Important Update From the Founder Read message >

Pinot in the City

Chicago, IL

Tasted July 16, 2019 by Burgundy Al with 357 views

Introduction

60+ Willamette Valley producers. I probably had the time to taste approximately 1/3 of the wines. Sequence of the notes is that of the book provided (alphabetical), not the sequence in which tasted. I first tasted through the Pinot Noir, then the few whites for which I had time.

Flight 1 (70 notes)

White
2017 00 Wines Chardonnay VGW USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Rich aromas with floral hints, leaner start on palate, lusher finish with good+ weight and length with good energy.
2 people found this helpful Comment
White
2017 00 Wines Chardonnay EGW USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
92 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Complex apple aromas with nut butter and sweet spice. Similar flavors, seamless from start-to-finish with good+ length, weight and balance. Very impressive, worth seeking out.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2017 00 Wines Pinot Noir VGR USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
92 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Hand snipped allowed gentle carbonic fermentation in amphora, followed by elevage in oak. Bright red berry and cherry throughout with such fruit purity. Mostly Shea fruit. Very impressive. 92-93 point potential.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
2016 Adelsheim Chardonnay Staking Claim USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Very ripe and rich, nicely spicy and seems slightly oaky. Peach and some tropical hints, just enough acidity on finish. Good now.
1 person found this helpful Comments (1)
Red
2015 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Breaking Ground USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Black and red cherry comes across as bright on nose and palate with good energy on finish. Well balanced, slightly simple. Good now.
Red
2016 Adelsheim Pinot Noir Boulder Bluff USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
90 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Very big and ripe cherry with background sweet spice hints. Retains balance despite its ripeness, good depth middle through finish. Better to cellar another year or two.
Red
2016 Alexana Pinot Noir Terroir Series USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Sweet black cherry with emphasis on sweetness. OK overall.
Red
2015 Alexana Pinot Noir Revana Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Substantial step up. Ripe cherry aromas with lots of spice. Also ripe, nearly sweet but the structure and concentration to retain much better balance. Good energy on finish with soft, fun tannins. Good to enjoy now.
Red
2016 Amity Vineyards Pinot Noir USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright fruit to start, riper and more lush in the middle. Fun and easy to enjoy now.
Red
2013 Angela Pinot Noir Abbott Claim Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Charming aromatic start, nicely perfumed with red berry and berry. Similar flavors are slightly riper, and also a bit firm. Good overall.
Red
2014 Angela Pinot Noir Yamhill-Carlton USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Balanced, easy and fun for near term enjoyment, even without particular complexity.
Red
2016 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Botanica USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
92 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Late summer flowers with ripe black and red cherry aromas. Bigger and more concentrated vs Ceras with a more complex and textured character. Structure and sheer density keep this wonderfully balanced and nearly elegant in spite of the wine's heft. Very good now with upside.
Red
2016 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Ceras USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
91 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Complex array of red and blue fruits with a spicebox that seems to imply whole cluster, but so much more. Bright and elegant textures give this a charming, weightless finish with very good length. Seems so approachable now, but I think there is so much in reserve that I will want to revisit in 3-5+ years. 91+ point potential.
Red
2014 Antica Terra Pinot Noir Antikythera USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Complex aromas and flavors. Starts with ripe red berries and plenty of spice. More broad array of black and red berry and cherry flavors with sweeter spice and firm tannins standing just alongside the fruit. Impressive density and length. Needs time, 92-93+ point potential.
3 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2017 Antiquum Farm Pinot Noir Juel Antiquum Farm USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright red cherry, seemed lean for the warm vintage, but I think that is 2017. Medium weight, good length. Good overall for now.
Red
2017 Antiquum Farm Pinot Noir Passiflora USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Higher tones here, with bright mostly red fruit and good density. Good now, probably some upside from here. From highest elevation in the vineyard.
Red
2015 Apolloni Pinot Noir Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
86 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Ripe black fruit with faint spice and a firm finish. Good enough for its price.
Red
2016 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Dundee Hills USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Red and black cherry comes across as fun, slightly simple, easy/ best to enjoy young.
Red
2016 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Red Hills Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
91 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Rich red and black berry with spice and blood orange hints. Rich and also completely balanced with a bright, long finish. Good now with upside.
Red
2016 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Arcus Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Red cherry and berry with floral hints. Lighter style for Archery Summit in such a ripe vintage. I found this enjoyable but lacking the depth I expect from this wine in general, especially in a vintage such as 2016.
White - Sparkling
2015 Argyle Vintage Brut USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Seemed on the extra dry side to me with very opulent (moussy?) textures that did not thrill me.
Red
2016 Argyle Pinot Noir Artisan Series Reserve USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
85 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Slight funk to start, red cherry ripeness in the middle, then finishing with some bitter notes.
Red
2017 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright and nicely energetic, but on the lighter side. Sneaky good length.
