Drank alongside a 1999 Drouhin Clos des Mouches from Burgundy. Decanted two hours ahead. Served double blind (not blind to me).
Medium red color, lots of bricking. The nose was mature cherry oriented, with tea notes, good, if not particularly complex. Fully mature on the palate, what I think of as a classic Oregon profile, black cherry, rather than berry, and again that mature tea note. Elegant. I suspect the wine has tasted like this for years, and will last for years. This was good, though I preferred its Burg cousin for its freshness and its future.
Drink, but no hurry. I don’t see it improving. (B+)
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All the previous reviews I suspect are from bottles that did not age in a good cellar. Had 2 bottles bought at auction from a large collection of better Oregon makers. Poured from bottle. Took about 15 minutes to open in glass. Lovely, integrated and tasty. This is fantastic drinking and elegant aged wine. Sad I only have 4 more.
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Very earthy, ushroony on opening, but soMewhat subdued. After being opened an hour or so, developed a very nice texture and more plummy and hight toned fuit notes. Really very nice at that point.
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Subtle sour cherry, mushroom and black tea. Very silky and elegant. Paired with crispy polenta cakes with duck, mushroom and cherry ragout. The cherry in the sauce canceled the cherry in the wine and brought out a strong earth component. After a couple hours in the decanter, it picked up a strong vegetal component -- like asparagus in a glass.
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Weekend in Paoli; 4/1/2011-4/2/2011 (Paoli, PA): great ruby color. raspberries, tart cherries and smoky meaty notes on the nose. the palate is delicious. very elegant at this point in its evolution. delicious, wonderful balance. good tannic structure as well with some nice black tea elements on the finish.
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Medium red color. Aromas of sous bois, cherry, smoke, tea, and raspberry. Tart cherry and raspberry palate that also shows cranberry and later develops some smoky sous bois flavors. This is open for business and drinks much more advanced than the 2002 right now. Should continue to develop but this is ready to start drinking if you've got a few stashed away. Drink or hold.
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still quite young both in color and nose. nose still predominately fruit based. well-integrated with a good mid-palate and finish. would follow up in five years.
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1999 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène, alc 13%, $58....with dinner that included an excellent duck confit salad....popped and poured without decanting...earthy "dark" nose....on the palate this has developed nicely and is showing underbrush, earthiness and still a solid base of fruit....really smooth and integrated....outshines most of the other bottlings of this I have had lately...near peak but not past it wouldn't appear...
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surprised by the colour which did not show the age. needs time in the glass to open up, finish little bit dry. would suggest to drink up what you have soon.
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Wine was decanted. Beautiful nose. Graceful flavors of blackberry and nuances of citrus (orange and tangerine), loam, mushroom, and bacon. Fine and well integrated tannins. Very pleasant lingering aftertaste. The wine did open up and brighten towards the end. Guessing that these qualities should be apparent over the next two years. Haven't had this wine since tasting it at the time of purchase and it takes me right back to that time. A great contrast to their '98 Laurene.
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Very dusty / sage nose. Not your typical oregon pinot, a bit of red fruit but tasted quite weak and odd. Something was wrong with this (not corked) just inconsistent. Shared with David Millman, the GM of DDO.
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A mature wine with dark berries and earthy notes. A bit dusty on the nose but in the mouth it delivers a lot of mature fruit. Very good. I will try to remember to take the next (and final) bottle before the year has come to an end.
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Wow, this was good and very much at peak. Fantastic nose of subdued red fruits, lovely forest floor, green celery, and brown spices. The oak has integrated perfectly, and the fruit was still lively and juicy in the mouth. Elegant. Just enough tannic structure to complement a dish of duck breast and black morels. For me it was the wine of the evening out of 12 new world pinots. It really shows the class and restraint of the winemaker. One of the top Oregon Pinots I've tried.
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nose: flowerstems, rocky soil and vegetation. Jungle-esque. Earthy, but without a stong sense of barnyard, which is something I often encounter in OR pinot. Smelled savory to me, as in 'delicious!' Palate: very nice mouthfeel. Cherries coat the tongue subtly and smoothly. Very elegant. The coating of the palate lasts a long, long time. Overall a very clean, silky wine
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Dinner at Crow (Seattle, WA): Perhaps I am being overly harsh since I brought this wine to dinner. The nose opens with obvious notes of vanilla and cherry, but this quickly moves to show a very green and vegetal note of asparagus. The nose does integrate with time with the green receding more to spicy and leafy aromatics. With more air this moves to green tobacco with nice notes of graphite and a hint of char. Excellent improvement. However, this was still very green and stemmy on the palate throughout the three hour dinner. The fruit is mostly cherry, a bit simple, candied, vanilla, very green. I am not happy with this wine, as it should be a LOT better.
