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Memorial Day Weekend & Eyrie South Block Reserve Pinots
Willamette Valley, Oregon
Tasted May 26, 2012 by David Paris (dbp) with 891 views
Introduction
My now annual trip out Memorial day weekend to hunt out wineries that either aren't usually open, are doing barrel samples, new releases, or as this time had it, older vintages. My overall impression after the tastings was that I didn't much care for the character of 2010, but there was actually quite a bit to like about 2011. Still not like some of the previous vintages, but interesting none the less.
Flight 1 - Beaux Frères (7 notes)
Very disappointed that they are no longer pouring the Upper Terrace here this weekend, as this is the second year in a row. No surprise that there was some chaptalization in the 2011 wines.
Red
2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
87 points
Quite deep color. This offers very nice spicy fruit on the nose, which is quite rich and deep with some pleasing oak char. Palate entry is very soft and mild. It feels a bit watery, and the texture is quite boring. Soft flavors, mild oakiness, and slight funk. soft acids on the finish, which is also tart and a bit funky. It feels a few years older than it really is, and quite soft despite the acid.
Red
2010 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard
89 points
This is definitely more earthy than the WV, offering rich aromas of briar, fruit, but overall is fairly light in complexion. Pretty nice. Bigger on the palate, with nice balance of soft and mild acidity. Soft strawberry fruit and just a hint of oak here. Rich, more balanced and layered finish with nice acid, tart ripe red fruit, and a nice briar component. Very light overall, though. 89+
Red
2011 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
87 points
Barrel Sample. This was all purchased fruit. Aromas are exuberantly fruity, like cherry and strawberry powdered juice concentrate. It's still pretty, though. Large body on the palate, and quite soft though grippy tannins and some acid kick up. The finish is tart and grippy. Fairly shut down. Pretty exuberant throughout, and likely not going to get too interesting or complex in time, but for a drinkable wine, it will probably be sufficient. 86-89 points
Red
2011 Beaux Frères Pinot Noir Beaux Frères Vineyard
88 points
Barrel Sample. There was some chaptalization this year. This is light and dusty in color, offering some aromas of briar and tart fruit; pretty soft overall. The palate is very soft as well, with plenty of briar, pretty thin texture, and some soft fruit. Tart green fruits on the finish, with nice tannins and soft acid. 87-89 points.
Red
2010 Coattails Pinot Noir Horsetail
89 points
Wow, what a wallop of sulfur on the nose. I overheard several people who didn't even try this it was so intense, and it didn't seem to be recently bottled either. After some vigorous swirling, most of it did blow off and eventually revealed some soft red fruit, slightly tart aromas, and plenty of barrel funk. Better on the palate, with soft red fruit and quite mild acid. Still good balance, if a bit light. Nice acid on the finish as well, with light red fruits and pleasing balance. Still not as good as the 2009.
Red
2010 Coattails Pinot Noir
90 points
This spent 18 months in 85% new oak. Absolutely voluptuous aromas. Very dark in character, offering the likes of sweet delicious candy. Really rich but its also balanced. Yum! The palate is similarly rich and thick, but soft and nearly light in body. Mildly grippy, offering nice spicy red fruits with a green tinge to them. Tart acid on the finish, with nice spice. Pretty grippy as it lingers, with a coating acid streak that I like but feels a little artificial. 90+
Red
2009 Arrouya Cabernet Franc
91 points
This is vastly superior to how it was showing last year. This offers really rich and candied aromas that almost smell creamy, with definitely strong flavors of vanilla. This offers nice texture on the palate, plenty of large, dark fruits, with nice tannic structure. Big, and richly textured on the finish. Really yummy, honestly. Those wood tannins from last year have smoothed out considerably. Still definitely not the style of Cab Franc I prefer (that from the Loire), but still delicious.
Flight 2 - Patricia Green (12 notes)
These 2011s were actually the best, most consistent lineup I have had here. The Olenik bottles were very impressive. The 2010's were a different matter, all showing unbearable sulfur, which was quite baffling.
White
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Muskat Ottonel Dry Oak Grove Vineyards
81 points
Nice, very forward aromas offering plenty of honeydew melon. The palate has an odd dryness to it, but it also feels a bit metallic. Not really much in the way of flavors going on with its soft texture. The finish tastes like a salty bathtub. There's a metallic dryness to it, like I just ate metal. This isn't too strong of a flavor, but there's really not much else there so it stands out.
Red
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Block 1B Balcombe Vineyard
88 points
Barrel Sample. Patricia Green's wines always have this odd pink color to them, and this is no different. This offers mild aromas, with some sweet, nice red fruit. Big fruit on the palate, which is soft and light in body. Mildly tart, with grippy tannic structure. Pretty nice funky note. More coating and grippy tannins on the finish; this offers nice structure. 88-89 points
Red
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Durant Vineyard
A bit less complete nose than the Balcombe Block 1B, showing some red apples typical of these barrel samples here. Quite largely fruited on the palate, but fairly incomplete. Lots of large ripe fruit and mild tannic structure, showing more apples. The finish dials up with acid which is tart and grippy. This whole wine just feels really incomplete at present and I have no idea where it's headed. 83-89 points.