Red
2017 Bethel Heights Pinot Noir Casteel Reserve USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. A definite step up here. Also bright and elegant red cherry with good energy from middle-through-finish. Good weight. Best to enjoy in the next few years.
Red
2017 Colene Clemens Pinot Noir Dopp Creek USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Plenty of red cherry with bright and pure fruit character. Good weight and balance. Destemmed with cold soak and 25 days total on skins. Comes across as more classic, i.e., leaner and less ripe than most recent OR vintages, and thankfully many 2017s are coming through that way.
2 people found this helpful Comments (1)
Red
2015 Colene Clemens Pinot Noir Margo USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Lush red and black cherry with soft tannins. Good weight. Best to enjoy near term.
Red
2015 Colene Clemens Pinot Noir Adriane USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Red cherry and berry throughout with spice hints. Very finessed and well balanced with good weight and length. Also best to enjoy over the next few years. Certainly the most complete wine of the three tasted today.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2017 Cristom Pinot Noir Mt. Jefferson Cuvée USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright red fruit start-to-finish with modest intensity, but more complex spice hints. Elegant and well balanced. Moderate weight, sneaky good length.
Red
2016 Cristom Pinot Noir Jessie Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
90 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Ripe red berries on nose and palate without seeming too fat or heavy. Gets brighter toward elegantly long finish. 50% whole cluster and that spice character comes through strongly.
Red
2016 Cristom Pinot Noir Eileen Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
91 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. More weight than Jessie with equally characteristic spice. Fruit, spice and structure combine in an elegant and complex package. Slightly firm finish for new with good+ length. Better in another 2-5 years.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
2015 Dusky Goose Chardonnay USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Ripe and rich from start-to-finish, but able to maintain brightness in a vintage where many couldn't. Good weight, length and fun, even if not particularly nuanced.
Red
2014 Dusky Goose Pinot Noir Dundee Hills USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
90 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright red cherry start with some roasted meat, toasted spice, and earth on palate. Also very good balance and engaging textures on long finish. Very good now, possibly with upside, 90+ point potential.
Red
2016 Élevée Winegrowers Pinot Noir Élevée Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright red cherry and berry in an elegant and easy style with spice hints, good length and medium weight.
Red
2016 Élevée Winegrowers Pinot Noir Bjornson Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Slightly more concentration here, but not quite as complex as the Élevée vineyard just tasting. Equally enjoyable.
Red
2015 Élevée Winegrowers Pinot Noir Madrona Hill Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Both black and red cherry, also nicely bright for the warm vintage. Good+ weight and length with grilled meat hints on finish. Good now.
White
2016 Evening Land Vineyards Chardonnay Seven Springs Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Ripe apple with candied lemon peel. Good density and structure enable the clear ripeness to retain good balance, even if not the most complex of Chardonnays.
Red
2016 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
91 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Subtle floral and spice start with broad array of ripe berries. Similar flavors are also similarly ripe, but concentration and structure harmoniously support this wine, keeping it bright and well balanced. Better to cellar for a few years or more. 91-92+ point potential.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2015 Evening Land Vineyards Pinot Noir La Source Seven Springs Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
91 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Lots of black berry with savory spice with intriguing complexity already. Ripe and nicely bold. I like everything here, but find it less structured vs the 2016, and would err on the side of earlier consumption, now through 2023.
Red
2017 Failla Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Very ripe with a fat character, and not quite the density to pull it off well.
Red
2017 Failla Pinot Noir Seven Springs Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Floral aromas with bright red fruit and background spice notes throughout. Good+ weight and good balance from start-to-finish. 89-90 point potential.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2016 Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir Heritage No. 7 Whistling Ridge Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
90 points
Walk around tasting, brief note. While cluster spice and brightness comes through clearly. Lots of charm and balance, with good weight and enough structure to offset its ripeness.
Red
2016 Harper Voit Pinot Noir Strandline USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Ripe red and black cherry comes across as nearly sweet and a bit simple. Good for near term enjoyment.
Red
2016 Harper Voit Pinot Noir Bieze Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. A very big step up here. Located just above Seven Springs. Red and black berries throughout, nicely floral to start, then well spiced in the middle. Spice and elegance made me think this whole cluster, and in fact it's 50%. Dense finish. Good now, upside from here.
Red
2015 J. K. Carriere Pinot Noir Vespidae USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
85 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Fun and easy, red cherry but certainly on the light side, particular for the vintage. Good for now, but lacking density.
Red
2015 J. K. Carriere Pinot Noir Antoinette USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Big step up. Ripe black and red cherry with sneaky structure that keeps it balanced with good weight. Good now. From Temperance Hill.
Red
2016 Knudsen Vineyards Pinot Noir USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
85 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Pleasant overall with a nice sense of both ripe and tart fruit, but then coming together in a leaner style with modest concentration. Good now.
Red
