Introduction
Great wines tell a story. Whenever you take a sip you taste the weather of the vintage, along with farming, winemaking, bottling, and storage decisions made along the way. Humans put their hands to the earth, and later to fruit, to create something with an image in mind. This image is not only of the finished product at bottling, but also what the finished product could become as it evolves. Top wines from any estate are infused with love, ambition, and passion as the people involved strive to deliver their vision of the best possible bottle of wine made from the resources available to them.
When some friends told me that The Eyrie Vineyards was going to do a big vertical of their South Block Pinot Noir, it quickly rose to the top of my list of tasting events for the summer. I even made the difficult trade off of missing the Passion for Pinot tasting at the International Pinot Noir Conference so I could afford to attend this South Block tasting. I knew there were going to be wines going back into the 70's, but I didn't know until later that they were going to be pouring every vintage of South Block ever created.
The "South Block" is a tiny parcel consisting of ten rows of vines in The Eyrie Vineyard, in the Dundee Hills. This vineyard was planted in 1966, and is one of the oldest vineyards in the state. The first release of the South Block Pinot Noir received recognition in blind tastings in France, and can very reasonably be credited with putting Oregon Pinot Noir on the international stage. Let me go over that again: A wine made with fruit from 1975, by a young wine maker, from a vineyard that was still under 10 years old, received accolades from the French when tasted alongside Red Burgundies. The opportunity to taste this wine alone would be compelling, let alone its younger siblings.
To my surprise, only the 1975 and the 1976 had ever been released to the public! This means that a full 27 of the 29 wines being poured were "new releases" despite the fact that some had been sitting in the Eyrie cellar for decades. Jason Lett, David's son and the current wine-maker, mentioned that many of the bottles in the cellar didn't even have labels. David always held the South Block back, and the more fond of the wine he was, the longer he wanted to let it age. This was clearly a wine with profound personal value, and a labor of love throughout David's career. He was bottling a bit of genius along with these grapes from the South Block, and the whole story was made available in glass. This vertical represents a collection of the life's work of a brilliant man. It's not comprehensive, as he contributed enormously to many aspects of wine in Oregon, but it's definitely monument to his effort and skill. As the years went by, he slowly transitioned the winemaking to Jason, but continued to make the South Block Reserve until 2007, which would be his final harvest.
As the realization sank in about what this tasting would be, I was at once humbled to have the opportunity to experience this journey into the past, and enormously grateful to The Eyrie Vineyards for making this event open to the public. I don't think many wineries in their shoes would have done this. Can you imagine the cost and hoopla surrounding the simultaneous release of 4 decades of a personal pet project of any of the famed California Cabernet producers? Someone like me would probably have to pay to read the tasting notes, and could only dream of being able to attend. I think history will show that David Lett was no less profound in his impact on American wine, and they chose to share his great project openly.
I arrived at the grand ballroom in McMinnville a bit early, which let me take a look at the largest collection of Riedel Oregon Pinot Noir glasses that I've ever seen. There were six tables decked out like the one in the picture above! I sat down to discover that the wines were to be served in four flights, single blind. We'd know what wines were in the flight, but not which wine was in which glass until the tasting of the flight was complete. This was a brilliant move, in my opinion. Even with my few years of tasting wine and writing notes, I have developed pretty firm opinions about the quality of a number of Oregon vintages. As much as I'd like to avoid it, I think it would be impossible for me to not be affected, at least a little bit, if I had known what specific wines were in the glass. For the record, I'm biased in favor of '94, '02, and '05, and biased against '03. As you'll see, I actually enjoyed the 2003 quite a bit, and I'm glad that I was able to do it without the risk of skepticism hovering over the glass. I'd like to think that I'm able to minimize this effect, but I also can't deny that the risk is there.
As the tasting progressed, I was blown away by the consistency of quality across the entire lineup. The Eyrie Vineyards tested every bottle for contamination and fill level to ensure that everything poured was delivering the proper expression of the wine at hand, but this goes beyond tasting a clean bottle. The flavors were intact and complex, the acidity was brisk and delivered its zip with a crystalline purity, and a sense of delicacy persisted in every taste. In my video reviews, I regularly comment on the feel of acidity in a wine, and to taste the quality and consistent delivery of it across the board in these wines was nothing less than profound. I would never have guessed it to be even possible for a wine-maker in Oregon to deliver that much quality consistently based on the climate alone!
