Stood up for 2 weeks. Decanted off fine sediment, which want much. Now 2 h after decant. Aromas of red and black cherries, bark, baking spices, and some sous bois. Medium body with excellent acids. Faint tannins. Nice finish of fresh and dried cherries, bark, sous bois and a hint forest floor. Complex and taking on ages characteristics. In a great spot now. This is lovely.
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Almost tawny in the glass, aromas of Chinese 5 spice, salted plum, rose, dried red fruits and amaro, really complex and expressive, jumps out of the glass. Mouth follows, medium body, med+ acid, medium- tannins, well resolved. Finishes with a sweet, zippy mineral streak of acid. Really compelling stuff. Eyrie has a way with making these wines that just lay like a sheet of linen on your tongue, approachable now, or in 15+ years- no sharp angles, not heavy, not too light, alcohol in balance. Just what the doc ordered.
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Beautiful perfumed aroma, elegant balanced flavor, long savory finish, low alcohol. Fine and delicious, a beautiful representation of Dundee AVA Pinot in a cool vintage. It’s ready to drink now….I wish I had 12 more bottles.
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Had this last night. It was a beautiful, elegant, classy wine firing on all cylinders almost from the beginning. Translucent ruby in colour, it has a glorious nose of sandalwood, cherries, mushrooms, cinnamon and earthy notes. The medium bodied yet intensely flavoured wine showed similar notes on the palate and had a lovely, velvety texture with just the right amount of light tannins at the end to give it structure; it was beautifully balanced as well, and I liked the balance between the fruit and savory notes. It seemed to be in its secondary phase, I think this will improve over the short to medium term, but it was sure was spot on last night (A).
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Last bottle from several purchased around 2012; the nose here is explosive and ripe with black cherry, black raspberry, hints of cola, loads of baking spice, and just a hint of some leaf litter. The palate is ripe, but very well balanced, super silky with good acidity and a lovely finish. This really still seemed fairly primary to me and in proper storage this can easily go another decade.
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Much better than previous bottles... I had given up hope on these, I guess I just needed to wait a little longer. Darker color than the 2011 I opened the night before, but still translucent. Darker berries, but no over-ripe flavors. Sourness of the acid in previous bottles has disappeared. More funk and earthy flavors have emerged, which were in great balance with the fruit. However, this did fall apart on night 2 - fruit faded replaced by a bit of a metallic taste. Delicious, but time to drink up.
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PnP, consumed over two nights. Light bodied without being thin on the palate. Nice fruit still showing, but not at all "fruity." Held up just fine overnight, so no reason to think this won't continue to drink well for another 3-5 years, if not longer.
Aging nicely. Red fruit turning cranberry with brassy overtones and rusty barn notes. Lithe, slightly watery (not detracting). Picked these up recently for nights when we want a glass each and am happy with it. In this format, should make me happy for at least another 3-5 years.
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A light touch with tannins and acid dominating the fruit although not unpleasantly. Hopefully with more time fruit and acid will evolve and lead to a more balanced wine.
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Good cherry high toned black cherry, spice mushroom and forest floor. Fine but fairly strong tannic sturcture, in fact I don't think I have ever had a pinot with that much tannin? Good acid, will reserve a score for another few years. Really was great after a few hours open. IMO this thing needs time.
Quite nice but quite young. It took about 3 hours to come into balance and open up but a glass left out overnight was very good (even better) the next day. Black and red cherries, a touch of forest pine, and good acidity marked the wine. Great balance. Good now with some decanting, but will be better in a few years.
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Not rocked tonight but this would hold it owns with many a $25-$30 Bourgogne. Translucent red with good typicity, pretty red fruit, spice and some soil tones. A little less interesting than the 2011 but may turn out better with age, The 2011 is already fully mature plus but really interesting. Paid $31 which is good but $20 -$25 would really the right price for this.
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Transparent light brick red color. Strong barnyard nose. Not much fruit, hint of sour cherry, cranberry and rhubarb immediately followed by savory flavors, mushroom, sage, celery, dirt and charred wood with a long bitter metallic finish. 80 for the bright acidity and complexity; otherwise the finish makes this barely drinkable. No improvement with food or air.
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Such a great wine. Nose of red fruits, savory/exotic herbs, and mint. Beautiful balance in the mouth. Red fruit, minerality/damp earth, nice balance. Fine tannin really dries out the tongue.
