Oregon wines of North London

10 of us shared 13 bottles of Oregon Pinot and Chardonnay over a feast of Afghan food: kadhoo buranee (pumpkin dip), aushak (steamed leek dumplings topped with lentil and yoghurt sauce), naan, mixed kebabs and Kabuli palow.

• 2018 Arterberry Maresh Chardonnay Eyrie Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Served quite cool, and that didn't help it as it only accentuated its low-key neutrality. Subtle, mineral nose, with some grassiness. With air, it showed more of itself and became very appetising. The finish provided real interest though, being long and savoury, and much more cereal rather than citric. That lovely element aside, this was more insipid than I'd have liked. I see a lot of consistency with my note from 2023, although I liked this more than I did then.

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• 2018 Goodfellow Family Cellars Chardonnay Richard's Cuvee Whistling Ridge Vineyard 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  Slightly fuller nose than the Arterberry, at least at first, although that partly reflects respective serving temperatures. Powdery and lemony. More fun on the palate, which was gorgeously, lipsmackingly tangy, and again had excellent length. Despite all of that, though, this wine tried too hard to balance on the highwire, and ultimately came across rather bland, like a Chablis fanboy.

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• 2022 LAVINEA Chardonnay Eola - Amity Hills 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  My wine. Obviously more full-bodied than the pair of whites in the first flight, with a touch of reduction too. Strong, substantial and incisive on the palate, with vibrant, succulent fruit (I guess it's a pretty young wine). Although there's nothing to dislike, there was also an absence of any complexity. I look forward to my other bottle, but it isn't likely to make the Earth move.

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• 2021 Crowley Chardonnay Helen 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, McMinnville

  A real contrast: if the Lavinea was a change of degree after the first flight, this was a complete change of fact. Strikingly exotic, to the extent that there's no way I'd have labelled this as a Chardonnay if shown to me blind. A floral edge, too, and it might be very slightly off-dry. That said, it was beautifully light on it feet, and went very nicely with the food. I would drink this again, although it's more of a substitute for Loire Chenin than Oregon Chardonnay!

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• 2018 Walter Scott Chardonnay X-Novo Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  A bonus white, which we were delighted to try as it stole the show. Intensely reduced, reeking of gunflint but stopping short of ruining the wine. Crackled with energy on the palate, slick and moreish and increasingly creamy with air and warmth, although there's no escaping the unerring sense of stony precision. Compelling stuff, perhaps even thrilling. There's potential for my score to improve as the nose ameliorates. My #2 tonight.

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• 2017 Brick House Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais Ribbon Ridge 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  A pale colour, especially at the rim, but... boom, this is a very full-bodied, punchy wine. The nose is lovely, especially with some more air, showing lots of purple fruit and dusky dark flowers. The palate was less attractive, with a rich fruitiness that could charitably be described as succulent black cherry but also reminded me of the sort of fruit drink my daughter would enjoy; I'd prefer some mineral strictness. Overall though, this was a good wine.

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• 2017 Appassionata Pinot Noir Andante 87 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Even more full-bodied and Fruity (TM) than the Brick House, and I'm afraid I found this hard to deal with. Sweetish and hard work, with a cough mixture edge. I'd probably have tipped this if there had been a spittoon. Did not present itself like an 8yo wine. Sad.

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• 2012 Omero Cellars Pinot Noir 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  Quite a soulful nose, showing some pleasing development. Soft cherry, and so balanced drinkable - it's a lot more balanced than the reds in the prior flight. It probably deserved more attention, but I was focused on the main course!

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• 2012 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Winderlea Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  This is absolutely showing some development on the nose: it's gorgeously savoury. Nice lift on the palate, with a good weight of pretty strawberry. Just enough acidity and character to make a wonderful pairing for the Adana kebab - yum.

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• 2018 Martin Woods Pinot Noir Jessie James Vineyard 92 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  The nose speaks of juicy fruit, but also has excellent definition and an air of minerality. The fruit is dark-toned, but crisp and lifted, and there's a tempting savoury edge too. Long finish and the sense of understated ease that I appreciate in the Martin Woods wines - more 'digeste' than the reds in the prior flights. My #3 tonight.

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• 2022 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

  Softer on the nose than the Martin Woods, but still had sufficient detail. Its relative youth showed in the fruit being on the bigger side, and the finish was a touch drying. Already enjoyable, though, and shows promise.

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• 2019 Cameron Rouge Clos Electrique 93 Points

  USA, Oregon

  This wine immediately showed it had more to it than the other reds, and actually kept improving in the glass. Crisp, tart, crabappley nose, with plenty of energy and a pleasing hint of funk. On the palate there was again a plethora of crisp red fruit, with hints of rhubarb compote, lovely purity and good length. Complexity and personality... wish I owned some of this (my WOTN).

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• 2018 Abbott Claim Pinot Noir Abbott Claim Vineyard 91 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

  Attractively autumnal bouquet, with some damp earth notes that were absent from the other reds tonight. Sweet purple fruit on the palate, balanced by a more rustic undergrowthy side. Very drinkable, and very good, although outshone by the Cameron.

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I've slightly contradictory thoughts about tonight's wines: on the one hand they were consistently good (with one exception IMO), but on the other only a couple (the Walter Scott and the Cameron) really impressed, and I'd hoped for a larger number of clear bullseyes.

To be fair, whilst I didn't feel that we'd opened any of the wines way too early, most of them were pretty young. A fun evening though, and I shall certainly keep buying and tasting these wines.