The packet presented contained general information about the year, as well as time of harvest, brix, and pH. When the vintages were revealed, Jason added additional information, and did an excellent job fleshing out the fascinating story of each wine throughout its history. The fact that these wines were so intimately tied to the story of his father as a wine-maker made every tidbit of information compelling and enjoyable.
Those of you familiar with my reviews will notice that my scores here depart significantly from my typical range. Of course, to say that my overall amazement with the event played no part in my experience of the wines isn't something I'd be comfortable asserting. But even if you discount that fact, please bear in mind that the best of these wines truly stand with the best that I've ever tasted.
Flight 1 - 2000-2006 (7 notes)
This was where I was most happy with the single blind format. The 2003 was the most enjoyable wine from that vintage that I have tasted, and I love to see good a good showing from a wine I would normally be skeptical of. The 2002 was captivating, and it left me with time to revel in its excellence. Considering the longevity demonstrated later, it's quite amazing that these wines still display such quality and balance in their youth.
Red
2005 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is very full, showing plenty of caramel and red apple backed by pungent notes of evergreen and a bit of potpourri. The texture on the palate is very refined and gentle, while cherry flavors show through along with a touch of dust. Strawberries make an appearance as well while even acidity runs through the whole experience. A bit of dirt is evident toward the finish as well.
Red
2002 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
This smells like an aromatic session at a grill. It's pretty surprising. I get scents of cherries and tomatoes roasting side by side, while scents of charcoal from the grill are offset with rose petals. Bright cherries spring onto the palate with lots of great tart character. They're followed by a touch of candy and some ripping acidity that runs out long as the cherry flavors become full and juicy. The finish runs out over 30s, with the delicious cherries evolving to hints of grapefruit on the finish while acidity persists. This is wonderful, and it certainly serves to further my favoritism for the 2002 vintage.
Red
2001 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is complex, and on the bigger side in the context of the vertical. Barnyard, strawberry, and earthy notes show fully on the nose with just a hint of heat later. Over time, the barnyard note falls back and the strawberry scents darken. Cherries deliver on the palate in great form. They feel soft and full and they are delicious. Later on the mid palate, some gentle earthy flavors and a bit of wood shows as well. A touch of tannin firms up the finish while a bit of heat adds zip but stops short of causing trouble.
Red
2000 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Musty black earth on the nose blends with dark strawberries. Later, the musty character fades and a caramel note joins the persistent strawberry scents. This wine has a floral touch, and it is very delicate and gentle on the palate. Ripe, bright strawberries transition to clean and drying acidity as a glimpse of honey shows itself on the mid palate. As the acidity runs out, some oak flavors huddle beneath it. 90-
Red
2004 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The color here is very light, and the nose reminds me vividly of a garden fresh tomato. Some dried dirt mixes with the tomato skins as well as some gentle strawberries and a ghost of molasses. When tasted, full structure holds tart cherry and strawberry flavors together, and a touch of heat shows itself on the mid palate. Gentle and elegant acidity runs its way out on the finish. Full cherry skin flavors and the structure work together to give this wine a firm touch.
Red
2003 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
This wine is showing some aged character already, and I really enjoyed the effect. Overripe cherry scents mingle with dust and leather. Some barnyard notes are faint in the background, and after a little while in the glass, the cherries take on a tart character. The cherries on the palate are full, even, perfectly ripe, and downright delicious! To make it better, they stick around throughout the experience. Dusty earth shows early on the finish. Full and long acidity balances everything, and keeps it bright and interesting while the earth and cherry flavors run out to a long finish. This is easily the best wine from 2003 I've ever tasted. 93+
Red
2006 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose delivers dark cherries wrapped up in oak wood and forest floor. Suggestions of tobacco and grapefruit show on the nose as well. It delivers with a lovely, smooth touch on the palate while showing the darker side of Pinot Noir flavor. The cherries are dark and full and they feel juicy. Full acidity and some structure work together to support this darker fruit and to clean things out on the finish. 91+
Flight 2 - 1993-1999 (7 notes)
I've enjoyed wines from 1998 and 1999, and consider them both to be solid vintages. In this vertical, 1998 really stood out. I'm also quite fond of the few bottles I've tasted from 1994, and out of hand, I would've guessed that to be my favorite. However, the 1998 delivers phenomenal luxury to the nose and palate. You know it's going to be special as soon as you take the first sniff, and it brings you even more than you anticipated. This flight has also opened my eyes to the potential of other wines from 1996, a vintage I really know nothing about.