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The first few sips didn't excite however this wine evolved pretty nicely over a period of 2 hours. Tart cherry, earthy, a nice example of the Oregon pinot style although not as expressive as the Maysara Jamsheed we had recently, which was in the same price range.
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I could drink this wine 5 nights a week and love it. It is beautiful. Lovely nose of strawberry, raspberry, tart cherry, a lovely mineral sense, a little barnyard which I normally don't get (maybe some slight reduction?), and damp leaves. The palate is classic Eyrie, elegant, silky, beautiful Pinot. There is lots of flavor, but the balance and finesse is what sets this wine apart from many others in my book. Fantastic.
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Lovely aromatics, which developed nicely. An earth-based wine, but some nice deep red fruit behind it, and a load of spice (particularly on the nose). Well balanced, nice finish. Liked this a lot.
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As previously. A delightful pinot. I want to hold onto some of these so I can taste them with some age, but I can't stop drinking them given the value. Raspberry, cherry, damp leaves, mineral notes on the nose. An elegant palate that caresses with red fruit that is powered along by acidity. Finishes in balance. Man I wish more people would make pinot like this.
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Beautiful Oregon pinot. Earthy with red pinot fruits. Delicate with the classic Eyrie finesse. I wish more people made wine like this. Still my favorite US pinot.
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Pinot vs Pinot III: Cali vs Ore: Red ruits with a funky woodsy nose. Forest floor, black cherry, savory and salinity. Mineral palate. Medium weight. Good length. Moderate plus finish with good length and excellent lively acidity. Tannin fine and fairly well integrated, but no rush here. 1st/8. I can only imagine how great the original vines are from this vintage.
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Tonight's wine was reductive and didn't really let up. I enjoyed it but honestly was a little concerned and it didn't seem as enjoyable as a last bottle I had. The complexity was there but also was the reduced nature of the wine. I'm not sure if it might go away completely but I am also confident it shows a great range if flavors
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Red fruit, floral, woodsy and saline nose. There's also a more pronounced savory element that has emerged in the past year. Very enticing. Nice mid-weight texture in the mouth. Red fruit again, but now with some earth or forest floor. Decent acidity and drying tannins coat the tongue, drawing out a lengthy finish.
This wine has really grown up since I last tasted it about a year ago. The potpourri and funk have evolved. Probably less explosive, but definitely more integrated. Still young but fun to watch it mature. 91-92.
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Pinot Weekend - Second Willamette Valley Trip; 8/30/2013-9/2/2013 (Dundee, OR): Herbal and spicy nose, orange rind and back cherry fruit. Palate is quite structured, sandy tannin. Surprisingly a dark dark styled fruit palate. Moderate finish where mushroom and loam notes round this out. I was quite impressed at this price point. 91-92
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Unique style -- a real cross of ripeness and French funk. Some smoky elements, bright ripe strawberry and bing cherry, touch of a pine/resinous note, clove. Textbook old school lighter Oregon pinot color.
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Big time forest floor and riverbank on the nose. The first whiff was like turning over a log somewhere in the deep woods. Awesome... With air time, the berry scents become more prominent with some herb and tobacco notes. The mouthfeel is good, balanced and no rough edges. It's fresh and juicy with a good finish. Will buy another and look forward to trying again in 2-3 years.
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Garnet color with cherry, cardamom, damp leaves, and clove on the nose. As always a classically balanced Eyrie palate with beautiful harmony. This is getting better with age and I think will continue to for several years.
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Fascinating comparison of the 2010 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir and 2010 Vaudoisey Volnay Clos des Chenes right after a trip to Oregon, with duck for dinner. The Eyrie was more approachable and had more perfume while the Volnay was a little more tannic and closed at first. Eyrie had that classic damp strawberry sweet and sour smell that was pure Willamette while the Volnay had a more focused, angular and darker bing cherry aspect. Eyrie was also much lighter in color. It was voluptuous and instantly satisfying in that American way but perhaps too eager to please, with the fruit leading a little too much despite it's Burgundian aspirations. There was also a little sour burn in the throat at the finish that I didn't identify until I looked at the alcohol levels and saw that the organ was 13.5% while the Volnay was 13%. Hard to believe that 13.5% was overdone when most California wines are so much higher. Next to the Volnay this one almost reminded me of the Hartford I had last week which I used to find elegant but is now beginning to taste like a 16% Zinfandel (It's actual level is around 14.5% I think) after spending time in Oregon and having my taste recalibrated. Also interesting that the Eyrie was lighter and more feminine than the Volnay despite Volnay's reputation as among the most feminine wines in Burgundy. Both of these wines were excellent yet it's instructive that I was comparing the best of Oregon against a relatively unknown Volnay (at least by me; we had simply wandered into the domain while in Burgundy). Both wines were purchased at their respective domains, in person after tasting. Both are built to age with obvious acidity in the Eyrie and a nice blend of acidity in tannin in the Volnay. Yet it was fascinating that even the Eyrie, where the aesthetic is far from the heavy oak and alcohol soup approach from places like Domaine Serene, came across as a little hot and a little flabby.
