1/14/2024 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Holding up quite well. Very full-flavored, nice dark fruit, leather and a hint of cherry cola. Still a little hot from the high alcohol (15.7%) but I served it at cellar temperature (55 degrees) and the heat dissipated nicely after twenty to thirty minutes in the glass. Paired nicely with a wood smoked pizza.

12/12/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Opened up nicely after about 45 minutes to an hour. Nice, dark cherry, with a hint of earthy tobacco. Well balanced and delicious. This wine will only improve over the next several years but very drinkable now.

11/30/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Great color, a beautiful, golden, light peach. One of the nicest Pinot Grigio’s I’ve ever tasted.

11/20/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

First bottle I’ve opened - delicious right from the first pour. Very flavorful. Big dark fruit on the nose, spicy tobacco, earth and vanilla notes. This is a big, bold Pinot, with a lot of complexity. This should age very well and only improve with time in the bottle - 10+ years.

11/12/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Fantastic wine! Dark cherry, cardamom, and earthy berries. Well balanced, soft tannins and smooth flavors. One of the best Brunellos I’ve had in some time. Should hold up nicely for more aging but this wine is in a great place right now.

11/10/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Very nice, well balanced and crisp Rose’. It has a nice minerality to it, with just a hint of citrus and strawberries. One of my favorite Rose’ wines.

10/30/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Very nice right now but this wine should only get better with just a couple more years in the bottle.

10/21/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Well balanced, nice light fruit notes, with a bit of minerality. This wine should continue to age will.

7/13/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Aging very nicely - I wish I had more. Such a great vintage for Oregon Pinots.

6/11/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Delicious! I had Coravined a couple glasses a few months back but I uncorked it and it was great right out of the gate. 2012 was such a good vintage and they are drinking great with a bit of age on them.

5/13/2023 - Jalexander wrote:

Great bottle of wine for this price point. I was a bit worried this wouldn’t be ready for prime time yet but about 90 minutes after the initial decant it really started to sing. Dark fruit, lavender and black cherry notes, with a bit of a bite that receded as it opened up. Dark, inky, purple color looks great in the glass, but it tastes even better paired with a nice filet mignon, seared in a searing hot cast iron pan. Very pleasantly surprised how well this wine is drinking at this stage.

4/8/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Drinking great now! Rich, opulent cab, velvety soft, cola, cherry and boysenberry, with just a hint of tobacco. Not sure this will improve with more aging.

3/24/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Quick decant and we were off to the races. Nice soft bouquet, with red fruit and dark cherry on the nose, with just a hint of wood. This is not a big Napa fruit bomb Cab. Very nice, well-balanced, soft tannins and it paired perfectly with a Smoked Gouda Burger.

3/9/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Wow! One hour after a double decant and this wine tastes amazing. The alcohol and tannins that were present at the first pour (prior to decanting) have receded, leaving a very nice, well-balanced but complex wine. This is the first of six bottles I bought and it definitively tastes like a wine that will continue to evolve with a little age. Dark plums, black cherry, vanilla and an earthy hint of tobacco.

3/5/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Not very impressed right out of the bottle (a bit thin), but after an hour, it started to open up with notes of cherry, eucalyptus, dark berries and a hint of tobacco. Not my favorite vintage but you never know, both 2011 and 2013, took years to develop.

3/2/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Coming along nicely but probably could use another two-to-three years of bottle age before it really comes into its own. Tart cherries, leather and a rich earthiness develop after a 60 to 90 minute decant. It is a very lucious wine with nice complexity but please be patient and let this wine open up before drinking - it is worth the wait.

2/20/2023 - Jalexander wrote:

It had been over a year since the last bottle. Much improved. 30 minute decant and it opened beautifully. Well-balanced with floral notes and dark fruit

1/2/2023 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

It has been four years since I opened the last bottle of this exquisite wine and it certainly didn’t disappoint. Wonderful Oregon Pinot - very Burgundian, with floral notes, violet, cherries and mineral undertones. Great structure and balance. This wine is in a great drinking window right now.