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SEATTLE DOES WEST COAST PINOT NOIR - Kaspar's, Seattle, WA (3/19/2005) Earthy, deep, mushroom, classic style. Absolutely shining, I kept putting my nose back in for more. This is still a baby. (Note to self, must keep hands off!)
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A treat for the Super Bowl, but ended up with "nice" wine. I like naughty wines. They're more memorable. Agree with Jason's comments, only I have two bottles left.
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Unfortunately, I would be lying if I said that price did not influence my scoring. I wish I was agnostic, but I can't do it. I bought this wine for $52.99. It is a well made, balanced, completely non-exciting Oregon Pinot. It shows a very, very limited nose of red fruit. The palate, while, balanced, shows nothing terribly exciting. This wine does not, however, exhibit the over the top acid that I find in many DDO wines. Overall, this wine is pleasant, drinkable, and not terribly memorable. Why do I have 3 more bottles?
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Tasted at the 2003 WS Grand Tour. This is a reserve and not a single vineyard wine made from 12 year old vines. Very nice round wine with integrated fruit. Round with notes of cherry and dark berry. 91.
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8/1/2022 - Optimus Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
The wine is drinking incredibly good right now. Won’t benefit with additional aging so don’t hold for to long.
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3/9/2020 - Brady D Likes this wine:
Drank alongside a 1999 Drouhin Clos des Mouches from Burgundy. Decanted two hours ahead. Served double blind (not blind to me).
Medium red color, lots of bricking. The nose was mature cherry oriented, with tea notes, good, if not particularly complex. Fully mature on the palate, what I think of as a classic Oregon profile, black cherry, rather than berry, and again that mature tea note. Elegant. I suspect the wine has tasted like this for years, and will last for years. This was good, though I preferred its Burg cousin for its freshness and its future.
Drink, but no hurry. I don’t see it improving. (B+)
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12/31/2019 - Gary Likes this wine: 90 Points
Beautiful subtle wine. Great terroir expression.
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8/30/2019 - SeaSea Likes this wine: 93 Points
All the previous reviews I suspect are from bottles that did not age in a good cellar. Had 2 bottles bought at auction from a large collection of better Oregon makers. Poured from bottle. Took about 15 minutes to open in glass. Lovely, integrated and tasty. This is fantastic drinking and elegant aged wine. Sad I only have 4 more.
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9/27/2015 - KenK Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Drinkable, but thin and green. Probably saw better days.
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10/1/2012 - The Klipper wrote: 89 Points
A little graphite and eucalyptus, but also a touch muddy. We agreed it was a perfect time to drink it...
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5/19/2012 - zovizule wrote:
Very earthy, ushroony on opening, but soMewhat subdued. After being opened an hour or so, developed a very nice texture and more plummy and hight toned fuit notes. Really very nice at that point.
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7/24/2011 - Gunman wrote:
Subtle sour cherry, mushroom and black tea. Very silky and elegant. Paired with crispy polenta cakes with duck, mushroom and cherry ragout. The cherry in the sauce canceled the cherry in the wine and brought out a strong earth component. After a couple hours in the decanter, it picked up a strong vegetal component -- like asparagus in a glass.
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4/1/2011 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 90 Points
Weekend in Paoli; 4/1/2011-4/2/2011 (Paoli, PA): great ruby color. raspberries, tart cherries and smoky meaty notes on the nose. the palate is delicious. very elegant at this point in its evolution. delicious, wonderful balance. good tannic structure as well with some nice black tea elements on the finish.
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11/13/2010 - fredb Likes this wine:
Medium red color. Aromas of sous bois, cherry, smoke, tea, and raspberry. Tart cherry and raspberry palate that also shows cranberry and later develops some smoky sous bois flavors. This is open for business and drinks much more advanced than the 2002 right now. Should continue to develop but this is ready to start drinking if you've got a few stashed away. Drink or hold.
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8/29/2010 - Montecalvo wrote: 93 Points
still quite young both in color and nose. nose still predominately fruit based. well-integrated with a good mid-palate and finish. would follow up in five years.
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8/17/2010 - ssouth wrote: 93 Points
1999 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir Laurène, alc 13%, $58....with dinner that included an excellent duck confit salad....popped and poured without decanting...earthy "dark" nose....on the palate this has developed nicely and is showing underbrush, earthiness and still a solid base of fruit....really smooth and integrated....outshines most of the other bottlings of this I have had lately...near peak but not past it wouldn't appear...