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My friend, user Subtlet, is so right when he says that this bottling from Eyrie really benefits from a year in bottle before really starting to check them out. We tasted the 2011 and 2010 side-by-side tonight and this was so open. The nose is delicious ripe cherry, strawberry and cooked rhubarb aromas with funky earthy forest floor and wet tree bark. Smells absolutely wonderful. Great mouthfeel right off the bat with juicy strawberry and cherries, stemminess and pomegranate seeds, and just a touch of something umami/savory as the wine transitions to the finish which showcases the fruit flavors. The wine relaxes into pomegranate and soft red fruit flavors. Fantastic integration between the acids and the tannins, and at this point a real joy to drink. If you stashed some away and haven't checked on a bottle... you should.
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Thrilling nose of cherries, crannberries, earth, white pepper and pine forest. The palate lacked in fruit and was devoid of any liveliness, a tad harsh too. After a few hours the wine softened and picked up a pleasant more balanced taste, feel and ended with a pleasant long woody spicy finish. Certainly a domestic pinot made in the style I enjoy.
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A little awkward tasting -- almost like alcoholic fruit punch with some earth undertones. Not bad, but not really my cup of tea. Disclaimer being that I don't think I particularly like Oregon Pinot. Figured I'd give this one a shot w/ the good IWC review.
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Decanted this wine since it is so young. Got a huge whiff of funk coming out of the decanter, something I really didn't expect given what I've come to expect from Eyrie. It was a mix of reduction and earthiness and the wine was a little darker than I had expected, but the light wasn't great so I wasn't sure what was up. After about 30 minutes in the decanter much of that funk had blown off but I was left with a really complex and interesting wine that I was having trouble wrapping my head around. The best way to describe it is if you took a bag of black cherries and pomegranates (and a couple of grapefruit segments) with you to snack on as you hiked through some evergreens; you wife had stuffed a little satchel of potpourri in your coat and it had just rained. The moment you lose your balance stepping over a slippery log you fall face first into the ground and your hand slides through the base of pine needles, crushing them and exposing their oils and your palm squishes into the soil below. The taste in your mouth mingles with the scent of the freshly exposed soil and pine needles to create an overall impression not unlike this wine. I sort of feel like I am stealing a page from something Alberty wrote for a Storyteller Wine newsletter but that's really what this wine did for me. I couldn't help but think about how interesting and complex this wine will get over time. Great acidity and balance in the mouth; the mid-palate is on the leaner side, like many 2010's; solid but not perfect. The finish is long and the aromatics are really great beguiling. A superb wine of place that needs time but it's one that you should have in your cellar.
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Taster at the winery: crazy nose loaded with floral aromas, crushed pomegranate and cranberry, just a hint of funk in there too. These flavors show on the palate, interestingly to me the fruit is almost trumped by the sense of floral, potpourri and earth. I look forward to trying a bottle sometime soon, this is not a typical wine currently. Neat wine.
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2010 Oregon Pinot Noirs (Beltramo's, Menlo Park, CA): Stinky, mushroomy, earthy nose. Tart, earthy, tight, savory palate. Weird showing. Didn't seem right to me but pourer said that that previous bottles showed similarly.
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4/7/2024 - James Kim Likes this wine: 92 Points
Stood up for 2 weeks. Decanted off fine sediment, which want much. Now 2 h after decant. Aromas of red and black cherries, bark, baking spices, and some sous bois. Medium body with excellent acids. Faint tannins. Nice finish of fresh and dried cherries, bark, sous bois and a hint forest floor. Complex and taking on ages characteristics. In a great spot now. This is lovely.