Red
1998 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The aromas from this wine are totally decadent, rich, and inviting. Caramel and honey blend with butter and cherries to suggest a wine gushing with flavor. In fact, the nose suggests that the wine may even be awkwardly ripe, but this is obviously not the case when tasted. The cherry fruit is soft, decadent and rich. It shows alongside some full strawberry flavors, and a hint of butter appears in the background. The acidity appears on the mid palate, instantly lightening things up, and providing some bright character to the fruit. This brightness evolves to provide a fantastic contrast between the nose and the experience on contact. The acidity lingers in the cheeks on the finish leaving a light feeling of dryness that underlines the excitment contained in each sip. This is spectacular!
Red
1993 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is inviting and full of ripe fruit. It has a tart character to it, and it shows scents of ripe apples and strawberries. The apples and strawberries deliver on the palate, and the acidity is bright and clean from beginning to end. Some structure shows through on the mid palate, reminding me of seeds on the strawberries, and I get a bit of heat on the finish.
Red
1999 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Earthy notes roll across the nose looming above cherries, strawberries, and a backbone of caramel oak scent. The age expresses itself as a bit of dust across the top of full cherries on the palate, as well as in a bit of leather that shows itself in the middle. The cherry flavors themselves are pure, and while the force of them fades fairly quickly, the ghost of fruit is even and lingering on the finish.
Red
1996 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is complex and it invites multiple visits for exploration. At first I get strawberry fruit with a touch of green, as if the stems were still attached. The age expresses itself in scents of brown sugar. Dark, aged fruit scents are coupled with earthy notes that remind me of freshly roasted potatoes. When tasted, the palate is initally struck by ripe cherries with thick skins. The acid is slow to roll in, and it progressively dries things out as the fruit evolves from cherry to strawberry flavors. Light leather flavors settle into the sides of the mouth. The acidity delivers a fantastic drying experience on the finish as the fruit lingers long. Eventually, very late, the acidity brings the fruit up to a fully tart note. The evolution and texture is great here, and the wine favors slow, contempletive sips. 94+
Red
1995 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Faint and delicate scents of leather, perfume, and dried cherries show in the glass. Full strawberries, complete with seeds and a bit of stem blend wonderfully with the tart acidity on the palate. This has a bright and lovely character right now, and is barely showing its age at all. The acidity dries things out well and runs out on the finish. This is definitely on the lighter side in respect to the other wines in the vertical, but there is more fruit on the palate than the nose suggests. 90-
Red
1997 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
This smells just like a well baked cherry pie. The age on the fruit expresses itself in the fruit around the edge of the pie that received a little extra baking, and the flaky crust shows a dusting of baked sugar crystals across the top. This is delicate, elegant, and smooth on the palate. Some light acidity delivers a feeling of brightness on the mid palate before becoming more full on the finish. The tannins are gentle and mature.
Red
1994 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The bouquet is full of character, bursting out of the glass with scents of a full, ripe, and delicious tomato. Typically, suggestions of vegetal notes can be met with derision, but I want to make it perfectly clear that it is quite enjoyable on this wine. Dark cherry and chocolate scents continue to add weight to the nose, and deep scents of campfire ash linger distantly in the background to provide some earthy structure. This is awesome on contact! Zippy acidity keeps the wine tart while lovely strawberries play with ruby red grapefruit on the palate. The fruit rises in intensity on the mid palate, and everything lingers for a long time. Some faint oak provides a touch of richness that lingers in the corners of the mouth, complementing the full and bright fruit very well.
Flight 3 - 1986-1992 (7 notes)
In this flight, I was really amazed by how full the fruit was. I was expecting a lot more herbal and earthy flavors, and very diminished fruit across the board. While this did play out in a few of the wines, delicious fruit persisted in most of them. The acidity was still healthy as well, and showing the same lovely precision and balance seen in younger wines.