10/24/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Drinking well now but should be in a good window for the next three to four years

10/15/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Wow! Great wine really in a good place for drinking now but probably has another decade for those with the patience to wait.

Dark, inky, full of plums and dark cherry. Smooth tobacco undertones, with a hint of vanilla and earthy blackberry. I’m a big fan of Shafer Relentless generally but this wine was the favorite of the evening paired with seared filet mignon, roasted carrots and fire roasted tomatoes. Only two bottles left of this vintage. I’m planning to drink one soon and hold the last one for 2030+

9/10/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Nice vintage just coming into a prime drinking window.

9/7/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Exquisite bottle of Pinot Noir. Very reflective of the Eola Amity Hills.

8/20/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Holding up very well - two years since the last bottle. 2012 was a great vintage for Oregon Pinot Noir. Tony Rynders-made wines age well. I wish I had more of this wine.

Excellent pairing with fresh wild caught Chinook salmon grilled on a cedar plank, mushroom wild rice and an crisp radish and radicchio salad, topped with an Asian Orange vinaigrette with Sesame oil.

6/4/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Very nice wine after about 30 to 45 minutes open in the bottle (no decant). Paired perfectly with a nice black truffle ravioli - a perfect complement to the rich, earthy tones of the entree. I was worried the 2012’s (one of my favorite vintages ever for Oregon Pinots) would be starting to thin a bit but this wine was well-balanced, with soft lavender and dark cherries and a touch of earthy minerals. Very nuanced and Burgundian in character. Such a great food wine!

4/19/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Wow, much improved since my last bottle two+ years ago. Dark fruit, think earthy black cherries or boysenberry, hints of leather, tobacco and a subtle vanilla-like flavor. The tannins and alcohol I remembered, have softened, and left a very well balanced, well-aged classic Rioja! Decanted for 90 minutes but it was delicious right out of the bottle. This wine has really lived up to its earlier reviews and improved significantly over the last two years. One bottle left that I’m going to try to lay down for another 3 to 5 years. Paired with smoked pork enchiladas, with ancho maple sauce, jicama salad with shrimp, Spanish rice and mexican chocolate flourless cake.

4/14/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

The 2011 vintage, very underrated at the time, has aged superbly into a luscious expression of a classic Willamette Valley Pinot vintage. This bottle is in a very good place to enjoy right now.

3/31/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Earthy with notes of cherry and cardamom. Near the end of its prime drinking window, so time to enjoy the last few bottles in your cellar!

It paired nicely with braised coq au vin, with mushrooms and shallots. We all wished we had a second bottle to enjoy.

3/17/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Fantastic Zin! Wish I had more.

3/13/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Good value for an everyday drinker. Black cherry, tobacco, a little licorice, with a hint of pepper. Merlot-forward. Very tannic when first opened but it begins to soften in the glass after 30 to 45 minutes.

2/11/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

This light fruity rose, with earthy mineral undertones, has become one of our favorite roses. The 2019, also from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, was a bit darker and more robust (at least for a rose) than the 2020. Buy some if you can find it. This is a great wine to get the party started with when you want something other than bubbles. It was a real crowd pleaser at a recent dinner party.

2/8/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Very good wine and a great value for a well balanced, luscious Oregon Pinot. Punches above its weight class for certain.

2/2/2022 - Jalexander Does not like this wine:

Not a fan of this wine. I’ve enjoyed other wines from this producer that were very good, but this one really misses the mark.

1/16/2022 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Great drinking window. Two hour decant. Well balanced. Cherry, tobacco, vanilla notes. The decant softened the alcohol and really allowed the fruit and woodsy notes to come out. I wish I had another case of this wine because it should continue to improve with more age, or drink today. Very enjoyable wine.

