Community Tasting Note

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Wednesday, May 1, 2024 - 2011 J Thomas "Dundee Hill" Pinot noir
13.2% ABV / 750mL
Grown and bottled by proprietor

This has been a wine on my tasting list for some time, the producer having sort of reaching mythical status, of the one man grower/winemaker/marketer/merchant who operates from his hermit cave deep in the jungles of Willamette valley. The wine only accessible via a 3 day hike from Portland and a prayer to the wine gods. Well maybe that's getting a little carried away. Thomas sells his wine the old fashion way, via a print mailing. The winery doesn't have a website and it's somewhat hard to track down. But it has many fans, and the wines seem to sell out, so he must be doing something right. I guess this penchant for doing things the old way adds to the allure. Anyways, I secured a bottle and it was time to check if the wine lives up to the legend.

With grilled octopus and carrots.

Pop and pour. (Whole) Cork came out clean. Color is light and clear, kind of a pale ruby, maybe a Coeur de pigeon that's sometimes used to describe slightly aged Bourgogne.

Initially the wine was a strong cranberry scent and tasted of cranberry juice. After 5 minutes, the cranberries deminished with strawberries, raspberries, and meadow flowers taking over the olfactory aromas.

Taste - front of red fruit, raspberries, cherries, medium acidity. The mid palette brings in some sea salt, buttered toast, with a soft oak finish. Lingers on the tongue for 15s or so.

It's a nice elegant Pinot noir. It has some Oregon fresh fruit, but also a bit more finesse and less power than many Oregon Pinot noirs. I'm curious how much of that is due to age vs winemaking style.

Anyways, it is a lovely wine that is drinking well and look forward to trying some other vintages.

93/100

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