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6/19/2023 - HandmadeHomemade Likes this wine:
Almost tawny in the glass, aromas of Chinese 5 spice, salted plum, rose, dried red fruits and amaro, really complex and expressive, jumps out of the glass. Mouth follows, medium body, med+ acid, medium- tannins, well resolved. Finishes with a sweet, zippy mineral streak of acid. Really compelling stuff. Eyrie has a way with making these wines that just lay like a sheet of linen on your tongue, approachable now, or in 15+ years- no sharp angles, not heavy, not too light, alcohol in balance. Just what the doc ordered.
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5/13/2023 - alereid Likes this wine: 94 Points
Delightful
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4/7/2023 - alereid Likes this wine: 92 Points
The earthy quality of this wine is pairing well with the beef and lentils stew we are having tonight.
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4/1/2023 - alereid Likes this wine: 95 Points
Earthy, mineral forward with hints from the fruit. Very good. I purchased a couple extra to enjoy this year.
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2/22/2023 - jenhawk wrote: 91 Points
Enjoyed for Eyrie Day 2023!
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3/31/2022 - Thellie wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful perfumed aroma, elegant balanced flavor, long savory finish, low alcohol. Fine and delicious, a beautiful representation of Dundee AVA Pinot in a cool vintage. It’s ready to drink now….I wish I had 12 more bottles.
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9/4/2021 - JohnSh wrote: 93 Points
Had this last night. It was a beautiful, elegant, classy wine firing on all cylinders almost from the beginning. Translucent ruby in colour, it has a glorious nose of sandalwood, cherries, mushrooms, cinnamon and earthy notes. The medium bodied yet intensely flavoured wine showed similar notes on the palate and had a lovely, velvety texture with just the right amount of light tannins at the end to give it structure; it was beautifully balanced as well, and I liked the balance between the fruit and savory notes. It seemed to be in its secondary phase, I think this will improve over the short to medium term, but it was sure was spot on last night (A).
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6/2/2020 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Last bottle from several purchased around 2012; the nose here is explosive and ripe with black cherry, black raspberry, hints of cola, loads of baking spice, and just a hint of some leaf litter. The palate is ripe, but very well balanced, super silky with good acidity and a lovely finish. This really still seemed fairly primary to me and in proper storage this can easily go another decade.
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5/6/2020 - zetto Likes this wine: 91 Points
Much better than previous bottles... I had given up hope on these, I guess I just needed to wait a little longer. Darker color than the 2011 I opened the night before, but still translucent. Darker berries, but no over-ripe flavors. Sourness of the acid in previous bottles has disappeared. More funk and earthy flavors have emerged, which were in great balance with the fruit. However, this did fall apart on night 2 - fruit faded replaced by a bit of a metallic taste. Delicious, but time to drink up.
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10/1/2019 - Fugu Me Likes this wine:
PnP, consumed over two nights. Light bodied without being thin on the palate. Nice fruit still showing, but not at all "fruity." Held up just fine overnight, so no reason to think this won't continue to drink well for another 3-5 years, if not longer.
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8/31/2018 - arthrovine wrote:
from 375.
Aging nicely. Red fruit turning cranberry with brassy overtones and rusty barn notes. Lithe, slightly watery (not detracting). Picked these up recently for nights when we want a glass each and am happy with it. In this format, should make me happy for at least another 3-5 years.
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6/12/2017 - Brandon21 wrote:
A light touch with tannins and acid dominating the fruit although not unpleasantly. Hopefully with more time fruit and acid will evolve and lead to a more balanced wine.
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2/6/2016 - scott w Likes this wine:
Good cherry high toned black cherry, spice mushroom and forest floor. Fine but fairly strong tannic sturcture, in fact I don't think I have ever had a pinot with that much tannin? Good acid, will reserve a score for another few years. Really was great after a few hours open. IMO this thing needs time.
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1/29/2016 - Hammar Likes this wine: 90 Points
Last of 3 bottles, very nice but this bottle was not breaking any world records for flavor. Perhaps it closed up temporarily.
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1/21/2016 - JimVan Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite nice but quite young. It took about 3 hours to come into balance and open up but a glass left out overnight was very good (even better) the next day. Black and red cherries, a touch of forest pine, and good acidity marked the wine. Great balance. Good now with some decanting, but will be better in a few years.
