Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull Pinot Price Drop, 10/18/2018

  (Dois Irmaos Pinot Noir Two Brothers Private Selection) Hello friends. This year continues to be a trip when it comes to value Oregon Pinot offers. It seems like Oregon wineries have caught wind of the fact that there’s this operation way up north in Seattle involving scores of people who like nothing more than delicious, deeply discounted Pinot Noir from our neighbors to the south. This trend is a win-win for all of us. It’s a sales opportunity for high-end Oregon wineries that are looking to wheel and deal with their wines and still maintain brand reputation within the cozy confines of Oregon; and we, the scores of people who like nothing more delicious, deeply discounted Pinot Noir, get to purchase hoards of delicious, deeply discounted Pinot Noir.This is the latest in the series of 2018 beauties. The discount is one of the most outrageous yet: this wine began its life at a $45 release price. This quality juice at that release price would be completely normal in the world of Oregon Pinot Noir. At the TPU price we have today, it’s in the running for our best Pinot deal to date. Dois Irmãos is the sister winery to a Willamette Valley winery that many of our list members may know—Coelho. The winery, along with three estate vineyards, is run by the Coelho family out of Amity, Oregon. The story goes, Dave and Deolinda Coelho farmed 800 acres in the San Joaquin Valley in California. Like so many before them, they fell in love with the Willamette Valley and moved their family to Oregon in 1991. Dave and Deolinda purchased 40 acres just south of Amity and transformed the land into their namesake estate vineyard. They sold fruit until the early 2000s, when they decided to pursue their own ancestral roots and make estate-grown wine. Coelho winery released their first vintage in 2004 and named the wine “Paciência,” Portuguese for patience. The Coelho family has a deep connection to their Portuguese heritage, and you’ll find Portuguese influences throughout the winery, from vineyard to cellar. In Portuguese, the family and winery name means rabbit; Dois Irmãos means two brothers, which refers to the two sons of the family, David and Samuel. This wine is 100% Pinot Noir made from select clones of Dijon, Pommard, and Wädenswil. It comes from two of Coelho’s estate vineyards, Coelho and Zeitoun; Perrydale Hills, which is run by one of the Coelho sons; and Scharf Farms, a fourth-generation, family-run farm just west of Salem. It was raised in 55% neutral French oak, and the rest in an equal mix of new, second-use, and third-use barrels. The nose presents perfectly Pinot: this wonderful blend of berries and the earth they’re grown in. It sings with ripe red berries, crunchy underbrush, citrus, and sarsaparilla. Continuing down this path of dirt and fruit, the palate is mouthwatering and juicy with herbaceous and floral subtleties. The palate shows off fine but present tannins, providing delightful structure to its 13.8% listed alcohol frame. This is a thoughtful and complex showing of Pinot Noir that’s still utterly delicious. Wine Enthusiast: Copyrighted material withheld.