5/19/2021 - jmcafee Does not like this wine:

Powerful funky musty nose at opening, overwhelming most of the wine's character. This improved by 75% 3 hours after decanting and aeration, but was still lingering quite a bit after 24 hours. On the good side, there is a nice Bing cherry on the mid palate with good acidity, and medium finish. If the funk was not there, I would say this could age nicely for another 3 years until 2024. If your bottle is like mine, pop and pour... down the drain.

6/21/2020 - andreask888 Likes this wine:

Consumed over the course of 3 days:

1. Corovin - still very fresh with great complexity on the nose and the palate. Medium weight; dark garnet in colour. Showing milk chocolate and violet, both on the nose and the palate. Tannins well integrated with secondary notes coming through quite well in the glass after less than 1 hour;
2. Decanted - essentially the same notes as via Corovin on pour (so no spoilage through that system); medium weight; garnet in colour; violets on the nose; cranberry and red plum on the palate; crunchy red stone fruit with persistent finish;
3. Left at room temperature fully decanted for 24 hours: this held up very nicely, muted nose as expected, with integrated bright red stone fruit on palate, hinting at morello cherry and red plum, with a tinge of alcohol on the edge of the palate along with a finish that lasts 30 seconds; faded white or milk chocolate and white pepper finish;

NOTE: my last Laurene a week before from 2011 was lacking; this reinvigorates my belief in DDO. 8 years properly stored in bottle has improved this wine.

11/22/2020 - jmcafee Likes this wine:

I don't think I liked this as well as my last tasting 18 mo ago. The fruit has diminished and the tannins are still rough but fortunately mild. It was a disappointment. Previously I had hopes that it would benefit from further aging at least through 2021-24, but I'm less hopeful now.

9/15/2019 - jmcafee wrote:

I'm disappointed after having much higher expectations following tasting at the time of release. Although there is now very bright acidity that is almost overwhelming, with smooth but limited tannins, what happened to the fruit? Very thin on the mid palate. Maybe more will develop with time in the bottle, but with so little fruit I don't see how. Not a bad wine, but what is left? I will try it again in 2021; there is nothing to lose.

9/25/2016 - jmcafee Likes this wine:

This paired perfectly with a vegetable chicken tortilla soup (Gubancs Restaurant, Portland recipe). There is enough fruit and tannin to age at least to 2018.

3/16/2013 - jmcafee wrote:

Pleasant to drink now, but this will not improve much with age. Structurally it is a lightweight. Drink now through 2016. Tasted twice with similar results.

2/10/2013 - Oregon Pinot wrote:

New bottling and not ready for consumption or release. Bouquet & taste were identical. Harsh tobacco notes with very little fruit. Wine was tight and felt unripened. It tastes similar to the 2007 vintage which was another cool year but 6 years later became a favorite for everybody. You have to trust the winemaker, lay it down and hope that somewhere around 2017 you have scored a hit. Personally, it made me go back and snap up more of the 2010 vintage