Red
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Olenik Vineyard
89 points
Barrel Sample. Nice bigger fruit here, though at the same time the aromas are more elegant. Quite nice and pleasing. Grippy and large palate, with soft fruit, tart and grippy texture. More of the same on the finish, with good acid though very tightly wound. This could open up beautifully, and is very well balanced. 88-91 points
Red
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Anklebreaker Block Olenik Vineyard
91 points
Rich and dark. Really nice aromas, with some briar, ferns, and a generally green streak here. Nice. Very nicely fruited on the palate and soft, with pleasing texture and nice fruit, again showing some red apples. Big, balanced structure. Tart finish, with nice acids ramping up. Really well balanced. Impressive stuff. 90-92 points
Red
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Bonshaw Block Estate Vineyard
87 points
Heavy red apples really dominate the aromas. Soft and fruit forward palate, with more red apples and a mildly grippy texture. Tart and soft. A little funky acid and minerality hit on the finish. Grippy and coating. 86-88 points
Red
2011 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Etzel Block
88 points
Barrel Sample. Lots of red apples on the nose with some odd heady soft cheese. Red apples again on the palate, with fruit and a soft, dusty coating texture. Pretty closed. Tons of grippy tannins on the finish showing an imposing structure, though it does appear to be in balance. 87-90 points
Red
2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Eason Vineyard
86 points
Wow, hugely funky nose, with lots of sulfur. Smells like fireworks; really unappealing. Softer palate, with nice red fruits if a bit light and boring. Much nicer finish and in decent balance, but the whole wine isn't really pleasurable.
Red
2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Balcombe Vineyard Dundee Hills
85 points
Lots of briar on the pretty funky nose, again showing tons of sulfur. Decent fruit and soft texture, but pretty generic palate. Tart, grippy generic finish. I engaged in conversation with several folks who wondered why on earth they were even pouring these wines since they were showing so poorly with the sulfur. Not sure if we just had a string of bottles that were bad or what.
Red
2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Ribbon Ridge
87 points
More sulfur on the nose, but not as intense as the other '10s. Soft fruit, with mild funk. Light body, but nicer texture here, and pretty good fruit flavors. Tarter finish with funky finish.
Red
2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Old Vine Ribbon Ridge
88 points
Soft aromas, without much going on. Rich and larger than the Estate, offering bigger, but softer fruit on the palate. Nice. Tart and very mild finish.
Red
2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Wahle
90 points
Finally a 2010 that I like, despite a really heavily sulfuric nose that I really don't like. Again, this partially blew off (and would in time), but really got in the way. The palate is very richly texture and fruited, though, with very thick yet pretty fruit, nice tannins, and balanced acidity. Good flavors linger as well.
Flight 3 - Lenne (8 notes)
Rosé
2011 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Le Nez Saignée
88 points
Soft and elegant rose aromas. Some asparagus, tart fruit, and it smells lithe. Softly fruited palate, with really nice and creamy notion to the fruit. Pretty elegant and nice. Tart and grippy finish, showing nice creaminess. Yummy stuff.
Red
2009 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Le Nez
88 points
Oaky stewed fruits on the nose. The palate offers really thick fruit that is quite deep, boarding on over ripe. There's enough acid to keep it together, though. Pretty nice chocolate component as well. Very tart finish, with some volatile acidity and plenty of heat on the finish. Would have been better, but the heat definitely detracts.
Red
2009 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir
88 points
Quite nice aromas, with some dusty fruit. Thicker feeling on the palate than expected, with a creamy, soft texture. Fairly nice and mild. Grippy finish that's kind of chunky.
Red
2008 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir
88 points
Pretty closed on the nose, with some sweet oak and soft fruit noticeable. Very nice deep fruit as it touches the tongue. Tart finish which is grippy, and still seems a little out of balance with the alcohol, particularly for an '08. Still, 88+
Red
2010 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Jill's 115
85 points
Soft and pretty aromas with light barrel funk. The palate is massively fruited though; a bit too big for its britches as it has a quite thin texture despite the massive fruit which causes it to feel very awkward. Tart finish which is grippy, but again feels thin. A strangely balanced wine that seems to be having an identity crisis and isn't too appealing.
Red
2010 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Karen's Pommard
90 points
Better. Juicy strawberry fruit on the nose, almost like strawberry shortcake. Yummy. Nice fruit again on the palate which is pleasing. Still nice and grippy, yet soft and elegant. Good soft finish, with pleasing structural balance.
