Oregon Pinot

We drank 6 Oregon Pinots from 3 recent vintages. Overall comment - the wines are not complex. They are too much about fruit, to the exclusion of the other things that Pinot can be. On the worst cases they showed alcohol clunkiness (too much hang time), and not enough acidity. At best, they were graceful with good texture. But even then, not terribly complex wines, and for about $45 a bottle, I think you can do better elsewhere.

• 2006 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Blanc 87 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  very leesy and creamy - too much time on the lees, if you ask me. Kind of smothers the fruit. But fruit does emerge after a while, spiced baked yellow apples, decent acidity. tough call - the raw material seems good, the wine feels pure, but i wish I could taste it without all of the lees time.

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• 2002 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  dark fruit on the nose, not all that interesting, but the palate is very nice, with a stewed cherry essence and very soft tannins that have begun to melt into the wine.

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• 2005 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Ribbon Springs 87 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge

  opened way after the other bottles, and didn't really have time to unwind itself. the fruit seemed nice, something herbal too, but i was not very impressed in the end - these wines are so focused on fruit that they do not have the complexity to make them very interesting. and at these prices, it makes it a simple call not to buy them.

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• 2005 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills 84 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  This is just one big disappointment. Everyone said the same thing - the alcohol dominates the nose, and when it settles a bit, the wine is simple, a one note tune of red fruit with very little else going on. You can scream all you want about too young, but this was open for four hours and did not improve at all. i've had good wine by this producer, but not from 2005.

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• 2004 Brick House Pinot Noir Cuvée du Tonnelier 90 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley

  The wine of the night for me, although it started off strangely - salty umami notes, something like balsa wood, kind of medicinal, perhaps not entirely clean. brght red fruit, good acidity, length, and intensity, especially after two hours open. clearly this wine needs time in the bottle, as it wasn't pretty at first, but became lovely after a few hours.

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• 2004 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Murto Vineyard 88 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills

  Not as good of a showing as the last time, a few years ago. I like the citrus and floral aromas, and i very much like the light texture and body - they;re going for complexity and grace over extraction here. But there is an odd cedary twang, something almost vegetal on the finish that i don't care for, as if the phenols weren't ripe enough?

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• 2005 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Elizabeth's Reserve 87 Points

  USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains

  better showing than last time, although the style is more concentrated and fruit forward than i want in a wine at this price - kind of a one-note wonder.

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