Willamette, Damn It!: Pinot Shoot-Out

Waterford Wine Co. Tasting Room
Tasted Saturday, July 25, 2009 by Beavis77 with 745 views

Introduction

The goal was to rate/rank a selection of 2006 Oregon Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, and try to determine which was favored and what is collectible, ageworthy, praiseworthy, etc.

All wines are tasted single blind.

Flight 1 (14 Notes)

  • 2006 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Dussin Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    A nose of red cherry and baking spices. Light earth with almost a touch of floral. Later, when revisiting, it took on a little barnyard and bigger earth.
    The palate was light to medium bodied with upfront tannins. Sour cherries and a touch of earthiness. Get the oak, especially with the bite of bitterness on the finish. On the second taste, the tannins had settled, and it was very smooth. Wonder how it will age though.

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  • 2006 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Shea Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    A lot of barnyard funk on the nose. Some gamy, wet leather. Baked berries are starting to peek through. After a few minutes, the funk fades and a blast of cherry comes up. On the second glass, the barnyard funk and leather are gone. In fact the nose kind of died off altogether.
    The palate is quite smooth. Nice integrated tannins. Getting some oak, but it seems well mixed. A mix of spice and black cherry. A bit of woodiness and a peppery finish. On revisitation, it just falls off and is frankly kind of blah.

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  • 2006 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

    Warm nose of baked cherries and earth. The brightness of the fruit really shines through. Upon revisiting, the nose stayed consistent.
    Nice, big tannins, but still need integration. A touch of heat from the alcohol. Smooth red cherry with nice earth. On the second taste, the tannins were more smoothed out.

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  • 2006 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Abbott Claim Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

    Nose of cherries and earth with some smokiness. Baking spices. Really beautiful nose that stayed consistent later during a second taste.
    Blast of pure red fruits, cranberries and red cherries. Well integrated acid and tannins. Really long, well balanced peppery finish. For the second taste, it seemed a bit out of balance, like it was too young.

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  • 2006 Bergström Pinot Noir de Lancellotti

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

    Rich nose of baked cherries, baking spices and smoky earth. When it was had a second time, it took on this crazy cherry liqueur/tawny port nose.
    The mouth was earthy and thick. Nice, well integrated tannins with a touch of oak. Some tart cherry and cranberry flavors. Long, earthy finish with some lingering pepper notes. For the second taste, it was even smoother.

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  • 2006 Bergström Pinot Noir Bergström Vineyard Flawed

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

    Wine was corked.
    Nose was cherry liqueur with red fruit and touch of earth. Seemed kind of dead.
    Sour cranberry on palate. Oak and earth. Sour cherries. But everything seemed muted and in the background.

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  • 2006 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    Upfront barnyard funk on the nose. Some smoky black cherry. Getting alcohol heat on the nose. Nose stayed consistent when revisited.
    Canned cherries and big tannins with pretty strong oak. Also, stayed consistent when revisited.

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  • 2006 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Savoya Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

    Bring the funk, baby! Lots of barnyard on the nose. Black cherry. Nice smoke. Just the slightest hint of earth. On the second glass, the barnyard blew off a bit.
    Really pure fruit on the palate. Prunes and black cherries. Well integrated tannins. Nice earth and smoke. Really enjoyable.

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  • 2006 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

    Bright red fruit. A touch of smoke and earth. Really fresh nose. So bright. This was consistent in the second taste.
    The mouth was bright, upfront fruit, cherry and red currant. Tart fruit. Beautiful acid and tannin balance. Beginning to integrate. Nice complexity. Upon revisiting this, the flavors were the same, but even smoother, and taking on some elegance.

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  • 2006 Ken Wright Pinot Noir McCrone Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

    Nice earth on the nose. Full cherries and baking spices. Stayed consistent for the second taste.
    Fairly full bodied and very smooth. Good earthiness. Really long finish of baked cherries. Also a nice tannic touch on the finish. Needs time, but very good now. Upon revisiting, the wine stayed consistent on the palate.

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  • 2006 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Canary Hill Vineyard

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

    A nose of smoky cherries. Ripe fruit and nice earth. The 2nd time around, the nose had more pronounced earthiness.
    A more elegant, lighter bodied mouthfeel. Smooth baked cherries. A lingering, forever finish with a touch of pepper. Stayed consistent on the palate for the second taste.

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  • 2006 Owen Roe Pinot Noir "The Kilmore"

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton

    The nose was baked cherry cobbler. Nice earth. A big, warming nose. On the second taste, the nose was consistent, but with a touch of alcohol.
    The mouth had a touch of canned cherries. Big wood tannins. Tastes young. Seems to need integration yet. A crazy cranberry finish with a touch of oak. Stayed consistent for the second taste.

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  • 2006 Owen Roe Pinot Noir Sojourner

    USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills

    A rather muted nose, but seductive. Baked cherries and spice. Nice earth note. Warm nose. Nose was consistent for second taste.
    Bright cherry and red currant flavors. Bigger tannins. Getting some oak. Really peppery finish. On the second taste, it seemed to smooth out more.

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  • 2006 Owen Roe Pinot Noir Sharecropper's

    USA, Oregon

    Big, wide open fruit on the nose. Touch of earth, but mostly just bright, ripe red fruit. Nose stayed consistent on second taste.
    Bright and pure red fruit in the mouth. Nice touch of wood tannins. Needs a bit of integration. Alcohol seems a bit high and out of balance. Really long finish. Stayed consistent on second taste.

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Closing

THOUGHTS:
- With the exception of one corked bottle, there were no bad wines. Just different levels of quality.
- Too much Ken Wright in terms of percentage. Skewed the results.
- Hard to find a pattern other than Jessie was a true crowd pleaser.
- Lots of overlap between best and worst lists, which seems to be a sign of personal preferences.
- Not sure what the data show. Was the measurement tool the best one to use? Did we have too many wines? Did the sequence of tasting matter?
- Were we not systematic enough? For example, I eventually started grouping in three's, picking a winner, then pitting the winner against another three.
- Did we need a non-Oregon control?

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