Red
1988 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Caramel scents from the glass are complemented by some peaches, tree bark, and some cherries in the background. Even acidity is shows right away when tasted, along with gentle aged fruit. I get light strawberries at first, with dried cherry flavors showing themselves later. The acidity is slow to arrive, but it's refined at all times. The age shows itself as a touch of leather on the palate that provides a nice contrast to the otherwise light and crisp flavors. 92-
Red
1986 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Scents of earth and roots show on this structured nose while faint strawberry and nutmeg scents hint at delicious flavors waiting in the glass. The earth shows early on the palate along with ripe cherries with pits intact. Great acidity shows itself on the mid palate, and this keeps the experience pure and bright despite the darkness suggested by the nose. Strawberry flavors wash across the mid palate, and they linger long while the acidity makes my mouth water. Overall, the wine delivers a delicate impression, which is quite interesting considering the deeper character delivered on the nose.
Red
1992 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose reminds me of apples grilled over the fire. The skins are charred a bit, and there is a touch of caramel from the butter and brown sugar that lightly dusted the apple before cooking. A touch of heat is evident, but not disruptive. Full fruit still shows great delicacy and flavor when tasted. Full, rich, and perfectly ripe red apple flavors blend with delicious strawberries to deliver fantastic flavors right out of the gate. Acidity that reminds me of green apples builds on the mid palate, and runs out long providing an elegant and smooth evolution that is a real joy to experience. Since I mentioned it on the nose, I want to note that this lovely wine doesn't show any heat on the palate. 96-
Red
1991 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Scents of ginger, dried strawberries, and jelly beans show in the glass, while dark fruit scents appear after the wine has been in glass for some more time. On the palate, juicy cherries mix with clean apples and some dusty earth flavors. The fruit persists with lovely balanced acididty, and a touch of cinnamon shows itself on the finish.
Red
1987 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose shows a good amount of complexity, with dark cherry scents mixing with tomatoes, and background notes of evergreen and buttery caramel. Red cherries are round and smooth on the palate, and they show skin flavors as well as fruit. Some strawberry flavors appear on the mid palate, and limes show themselves on the finish. Great acidity rolls in with the lime flavors, and everything becomes clean and pure on the finish. It evolves away from the red fruits tasted earlier and towards a white fruit like an apple. 92+
Red
1990 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The bouquet is spice driven, showing dusty earth, cloves, and caramel blended with the full skins of a cherry. Grapefruit flavors touch down right away on the palate and quickly become delicious and juicy. Apple flavors with a touch of strawberry show on the mid palate with the mature and integrated structure reminding me of seeds in the strawberries.
Red
1989 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Rich aged cherry scents are mixed with dusty dried roses, some caramel and a touch of leather on the nose. Evergreen flavors show across the palate to good effect. Cherry persists as great acid slowly and gently evolves. The evergreen lends a great savory component to this. The acidity is clean, and it delivers a great mouth feel that lasts long and leaves a sensation of precision. 91+
Flight 4 - 1976, 1976, 2007, and 1980-1985 (8 notes)
This flight had quite a mix of unique wines. The oldest two releases were still showing beautifully, and it's impossible to taste them without contemplating the history of these bottles. The experience alone would have been heady even if the wine were tired, but with the flavors and balance still showing, it was magnificent. The 2007 shows an amazing approachability and balance for its youth. Finally, 1982 was another vintage that was entirely off of my radar until today. You can bet I'll be keeping my eyes open for other bottles from this year.
Red
1983 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
There's no question that this wine is well aged. The nose is ethereal, with whispered scents of caramel, apples, and nutmeg rising from the glass. The acidity is still full though, showing flavors of limes and green apples melded with dusty earth and faint strawberry flavors. While the fruit shows its age, the wine is still clean and long lived on the palate, with acidity building to full force on the finish. As the acidity holds out, so too do citrus flavors. 91-
Red
1981 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
I didn't declare this one earlier, because that's how it was exposed to me. Upon the first few sniffs, I couldn't shake the sensation that this was corked. However, they had spoken at length of the testing and quality control put into every bottle, so I tried to push it off as musty, wet earth, and went in for a taste. Again, I couldn't escape the feeling that this was somehow corked, and decided I just had to chalk it up to being a little too sensitive toward these musty earth components. I abandoned the note taking here, only to discover that the entire lot of 1981 South Block Reserve was indeed corked, and that they had included it in the lineup, just so we could taste the ghosts of what could have been. I was quite relieved to hear that I wasn't way out in left field on this one.