11/25/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Bright, fresh, red fruit notes right out of the bottle, more cherry than berry. Well balanced with a rich earthiness and a hint of spice about an hour after decanting. Lovely Grenache, Syrah blend that paired perfectly with Ancho Chili Maple Syrup Glazed Turkey and Wild Mushroom Bacon Dressing. This wine was the perfect offset to the savory meal. Drink this wine young, I don’t believe it is built for aging.

9/6/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

What a pleasant surprise! This wine is in an excellent place right now. Well-balanced and smooth right out of the bottle. Cola with dark cherry and berry, maybe a hint of vanilla bean and tobacco. Bolder than I expected but not overpowering. I’ve been drinking a lot of 2012, 2014 and 2016, Oregon Pinot’s of late but this 2015 is fabulous. Can’t wait to open another.

8/22/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Full-bodied right out of the bottle. Dark color, Bing cherry, licorice, and cola, offset earthy tannins. This wine shows no sign of thinning and will continue to age for several more years.

8/14/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Tastes great now but this wine will easily age for another decade plus!

8/10/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Green apples, burnt butter, a hint of oak. Opened up and softened after warming up a bit. Perfect pairing with apple tart ala mode dessert course.

7/31/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Last bottle. I thought it would be way past it’s prime but it was a very beautiful Burgundian style Oregon Pinot that did not disappoint. Velvety soft, notes of plum, cherries and vanilla. I wish I had more. Gives me hope for some of the 2008’s still in the cellar.

5/25/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Nice wine at a fabulous price. Drinking well right now. Paired well with a seared Ribeye.

5/2/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Cherry and tobacco with some bite right out of the bottle. Really started to open up and soften after 60 to 90 minutes revealing vanilla and slightly bitter pomegranate. Drink now after at least a 60 minute decant.

4/30/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Nice Oregon Pinot but not my favorite from this producer. Slow to open up, comes on strong right out of the bottle. Paired well with a nice smoky cedar planked salmon with roasted vegetables. A bit bolder and less nuanced than my favorite Oregon Pinots. I will be interested to see if it softens overnight, or with a bit more bottle age.

3/12/2021 - Jalexander wrote:

This wine reminds me why I much prefer Oregon Pinots.

3/4/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

This wine is in a good place after a 60 to 90 minute decant. Big dark fruit, vanilla, tobacco and leather, with some heat that softened by the second pour. This wine should hold up in the bottle for another few years but it tastes great right now with a pan seared ribeye smothered in wild mushrooms.

1/13/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

The 2013 vintage, much like 2011, seems to be getting better and better with a little time in the bottle. Balanced and elegant, with red berries, earth and a touch of Yamhill-Carlton AVA minerality on the finish. Great at the first pour but it really opened up after 45 minutes to an hour after uncorking it. One of the best 2013’s I’ve tasted. This wine should hold up for at least another five years+.

1/4/2021 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Delicious. Great value. Dark cherry and smoke, with nice, well-balanced finish. Great right out of the bottle.

12/29/2020 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Fabulous Chardonnay! Drinking beautifully right now. Green Apple with honey and a slightly earthy nuttiness. Very light citrus notes. Think French white Burgundy, not Napa. We are all wishing we had more of this wine.

12/24/2020 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Plum, cherries, tobacco and licorice. Tasted nice right out of the bottle but after a two hour decant fruit, minerals and earthy flavors blend in a smooth, well balanced finish. A great food wine. We enjoyed with a variety of wood fired pizzas and a tangy Caesar salad. The wine was a perfect compliment to the smoky pizza crust and garlicky kale Caesar.

12/9/2020 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Very nice wine at a great price point. The 2011 Oregon Pinots contine to impress with more time in the bottle. Cherry fruit, leather and cola, with mineral undertones. Enjoyable wine in a good drinking window right now.

11/16/2020 - Jalexander Likes this wine:

Luscious wine. Perfectly balanced with fruit, mineral and floral flavors blending beautifully. Ready to drink now. Not sure this will get any better than it is right now.