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The Lyon 10 Year Tasting: 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir
Lyon Den
Tasted November 3, 2018 by Grinner with 227 views
Introduction
A "Phoenix" tasting! Reborn and revamped after skipping last year. The OPN's were opened 3 hours before the event began, no decanting. Only one iffy cork and that was the FINE Brickhouse! Several wines had to be put into slope shouldered 750ml bottles so they could be bagged and I wouldn't recognized it while pouring blind. Once bagged, a "shell game" ensued to mix up the order and yet get a ringer into each flight. The 3 Barolos were decanted about 3 hours before they showed up in their respective flights as ringers. One flight had no ringer, another with an OLD St Innocent. We unbagged after each flight and with the list of wines in front of us the guesses got better towards the end! My scores for CT purposes were from the blinded part of the event, they changed here and there over time!
Flight 1 - The Openers (2 notes)
Caviar anyone?
White - Sparkling
2008 Domaine Carneros Le Rêve
93 points
Crowd favorite of the 2 bubblies, this is a very "vinous" sparkler. Very fine bubbles, zingy lemon, tangerine, bread /yeast, and minerals! Pressure corked and fridged over night, this was still great!
White - Sparkling
2008 Moët & Chandon Champagne Grand Vintage
91 points
Bigger bubbles is the first thing you notice in the comparo, then tight chalk, stone fruit, green apple, and grapefruit. Very nice!
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Flight 2 - The Reds Begin! Flight 1 (5 notes)
Get out the Italian fall black truffles on buttered "Oatnut" toasts! OK, a few other goodies.
Red
2008 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir Parr Selection Seven Springs Vineyard
90 points
Red fruited, earthy, spice laden wine with good length. Stemmy finish. 91 on day 2.
Red
2008 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir Black Cap
91 points
I like the reference to various "Black Cap" natives here in OR. This started bright and went to "dusty", earthy, and floral. More structure than fruit on day 2: 89. Drink up.
Red
2008 Shea Wine Cellars Pinot Noir Block 5 Shea Vineyard
flawed
A deep dark, plushly textured wine that my wife could paint her nails with. Same VA on day 2.
Red
2008 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté
90 points
Caveat #1: Grinner not a fan of Italian acids if not perfectly ripe.
Caveat #2: Not sure of the provenance of this bottle.
That said, this one had the obvious acidity, tar, cherry and spice notes that turned my face inside out in a blind tasting when I'm expecting OPN in my glass. Retasted several times later in the day with different foods and enjoyed it. Came up with a reasonable score. BUT fruit faded day 2, making me wonder about how many days/weeks/years this spent at "Wine Store Temp" on the shelf. 88pts on D2.
Caveat #2: Not sure of the provenance of this bottle.
That said, this one had the obvious acidity, tar, cherry and spice notes that turned my face inside out in a blind tasting when I'm expecting OPN in my glass. Retasted several times later in the day with different foods and enjoyed it. Came up with a reasonable score. BUT fruit faded day 2, making me wonder about how many days/weeks/years this spent at "Wine Store Temp" on the shelf. 88pts on D2.
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Red
2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir Carter Vineyard
93 points
I MAY have the opposite effect with Carter vineyard, compared to the previous wine. An idiosyncratic love for wines from this vineyard. Loved the balance of deep black cherry, plum, and raspberry notes on a taut frame. This bottle was an exception to the rule: DON'T AGE KW's! 3-5 is good, 7 ok, but younger is FINE! 92 on day 2.
Flight 3 - Flight 2 (5 notes)
Red
2008 Antica Terra Pinot Noir
93 points
Gave it 92pts four years ago and it conts to be excellent. Plum, black cherry, pie crust, oak with significant glycerin going on and on. 92 on day 2. One of the 8 bottles (out of 25) that were drinkable on day 3 ungassed. Now-2021.
Red
2008 Brick House Pinot Noir Les Dijonnais Ribbon Ridge
94 points
Tied for my 2nd WOTN. My first thought was: "made by an old soul". Meaning someone (of any age) who has a deep understanding of the soil/site/terroir. Light in color compared to many, but wonderfully smooth texture (the "cashmere sweater for your tongue" effect). Black cherry, earth and stone linger like a sunset on the coast. 93 on day 2, drinkable day 3.
Red
2008 Reustle Pinot Noir Reserve Prayer Rock Vineyards
91 points
A nice deep darkly fruited wine, still young and tannic blind on day 1. BUT, more "stewed" on day 2, 87pts. Do they make syrah?
Red
2008 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Zenith Vineyard
91 points
This one has pretty big fists for a PN. Deep and tannic, structure competing with the fruit just like my last one 5/17. Black cherry, spice, minerals, and a tiny forest floor hit. Fruit played Humpty Dumpty on day 2 and fell off, 87pts.