Red
2010 Lenné Estate Pinot Noir Kill Hill
89 points
Very nice green strawberry spiced fruit here... pretty delicious aromas, really. Nice big fruit on the palate, with good balance and nice structure. Right now it's rather closed on the finish; just tart and grippy.
Red
2010 Owen Roe Syrah Red Willow Vineyard Chapel Block
90 points
Creamy rich aromas. Dark fruits that are nice. Rich and very creamy palate, showing some red apples and lots of tannins. Overpowering dark fruits on the finish, with imposing tannins. Incredible grip, but one of the better balanced Washington Syrah's I've had.
Flight 4 - Shea (6 notes)
All of the 2011's came in around 13% after chaptalization (which happened in 2010 and 2011). These were 22.5 brix at harvest. I was quite surprised to like the 2011's quite a bit.
White
2010 Shea Wine Cellars Chardonnay Shea Vineyard
89 points
Light, but nice oak & apple balance on the nose. Quite pretty and soft aromas. Soft palate entry, with a dance of sweet fruit and mild acids, with a mildly grippy texture. Really tart finish with pretty fruits. Builds tartness after I swallow. Really nice. 89+
Red
2010 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Estate Shea Vineyard
85 points
Plenty of oak here, with mild fruit. Very forward on the palate. Feels like a California Pinot Noir. Quite soft, with no real tannins or acid present; it's just soft unstructured red fruit. A little grippy on the finish, but this odd coating notion that I don't like.
Red
2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 23 Shea Vineyard
85 points
Barrel Sample. Very large, concentrated fruit aromas. Interesting fruit on the palate, which is very large, and doesn't feel all together. Strange texture. The finish is mildly grippy, but off balanced fruit texture. Odd and very awkward. 84-87 points.
Red
2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 7 Shea Vineyard
90 points
Barrel Sample. Good intensity on the nose, but a bit light. Nice fruit, though. Nice red apple palate, with lots of grippy texture. Quite nicely balanced here, though grippy and intense. Wow, what grip on the finish. Very nice and impressive texture and balance at the end. 89-91 points.
Red
2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir West Hill Shea Vineyard
89 points
Barrel Sample. Nice aromas, but soft. Impressive balance of aromas. Really forwardly fruited palate that feels large in size and weight. Good juicy fruit, with nice soft texture and lots of grippy tannins. More big fruit at the end; nice and soft despite the grip. 88-90 points.
Red
2011 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Homer Shea Vineyard
92 points
Barrel Sample. Wow, really rich and deeply concentrated aromas. Like a blackberry pie. Again with the impressive fruit that's incredibly juicy on the palate. Intense and absolutely delicious. Really impressive juicy fruit on the finish again. Surprising how good this is. Yes, this is larger than my usual style, but it's undeniably delicious. 91-93 points.
Flight 5 - Lemelson (8 notes)
Having loved the 2009 wines here I had to come here on the release of their 2010's despite them not pouring anything particularly different than usual. Unfortunately they didn't nearly live up to the 2009s, but there were still plenty of likable wines here.
White
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Dry Riesling
89 points
Really intense floral aromas and quite spicy minerality. Nice creamy body; nice texture and delicious palate. Tart grip on the finish. Very nice, and nearly lovely today.
White
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Gris Tikka's Run
87 points
Gritty texture. Feels like it's been on oak? Tart and creamy texture on the palate as well, with lots of big white fruit; juicy and yummy. Tart acids and nice light body on the finish. Pretty decent.
Red
2009 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Six Vineyards
83 points
Some oaky, spicy aromas. Juicy palate, but hardly any depth. Just very boring. Very mild finish and boring again. It's definitely a forward 2009, but there's not sufficient structure to the wine to make it at all interesting.
Red
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea's Selection
86 points
This wine accounts for 60% of their production. Like many of the 2010s I've had today, this is showing quite a lot of sulfur on the nose. Once that blows off, it reveals bits of spicy fruit. Nice soft fruit on the palate as well, which is mildly grippy and tart. Soft and elegant. Some spice and minerals on the finish, but it's still quite boring.
Red
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Meyer Vineyard
90 points
Very forward fruit on the nose, but it's still pretty mild. Juicy palate showing big red fruits and really nice balance. Good structure throughout; soft, with nice weight. Good finish with nice acid. Tart pleasing fruits linger.
Red
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Cuvée X
84 points
Some oaky aromas, with slightly tart fruits. Soft palate, but oaky and light. Feels larger than the 13.5% alcohol would imply. Too big. Big finish as well; really boring and modern feeling.
