This bottle showed much more life than my last one, which I hesitated to call flawed at the time but can confirm now as indeed an off bottle. On the nose, an initial aroma of charcoal smoke blows off, and earth, florals and delicate fruit remain. With air time, the red fruit aromas reveal a slight sur maturité, and on the palate the fruit although delicate has surprising lasting power and impact, although a slightly balsamic quality and hints of soy sauce indicate some age. Served blind to a few good tasters and all called it as Burgundy. Showing definite bricking and development, probably past prime but a lovely wine and I wouldn't be shocked if it still has an interesting Act III to show in its "old age".
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Very light in style. I was hoping for a lot of delicate beauty here but I wasn't really moved. Hold remaining bottle for a while to see where this goes.
Update Nov. 2016: having had another livelier bottle in late 2016 I believe this earlier bottle was an off bottle, as it was so dead and gave off so little.
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Delicate, lighter OR Pinot, gorgeous nose with the Eyrie red berries, seductive funk, smokiness, solid balance with milder tannins around a spicy minerality that beguiles. Good length and very well crafted from a warm vintage, but without the fruity bias many '03 OR Pinot's display. Beautifully subtle layers that evolve after wine has opened a hour or so in and become quite beguiling without ever softening but with a promising tartness. A wonderful tribute for daughter's College Graduation celebration...a wine that intrigues and promotes wonder without punching you in the face. Wish I had more to see what it's future will be--- also curious to find the wualities our graduate might display some day!
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2003 may have been torrid in the Willamette Valley, but this is a delicate creature (not unexpected, considering the producer) that serves up a strong spine of acidity and a lovely array of savory spice aromas. Tilt the glass and yes, you can read through the wine. Good mineral and citric intensity here. The vintage does speak here – this is not as complex or as deep as, say, the 2002 Reserve – but impressive all things told, and satisfying to those of us raising a glass to mom. Don't rush to drink this: its life will be long.
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Oregon Pinots with the Wine Thursday group at WWS (Willamette Wine Storage - Portland, OR): Very smoky, large sulfur nose on this wine. Smelled of smoked salmon, burnt vines and red fruit. The palate has a delicate feel, tart strawberries, grapefruit, with a nice taper through the finish leaving some pleasing fruit. The fruit here is nice but straight-forward and without complexity or evolution. Still, a nice wine overall. Served blind, I guessed it was 2002. This wine comes across far more delicate in both flavor and structure than any 2003 OPN I've had.
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Oregon Pinot Noir 1997-2005 (Willamette Wine Storage - Portland, OR): The nose is a bit resolved, and it reminds me of tree bark laying on the forest floor. There are some plum scents as well as some faint copper, barnyard, and ash notes that show after it has been open for a while. It's delicate on the palate with good flavors. The wine is gentle on contact, showing strawberries and faint raspberries. All of the flavors are soft, and in good balance with the acidity. The tannins are very soft, and they grow a bit on the finish. Over the course of the night, the wine filled out a bit and showed some rhubarb on the mid palate as well. 89+
1997-2005 Oregon Pinot Noir (Willamette Wine Storage): Really rancid tons... tons of funk, ass, and acidity. Again... rancid, rotting wet rubber bands. Nasty. Light body on the palate, and light in flavor, more pleasing acid here, with tartness, though the overall impression is still not enjoyable. There's a strange and tart off balanced, green nature to the finish. Guessed a 2003.
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Pale ruby color leads to an amazing nose of strawberries and barnyard. Body very closed initially and did not open for 4 hour. Beautiful aciditic finish. Would score higher if not so tight. Bottle was gone by the time it really began to shine.
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Among the most gorgeous looking wines I've ever seen. Very thin, pale strawberry color. Seems to catch and hold the light, with almost a straw color component. A bit of bardyard waste on the very initial nose, then nice strawberries and cherries. With some short time the barnyard blew off, leaving a gorgeous nose of subdued red fruits. Great balanced profile, nice fruits, also a great acidic backbone. I was recently told by the tasting room manager at eyrie to start drinking these up, I don't think I agree. It seems this bottle has lots of life left, though when drinking this well right now, maybe no point to additional time.
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Initial reductive smell on the nose, similar to DougLee's note after 30 mins. Always love drinking Eyrie, as it's a refreshing change from some of the bigger CA guns I usually drink :-D
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Light ruby color. Nose of spice, tea leaves, cinnamon, and cherry. Lithe, elegant, and precise presentation of layered red fruits on the palate, mostly raspberry, bing cherry, and a bit of strawberry. Moderate acidity and softened tannins. Long finish, with persistent fruit and some interesting mineral character. Very enjoyable paired with grilled salmon. Thank you, Mr. Lett.
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12/27/2023 - Rich64N wrote:
Over the hill, browning. Not rating.
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11/27/2016 - amateurwino wrote: 91 Points
This bottle showed much more life than my last one, which I hesitated to call flawed at the time but can confirm now as indeed an off bottle. On the nose, an initial aroma of charcoal smoke blows off, and earth, florals and delicate fruit remain. With air time, the red fruit aromas reveal a slight sur maturité, and on the palate the fruit although delicate has surprising lasting power and impact, although a slightly balsamic quality and hints of soy sauce indicate some age. Served blind to a few good tasters and all called it as Burgundy. Showing definite bricking and development, probably past prime but a lovely wine and I wouldn't be shocked if it still has an interesting Act III to show in its "old age".