Red
1975 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is engaging, showing lots of character. Lovely, full strawberries with stems intact show. A touch of caramel and barnyard appear in the background, and some baked apple notes show themselves after the wine has been in the glass for a few more minutes. Strawberry flavors on the palate are showing their age, and they quickly burst into some lovely red apple flavors on the mid palate. The transition is striking. Everything has a lovely gentle touch, and the flavors linger for a long time. The structure shows minerality early on, and it transitions into leather sensations on the finish. The acidity is wonderfully balanced with the flavors, and it remains even and lovely from beginning to end. This wine is fully intact, and drinking superbly!
Red
1976 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Spice and leather scents show in this wine, wrapping up scents of dried strawberries, dust, and a touch of heat. It has a great gentle and even approach on the palate, with full fruit flavors and tannic structure showing plenty of vigor. The acidity dries fully on the finish, and a bit of campfire becomes apparent late as well. This wine is still juicy and full, and I was nothing short of stunned to discover that this was the 1976. I have no doubt that if you're lucky enough to have one of these, you could continue to age it without worry.
Red
1985 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose leaves a feeling of being someplace under a hot sun. Nutmeg and dried strawberry scents mingle with those of hot, dried earth. Good acidity shows quickly on the palate, supporting enjoyable apple flavors early, and a touch of citrus later. A touch of tannic structure shows itself on the mid palate, and some soft aged strawberries linger with some leather flavors on the finish. 90-
Red
2007 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is full of earthy notes, and I'm getting scents of dried cherries backed by nutmeg and roasted beets. Gentle but dark cherry flavors blend with cloves and other spices on the palate. Clean and gentle acidity lingers well. The entire experience has a smooth feel to it, and the cherries linger ethereally on the finish. The youth of this wine really surprised me, as it's already well integrated. It certainly suggests a promising future for those fortunate enough to have one in the cellar.
Red
1982 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Dried cherry and caramel scents rise from the glass, delivering a sophisticated experience that is clean, full, and acknowledging its age. It is lovely and full as it rolls onto the palate with citrus and long running cherry flavors. The cherries evolve to include caramel flavors on the mid palate, with the wonderful acidity keeping things bright and clean. As the acidity dries out the sides of my mouth, green apple flavors rise on the finish. The wine is pure and clean in a powerful sense. Almost magically, as the cherries, apples, and acidity linger on the palate, a gorgeous floral note appears to grace the long finish on this spectacular wine.
Red
1980 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
The nose is quite complex with leather and rosy floral notes leading the way. Some faint coffee and evergreen scents are evident, and a ghostly hint of vanilla appears. It's like the moment when your realize that someone is wearing just a touch of vanilla perfume. Every now and then, you notice it, but it's barely there. Aged cherry flavors show when tasted, backed by leather notes and full acidity. It has an even sensation throughout the entire experience, speaking well for the balance in the wine. The acid leads the way for great apple notes on the mid palate accompanied by the evergreen suggested on the nose. The acidity dries everything fully on the finish.
Closing
The two biggest surprises for me were my enjoyment of the 2003 bottling, and the vivacious nature of the 1976. I was amused to see that I was fond of the 2's, with 82, 92, and 02 being amongst my favorites of the entire flight. Perhaps inappropriately, I was pleased to blindly deepen my bias toward the 2002 vintage as well.
It was truly amazing to see how the flavor and balance were intact across the board on these wines. To achive that from the early vintages, as a new wine grower and maker, is phenomenal. The life left in some of the older bottles, particularly the 1976, exceeded even my generous expectations. This tasting, and these wines have created an experience that will remain with me forever. I think this, and other write-ups and experiences will create a great body of information supporting the quality and ageability of The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir, along with the wines of the Dundee Hills, and Oregon in general. It's a tremendous statement about the history of David Lett, The Eyrie Vineyards, and about the potential of wines from all top quality producers in the area. This is history, and I will forever remain grateful to have been able to taste the story of The Eyrie Vineyards South Block Reserve.
The Eyrie Vineyards:
http://www.eyrievineyards.com
Written by Dan from Wine Is Serious Business:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wine-Is-Serious-Business/99043469029