Red
2008 Zelko (ZIVO) Pinot Noir
93 points
A trace of funk blows off leaving blackberry, plum, dusty earth, and pie notes that linger nicely. 92 on day 2.
Flight 4 - Flight 3 (5 notes)
Red
2008 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Bella Vida Vineyard
94 points
This bottle had an open nose, deep fruit, lush texture and a big backbone. Very enjoyable! No fall off on day 2, and drinkable day 3.
Red
2008 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana
91 points
See the Grasso note in this tasting...It's a fine wine. Motz has this one, nice note! 91 again on day 2.
Red
2008 Bergström Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard
92 points
One of the better Bergstroms we've had in a while. Bright and lively, good fruit, moderate tannins in balance. Held up nicely for 2 more days!
Red
2008 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Elizabeth's Reserve
92 points
Lighter color than most here but the "sweet" deep fruit and savory elements pull you back again and again. 91 on day 2.
Red
2008 Elk Cove Vineyards Pinot Noir Mount Richmond
95 points
Surprising over performer in this blind tasting and my OPN WOTN. Big, deep, black fruit dominated, and LONG! Nice acidity keeps it fresh. 93 on day 2, but acid wins on day 3.
Flight 5 - Flight 4 (5 notes)
Red
1996 St. Innocent Pinot Noir Freedom Hill Vineyard
86 points
From magnum and actually the only OPN decanted (so that I could get some into a 750 for blind pouring). May not have helped this wine hold up! This bottle was from the winery 4/18, so great provenance. Over the hill but interesting cherry, tea, rose hips, and 'shroom notes. Brown and dead on day 2.
Red
2008 Stoller Pinot Noir SV Estate Dundee Hills
92 points
Nice open nose with forest and mineral / stone notes coming through. Good length and structure. 92+ on day 2, enjoyable day 3!
Red
2008 Ken Wright Pinot Noir McCrone Vineyard
91 points
Another nice open nose with more fruit than savory notes. Decent structure. Fell off rapidly day 2-3. This was better in the 5-7 year window. Drink up.
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Red
2008 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Willamette Valley
90 points
Nice mix of fruit and savory notes. This wine had a soft texture on day 1, with more obvious backbone on day 2, but even more enjoyable! 91 on a day 2.
Red
2008 Evesham Wood Pinot Noir Cuvée J
91 points
A light to medium bodied wine with black fruit and spice holding hands and taking a walk through the forest. Maybe even better with food later that evening, but fell off day 2: 89pts.
Flight 6 - Flight 5 (5 notes)
Red
2008 Penner-Ash Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard
92 points
Tiny petillance hit (like young Beaux Freres!) blows off leaving dark cherry, plum, red and black licorice. 91 on day 2.
Red
2008 Brittan Vineyards Pinot Noir Gestalt Block
93 points
Deep and balanced, this has a nice mix of red and black fruit. Spice and minerals show up later. Dropped to 90 on day two, but still ok on day 3.
Red
2008 Ponzi Vineyards Pinot Noir Reserve
91 points
I liked this more now than in 4/12! A great nose of mostly red fruits and florals, a glorious silky texture, and tannins that won out a little for me on the finish. THAT actually smoothed out on day 2: 92 pts!
Red
2008 Thomas Pinot Noir Dundee Hills
92 points
This bottle had an open nose leaning towards the red cherry, raspberry, cranberry side of the spectrum. Strawberry? sure. Florals and minerals show up. Overall: yummy. Acid even more obvious on day 2: 91pts
Red
2008 Fratelli Brovia Barolo Ca'mia
96 points
Obvious ringer in this last flight of OPN's. One of the best Barolo's I've ever had. Even though that's not saying much for me, respect the score! Florals, herbs, truffle, and earth dance with the fruit and tar. My non-OPN WOTN. Only bottle finished on day 1. Damn it!
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Flight 7 - Dessert! (2 notes)
Rogue Creamery blue cheese and duck foie gras...life is rough!
White - Sweet/Dessert
2008 Château Rieussec
93 points
Really well balanced with its tropical, citrus, and savory notes. Honey starts then acid finishes like an MMA fighter. Tons of time!
Red - Fortified
2000 Sandeman Porto Vintage
95 points
Decanted for 3 hours plus, this bottle did not have a killer crust. I wonder if the car ride down from Corvallis re-suspended anything? If so, I now recommend a good drive in the car before opening your VP's! Deep, dark, and luscious with some spice, stone and earth toning down the "jam". It spent the night (caught sleeping with oxygen) in the decanter and was great day 2. Now-2038.
Closing
All in all, these were better than the 2002 OPN's tasted en masse in 2012 and with less "off" bottles. Great wine, great food, and great people, what else do you need??