Red
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Stermer Vineyard
90 points
Deliciously soft and elegant fruit on the nose. Pleasing soft texture on the palate as well; impressive. Elegant fruit with impressive balance here too. Grippy, nice, soft and light. Pleasing fruit with nice balance. 90+
Red
2010 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Jerome Reserve
84 points
Says 13.5% alcohol but this feels really big, with large fruit on the nose. Big fruit on the palate again, which is soft, but not in a good way (more like flabby). I want more angles here. Really boring finish that lost my interest.
Flight 6 - Eyrie (14 notes)
When I heard they were pouring "older" vintages I knew I had to make the stop... however, I was still shocked to see that it was actually the South Block Reserve that they were pouring; the wine that's not really ever released, and put Oregon on the map in the wine Olympics in 1979 with the 1975 vintage. They actually did have prices on these, all of which were north of $180, even the 2007. Unfortunately I think the 1998 was had become oxidized, but the other two were a real pleasure to taste. I wound up talking to Jason Lett for about 20 minutes, which was nice.
White
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris Dundee Hills
85 points
Nice luscious aromas. Very juicy fruited. Mild acid on the palate, which shows tart fruit. Pretty rich and full bodiedly luscious. Buring acid initially on the finish, but not too deep. Feels very mellow.
White
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Blanc
79 points
All stainless steel, but this did go through malo. Pretty funky, and that malo definitely is noticeable on the nose, and not in a good way. Chunky texture that's really off putting. Light in flavors. Very light again on the finish, which is slightly tart, and really not appealing.
White
2009 The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay Original Vines
89 points
Very nice aromas here. Nice creaminess on the palate, which overall is very nicely textured. Pleasing, soft, and mellow. Riper acid and minerals dial up the intensity on thee finish. Nice and rich.
White
2009 The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay Black Cap
86 points
Lithe aromas. Thin, but still pleasing aromas, with some yeastiness. The palate is rich, lush, and creamy; big and rich, but tastes a bit too much like yeast (and I usually love that). The yeast is really the dominant flavor throughout, but this wine doesn't have the acid to balance that out. I've had plenty of yeasty chardonnay's that I love, but they definitely have to have some more intense acid and minerals to cut it and balance it.
White
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Chardonnay
87 points
Nice clean aromas. The palate shows rich pear and mild acid; soft, lean, and nice fruit. Good acids into the finish which is tart, but pretty closed and tight, despite some richness.
White
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Muscat Ottonel
83 points
Intense melon smells on the nose. Rich and creamy, and quite lush. Something didn't work here, though...
Red
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Meunier
90 points
Very rich and ripe, with lithe acids present even on the nose. Intense but mild, with big soft fruit. Again, light and lithe; rich. Very nice finish with good tart acids and deep structure. Really fun wine.
Red
2010 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
88 points
Rich and soft aromas. Rich and big fruit on the palate, which is soft and nearly elegant. Some good tannins too. Very rich finish, with gripping tannins. Overall, pretty tight right now.
Red
2009 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Black Cap
86 points
Very richly fruited... overall this is too large a wine for my palate, especially in a year like 2009. Really thick on the palate, but at the same time kind of tight.
Red
2009 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Original Vines
90 points
Soft fruit aromas which are quite mellow. Really nice elegance on the palate, which is soft and very nice. Mild fruit, but still delicious. Tart, soft, and nicely fruited backend.
White
1989 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Gris Willamette Valley
88 points
What a fun opportunity to taste a 23 year old Pinot Gris from the first vines planted in the US. It does certainly smell a bit oxidized, but it's still rich and nice. The palate is richly fruited, with a thick creamy texture that's quite nice. Similar rich fruit on the finish, but again that oxidized character beams through.
Red
2007 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block
91 points
Fairly thin, light aromas. The palate is rich, thick, and offers really nice acidity. Amazing how big and balanced this wine is for a 2007, as it offers pretty intense richness and nice complexity. Quite enjoyable, and one for the long haul for sure.
Red
1998 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
flawed
Wow, what a different experience from Dan. I wonder if this bottle was letting air through it's Enomatic system and allowed it to oxidize? The aromas for me were certainly rich, but they were heavily tending towards the oxidative fruit side of things. The palate is rich and thick again, with large fruit, but it definitely feels old and tired. The fruit is tart, but again, tastes oxidized. Grippy and tart structure on the back end. Bitter, with a macerated fruit component that's kind of like a Marechal Foch. Really not very interesting. I had originally scored this 84 points, but especially as the others were showing, there must have been something off with this bottle.
Red
1983 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir South Block Reserve
92 points
Very pretty copper color. The aromas are quite dusty, though pretty. Delicious and yummy, really, with an impressive and imposing, nearly haunting presence to it. The palate is rich, delicious, soft and impressive, with nice elegant briar, tart fruits, and balancing acidity. Fantastic balance, and really great tart earthiness. Grippy and tart tannins; totally crazy that this is 29 years old by the way it's showing here. Fantastic depth, with rich and delicious acid. A wonderful experience with this wine.