2016 Knudsen Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate Reserve USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. A very big step up that comes across as riper, but much more importantly, shows greater concentration and richness, while still in good+ balance. Good now.
Red
2016 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Aubichon USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Very pure and precise black and red cherry, coming across as ripe but very well balanced and charming. An excellent value wine.
Red
2015 Le Cadeau Pinot Noir Merci Reserve USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
91 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Very impressive. Lush black and red cherry with spiced and perfumed notes and background structure keeping this in clear balance. Very good length with an expanding finish. Good now, with upside. 91-92 point potential.
Red
2015 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Thea's Selection USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
86 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Light for the vintage with medium weight. Bright red fruit, faint signs of spice, elegant stylings. Good balance.
Red
2014 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Jerome Reserve USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
90 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. A huge step up in every dimension. Black and red cherry throughout with bright start, spice in the middle and more weight/ density on finish. Elegant with good balance and length. Good now through 2024.
1 person found this helpful Comment
White
2017 Lingua Franca Chardonnay Bunker Hill USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
92 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Apple and lemon start-to-finish with brightening acidity and overall structure. So naturally good length as well. Really excellent, one of the best tastes of Chardonnay I can ever recall from Willamette. Much better than 2016.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2017 Lingua Franca Pinot Noir AVNI USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Bright and nicely elegant with good length, but otherwise mostly simple. Very enjoyable now.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2017 Lingua Franca Pinot Noir Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Red cherry and berry with medium weight and better length. Starts out simple, more nuance comes through on finish. Good now, with upside.
2 people found this helpful Comment
Red
2014 Chapter 24 Vineyards Pinot Noir Fire and Flood The Fire USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
90 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Rich black berry aromas and flavors with some cherry and candied orange peel. Richness is well balanced with a good sense of energy and seemingly a sense of minerality. Complex, intriguing and unfolding. 90-91+ point potential, certainly with upside. More interesting to me vs "The Flood."
Red
2014 Chapter 24 Vineyards Pinot Noir Fire and Flood The Flood USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Also rich and ripe, but slightly sweeter vs The Fire, and seemingly less complex. While this comes across as very ripe and nearly fat, it easily maintains balance. Good now, I think with upside, particularly if it sheds some of that fat. 89-91 point potential.
Red
2016 Maison L'Envoyé Pinot Noir Two Messengers USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Odd aromatic start of very ripe black fruit, mint and earth with a funky note for such a young wine. Much more attractive flavors with good weight and balance for an entry level wine. Hopefully the nose will settle down and resolve itself.
Red
2015 Domaine Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Fun but oddly austere for the vintage, yet easy to enjoy for the near-term. Not as good as the wonderful 2014, or the 2016 (tasted next).
Red
2016 Domaine Nicolas-Jay Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
90 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Black cherry with subtle spice and very elegant tannins with a long, bright finish. Much more interesting vs the 2015, possibly as good as the 2014.
Red
2014 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Gran Moraine Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
86 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. All red cherry with lighter character, somewhat bright. Drink young.
Red
2014 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Starts out open, get more firm and less accessible towards finish. Tough to assess.
Red
2017 Raptor Ridge Pinot Noir Temperance Hill USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Eola - Amity Hills
89 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Much more enticing than the 2014s. All red fruit with good degree of complexity that seems forward and fun to start, but good tannins and structure emerge on finish. Better in another few years.
Rosé
2018 Sokol Blosser Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Always a good glass of summer, and the 2018 is top notch with spice, floral hints and plenty of strawberry.
White - Sparkling
2014 Trisaetum Pashey Cuvée Extra Brut USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Rich apple and berry start, then much more tart and drying on finish. A very extra brut character. 92% Pinot Noir.
Red
2017 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Willamette Valley USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Fun and very easy to enjoy right now. Balanced, yet on the simple side.
Red
2017 Trisaetum Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. 60% whole cluster gives this a spicy brightness I enjoy along with the vintage's ripeness.. Slightly oaky now, give this a year or two in the cellar.
Red
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Whole Cluster Willamette Valley USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
86 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Carbonic gives this a light, bright character and texture.
Red
2017 Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir Estate USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Red cherry throughout. Fun and easy-going with good balance and medium weight.
Red
2016 Winderlea Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Vineyards USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
87 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Starts out with fleshy red fruit, ends leaner than expected for the vintage, but still robust.
Red
2016 Winderlea Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton
88 points
Walk-around tasting, brief note. Aromatically bright and charming, then leaner on palate, so not quite persistent. Good now, but even better potential if this gets more harmonious.
© 2003-24 CellarTracker! LLC.

Report a Problem

Close