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9/22/2012 - amateurwino wrote:
Very light in style. I was hoping for a lot of delicate beauty here but I wasn't really moved. Hold remaining bottle for a while to see where this goes.
Update Nov. 2016: having had another livelier bottle in late 2016 I believe this earlier bottle was an off bottle, as it was so dead and gave off so little.
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8/13/2011 - Vinomark wrote: 91 Points
Delicate, lighter OR Pinot, gorgeous nose with the Eyrie red berries, seductive funk, smokiness, solid balance with milder tannins around a spicy minerality that beguiles. Good length and very well crafted from a warm vintage, but without the fruity bias many '03 OR Pinot's display. Beautifully subtle layers that evolve after wine has opened a hour or so in and become quite beguiling without ever softening but with a promising tartness. A wonderful tribute for daughter's College Graduation celebration...a wine that intrigues and promotes wonder without punching you in the face. Wish I had more to see what it's future will be--- also curious to find the wualities our graduate might display some day!
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5/9/2011 - Wicker Parker wrote:
2003 may have been torrid in the Willamette Valley, but this is a delicate creature (not unexpected, considering the producer) that serves up a strong spine of acidity and a lovely array of savory spice aromas. Tilt the glass and yes, you can read through the wine. Good mineral and citric intensity here. The vintage does speak here – this is not as complex or as deep as, say, the 2002 Reserve – but impressive all things told, and satisfying to those of us raising a glass to mom. Don't rush to drink this: its life will be long.
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8/20/2010 - gripNsip wrote: 88 Points
Oregon Pinots with the Wine Thursday group at WWS (Willamette Wine Storage - Portland, OR): Very smoky, large sulfur nose on this wine. Smelled of smoked salmon, burnt vines and red fruit. The palate has a delicate feel, tart strawberries, grapefruit, with a nice taper through the finish leaving some pleasing fruit. The fruit here is nice but straight-forward and without complexity or evolution. Still, a nice wine overall. Served blind, I guessed it was 2002. This wine comes across far more delicate in both flavor and structure than any 2003 OPN I've had.
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8/19/2010 - subtlet Likes this wine: 89 Points
Oregon Pinot Noir 1997-2005 (Willamette Wine Storage - Portland, OR): The nose is a bit resolved, and it reminds me of tree bark laying on the forest floor. There are some plum scents as well as some faint copper, barnyard, and ash notes that show after it has been open for a while. It's delicate on the palate with good flavors. The wine is gentle on contact, showing strawberries and faint raspberries. All of the flavors are soft, and in good balance with the acidity. The tannins are very soft, and they grow a bit on the finish. Over the course of the night, the wine filled out a bit and showed some rhubarb on the mid palate as well. 89+
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8/19/2010 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 76 Points
1997-2005 Oregon Pinot Noir (Willamette Wine Storage): Really rancid tons... tons of funk, ass, and acidity. Again... rancid, rotting wet rubber bands. Nasty. Light body on the palate, and light in flavor, more pleasing acid here, with tartness, though the overall impression is still not enjoyable. There's a strange and tart off balanced, green nature to the finish. Guessed a 2003.
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5/8/2010 - flashvictor Likes this wine: 90 Points
Pale ruby color leads to an amazing nose of strawberries and barnyard. Body very closed initially and did not open for 4 hour. Beautiful aciditic finish. Would score higher if not so tight. Bottle was gone by the time it really began to shine.
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12/21/2009 - johnboots wrote: 92 Points
This is a delicate Pinot, very definitively an Eyrie. Not overpowering, but subtle and evocative.
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6/3/2009 - Traxx wrote: 93 Points
Among the most gorgeous looking wines I've ever seen. Very thin, pale strawberry color. Seems to catch and hold the light, with almost a straw color component. A bit of bardyard waste on the very initial nose, then nice strawberries and cherries. With some short time the barnyard blew off, leaving a gorgeous nose of subdued red fruits. Great balanced profile, nice fruits, also a great acidic backbone. I was recently told by the tasting room manager at eyrie to start drinking these up, I don't think I agree. It seems this bottle has lots of life left, though when drinking this well right now, maybe no point to additional time.
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5/17/2009 - DukeDrew wrote:
Initial reductive smell on the nose, similar to DougLee's note after 30 mins. Always love drinking Eyrie, as it's a refreshing change from some of the bigger CA guns I usually drink :-D
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12/1/2008 - twofthrs wrote: 91 Points
very well structured pinot in the Burgundy style. Nice.
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11/15/2008 - twofthrs wrote: 93 Points
Very well balanced. RIP Mr. Lett...
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10/19/2008 - DougLee wrote: 90 Points
Light ruby color. Nose of spice, tea leaves, cinnamon, and cherry. Lithe, elegant, and precise presentation of layered red fruits on the palate, mostly raspberry, bing cherry, and a bit of strawberry. Moderate acidity and softened tannins. Long finish, with persistent fruit and some interesting mineral character. Very enjoyable paired with grilled salmon. Thank you, Mr. Lett.
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