas here are more oaky with toast, stewed fruits and spices. Quite a sexy little number (powerful perfume), there are wafts of vanilla pod, Bing cherry, black tea, pomegranate and again, loganberry.
  A grip entry, the wine is quite savoury with a more Pinot-orientated way about it, unlike wine 1, which was rather expressive and fruity. Fine-boned tannins with a vibrant acidity, the wine is mouth-filling with notes of sour cherry, blackberry, sweet spice, cloves, and a herbal element, as well as a strange resin reminiscent of oily wooden floors, but this doesn't detract. Some felt it had a slightly bitter quality, and to me, it did, but positively, as it didn't infringe on the long finish of this well-balanced wine. Great depth of fruit too.

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• 2014 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Breaking Ground 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

  (Tasted Blind): Mid purple to crimson, the aromas show plenty of black fruit with blackberry and black raspberry mixed with toasted spices, red apple, and some pastry, but also with a hint of grappa/pomace.
  The entry feels bulbous, with juicy fruits at its core and a rich texture that broadens out to a more muscular structure. There is fresh acidity despite the wine feeling a little heavy in the mid-palate, filled with blackberry and apple pie notes and a dusting of cocoa powder. Has complexity and concentration, but perhaps it is a little extracted. But still, a long, extended finish makes this a more powerful example.
  spent 10 month in 30% new oak.

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• 2009 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Block 7 Shea Vineyard 83 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

  (Tasted Blind): Showing more development, the bouquet reveals carrion, buchu, Bovril, prune juice and some old leather with a dash of spice. Ripe, the full-bodied entry reflects the development with generous alcohol, soft, resolved tannins and little acidity. Flavours of herb, mint, liquorice, and tomato leaf. Overall, the wine lacks much structure, filling the mouth but the tannins are shapeless whilst the alcohol accentuates it heaviness.
  Fairly developed, this is going nowhere fast.
  Vines planted in 1989 using Pommard, PN114 and Wadenwil clones. Soils are ancient marine sediments.

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• 2014 Bergström Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

  (Tasted Blind): A light cherry red with lovely intense fruits of Bing cherry, dried roses and red plum once a touch of reduction had blown off. A sweet entry, full-bodied, the acidity is crunchy and the core is filled with notes of cherry cola, plum and raspberry jelly powder. Hints of mineral contribute to the acidity, whilst the tannins feel somewhat chewy and rustic, wide and coarse. The warm fruit and generous alcohol just about cover the tannins, but the acid feels a little sharp and disjointed on the back palate and the wine burly. It closes with a touch of sweetness but doesn't assuage the acidity. Felt a little angular all told.
  Bergstrom owns 10% of the Shea vineyard, and of the 22, buyers are the largest. Use PN777, PN9 and Wadenswil clone. The topsoil is thin and lies in ancient marine deposits and sandstone underneath.

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• 2013 Cameron Rouge Clos Electrique 91 Points

  USA, Oregon

  (Tasted Blind): The nose opened with some attractive red cherry, red flowers and red berry fruits but soon ventured into tilled soil and some barnyard (some noted funky), iron fillings, iodine and dried orange zest.
  A succulent mouth-coating entry, the wine has depth to the mid-palate with a chewy texture and plenty of complex nuances as the savoury aspects of blood, iron, and gameplay out alongside the red cherry, dried orange and yellow peach.
  It has a lovely gait and some persistence to the mid-palate. The tannins are present but well integrated, and the acid is just about lively. Certainly complex, there is a vibrant, lingering finish. Full-bodied, this was a controversial wine as some felt the funk aligned too much to some Brett issues. I think there was some truth in that, but on the day, it seemed to cope, and whilst the nose showed more funk, the palate didn't give the traditional bitterness should it have been 4-ethylphenol, even if the tannins were a little gnarly.
  The estate has at least 15 different clones of Pinot noir on under 1 hectare of land. Low yields of 25hl/ha.

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• 2012 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  (Tasted Blind): A mid ruby with a touch of green notes at first, with distinctive notes reminiscent of crushed ants and a battery-like acid element. This segued positively into floral, raspberry and strawberry leaves. It didn't feel completely ripe on the nose, but on the palate, it improved with ripe, pretty fruits with prominent raspberries and nuances of blackberry and a touch of spice and roasted herbs add interest. The acid is crispy, and the granular tannins lead to a medium finish. A good wine without being more, it all feels a little reserved, pale and wan.
  Fruit from their Laurene vineyard is highly recognised as one of the top Oregon vineyards. It is picked by hand, destemmed and fermented with wild yeast. They use 20% new French oak.

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• 2013 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  (Tasted Blind): A light-red hue with an attractive bouquet showing fragrant fruit with red cherry. Intense wine, the body is lighter and ethereal with a refreshing and delicate lift. Fresh acidity with fine porcelain tannins this is a pure pinot example. No green notes as such but a little chewy on the finish but a lovely pretty wine.

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• 2014 Cristom Pinot Noir Louise Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Light crimson in colour, the wine has a perfumed bouquet that is attractive and filled with gunflint, red cherry, vanilla, and blossom - Quite Chambolle-like.
  A succulent, rich entry with concentration and alluring cherry and vanilla fruit supported by grippy tannins. Nicely balanced, the wine is bolder than the previous wine yet maintains a tension in the mid-palate. There is a touch of heat from the alcohol, and although the wine lacked a little finesse, it was enjoyable.

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• 2013 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  (Tasted Blind): A mid-black to crimson colour. Expressive aromas of ripe black fruits, earthy and black plum.
  Riper fruits on entry with a hint of green too. A dense solid tannic grip with vibrant acidity and some extraction takes away some of the joy. Full-bodied and muscular, the mid-palate is quite intriguing with raisin flavours and Bovril joining pine nut, herb, and wintergreen - together, it is something reminiscent of Jagemeister alcohol liqueur. Interesting if nothing else!

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