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8/8/2010 - yenda wrote: 90 Points
matre, mushrooms tones, red fruit. nice but remaining few bottles have to follow relativelly quickly
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3/13/2010 - yenda wrote: 90 Points
surprised by the colour which did not show the age. needs time in the glass to open up, finish little bit dry. would suggest to drink up what you have soon.
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12/25/2009 - jasonwh wrote: 88 Points
Taste of bright red fruit and subtle spice.
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9/25/2009 - Appreciative wrote:
Wine was decanted. Beautiful nose. Graceful flavors of blackberry and nuances of citrus (orange and tangerine), loam, mushroom, and bacon. Fine and well integrated tannins. Very pleasant lingering aftertaste. The wine did open up and brighten towards the end. Guessing that these qualities should be apparent over the next two years. Haven't had this wine since tasting it at the time of purchase and it takes me right back to that time. A great contrast to their '98 Laurene.
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6/6/2009 - WWSGURU wrote: flawed
Very dusty / sage nose. Not your typical oregon pinot, a bit of red fruit but tasted quite weak and odd. Something was wrong with this (not corked) just inconsistent. Shared with David Millman, the GM of DDO.
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6/1/2009 - Cunningham wrote:
5/5 Stars
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2/27/2009 - pea wrote: 89 Points
A mature wine with dark berries and earthy notes. A bit dusty on the nose but in the mouth it delivers a lot of mature fruit. Very good. I will try to remember to take the next (and final) bottle before the year has come to an end.
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6/6/2008 - marc d wrote:
Wow, this was good and very much at peak. Fantastic nose of subdued red fruits, lovely forest floor, green celery, and brown spices. The oak has integrated perfectly, and the fruit was still lively and juicy in the mouth. Elegant. Just enough tannic structure to complement a dish of duck breast and black morels. For me it was the wine of the evening out of 12 new world pinots. It really shows the class and restraint of the winemaker. One of the top Oregon Pinots I've tried.
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10/1/2007 - tarheel17 wrote:
nose: flowerstems, rocky soil and vegetation. Jungle-esque. Earthy, but without a stong sense of barnyard, which is something I often encounter in OR pinot. Smelled savory to me, as in 'delicious!' Palate: very nice mouthfeel. Cherries coat the tongue subtly and smoothly. Very elegant. The coating of the palate lasts a long, long time. Overall a very clean, silky wine
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8/10/2007 - MFong wrote:
Blind Burgs (Azhang, Singapore): Sweet and warm on the palate. Medium bodied with berries and soft tannins. Much like a 2003 Burg.
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10/10/2005 - sadiebear wrote: 90 Points
A great P.N. with the possibility of being amazing!
Soft and supple with good earthy structure..This btl went very well with our Italian meal.
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6/4/2005 - Eric wrote: 83 Points
Dinner at Crow (Seattle, WA): Perhaps I am being overly harsh since I brought this wine to dinner. The nose opens with obvious notes of vanilla and cherry, but this quickly moves to show a very green and vegetal note of asparagus. The nose does integrate with time with the green receding more to spicy and leafy aromatics. With more air this moves to green tobacco with nice notes of graphite and a hint of char. Excellent improvement. However, this was still very green and stemmy on the palate throughout the three hour dinner. The fruit is mostly cherry, a bit simple, candied, vanilla, very green. I am not happy with this wine, as it should be a LOT better.
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3/19/2005 - zbrad wrote: 94 Points
SEATTLE DOES WEST COAST PINOT NOIR - Kaspar's, Seattle, WA (3/19/2005)
Earthy, deep, mushroom, classic style. Absolutely shining, I kept putting my nose back in for more. This is still a baby. (Note to self, must keep hands off!)
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2/6/2005 - Londello wrote:
A treat for the Super Bowl, but ended up with "nice" wine. I like naughty wines. They're more memorable. Agree with Jason's comments, only I have two bottles left.
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12/28/2003 - Jason wrote: 87 Points
Unfortunately, I would be lying if I said that price did not influence my scoring. I wish I was agnostic, but I can't do it. I bought this wine for $52.99. It is a well made, balanced, completely non-exciting Oregon Pinot. It shows a very, very limited nose of red fruit. The palate, while, balanced, shows nothing terribly exciting. This wine does not, however, exhibit the over the top acid that I find in many DDO wines. Overall, this wine is pleasant, drinkable, and not terribly memorable. Why do I have 3 more bottles?
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5/12/2003 - Vino Me wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at the 2003 WS Grand Tour. This is a reserve and not a single vineyard wine made from 12 year old vines. Very nice round wine with integrated fruit. Round with notes of cherry and dark berry. 91.
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3/21/2003 - peternelson wrote: 90 Points
Red Carpet: Wet leather, dank forest, blueberry mth, more t’s, silky body.***Very Good, more up front. Not too complex, though.
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