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8/21/2015 - chablis28 wrote: 89 Points
Not rocked tonight but this would hold it owns with many a $25-$30 Bourgogne. Translucent red with good typicity, pretty red fruit, spice and some soil tones. A little less interesting than the 2011 but may turn out better with age, The 2011 is already fully mature plus but really interesting. Paid $31 which is good but $20 -$25 would really the right price for this.
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4/25/2015 - BillyRayValentine wrote: 80 Points
Transparent light brick red color. Strong barnyard nose. Not much fruit, hint of sour cherry, cranberry and rhubarb immediately followed by savory flavors, mushroom, sage, celery, dirt and charred wood with a long bitter metallic finish. 80 for the bright acidity and complexity; otherwise the finish makes this barely drinkable. No improvement with food or air.
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4/5/2015 - Hammar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Getting better with time.
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4/3/2015 - jshearer Likes this wine: 91 Points
Such a great wine. Nose of red fruits, savory/exotic herbs, and mint. Beautiful balance in the mouth. Red fruit, minerality/damp earth, nice balance. Fine tannin really dries out the tongue.
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3/30/2015 - DrX wrote: 91 Points
The run of the mill pinot from Eyrie. Makes a difficult bar to clear for everyone else.
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10/27/2014 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Similar to my prior notes. Classy, elegant, and without a doubt my favorite US produced pinot.
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10/15/2014 - Pinablo wrote:
Robust
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9/12/2014 - Floyd77 wrote: 92 Points
Downright tasty -- elegant, light color but so much depth here -- cherry, spice, terroir ... A ridiculously good value.
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8/18/2014 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Consistent with prior notes. Very good, elegant pinot.
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8/11/2014 - Ron Felthoven wrote:
Still in a very funky place. Exotic spices and silky mouthfeel with good acid backbone. Sit on this for a while.
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4/26/2014 - brown57 Likes this wine: 90 Points
The first few sips didn't excite however this wine evolved pretty nicely over a period of 2 hours. Tart cherry, earthy, a nice example of the Oregon pinot style although not as expressive as the Maysara Jamsheed we had recently, which was in the same price range.
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3/7/2014 - Hammar Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tasty now, will only get better with time.
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2/21/2014 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
I could drink this wine 5 nights a week and love it. It is beautiful. Lovely nose of strawberry, raspberry, tart cherry, a lovely mineral sense, a little barnyard which I normally don't get (maybe some slight reduction?), and damp leaves. The palate is classic Eyrie, elegant, silky, beautiful Pinot. There is lots of flavor, but the balance and finesse is what sets this wine apart from many others in my book. Fantastic.
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1/11/2014 - xwine wrote:
Lovely aromatics, which developed nicely. An earth-based wine, but some nice deep red fruit behind it, and a load of spice (particularly on the nose). Well balanced, nice finish. Liked this a lot.
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11/22/2013 - jnewman77 wrote:
As previously. A delightful pinot. I want to hold onto some of these so I can taste them with some age, but I can't stop drinking them given the value. Raspberry, cherry, damp leaves, mineral notes on the nose. An elegant palate that caresses with red fruit that is powered along by acidity. Finishes in balance. Man I wish more people would make pinot like this.
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11/9/2013 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Beautiful Oregon pinot. Earthy with red pinot fruits. Delicate with the classic Eyrie finesse. I wish more people made wine like this. Still my favorite US pinot.
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9/12/2013 - yossarian.livez wrote: 92 Points
Pinot vs Pinot III: Cali vs Ore: Red ruits with a funky woodsy nose. Forest floor, black cherry, savory and salinity. Mineral palate. Medium weight. Good length. Moderate plus finish with good length and excellent lively acidity. Tannin fine and fairly well integrated, but no rush here. 1st/8. I can only imagine how great the original vines are from this vintage.
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9/8/2013 - Ron Felthoven wrote:
Tonight's wine was reductive and didn't really let up. I enjoyed it but honestly was a little concerned and it didn't seem as enjoyable as a last bottle I had. The complexity was there but also was the reduced nature of the wine. I'm not sure if it might go away completely but I am also confident it shows a great range if flavors
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9/7/2013 - jshearer Likes this wine: 92 Points
Red fruit, floral, woodsy and saline nose. There's also a more pronounced savory element that has emerged in the past year. Very enticing. Nice mid-weight texture in the mouth. Red fruit again, but now with some earth or forest floor. Decent acidity and drying tannins coat the tongue, drawing out a lengthy finish.
This wine has really grown up since I last tasted it about a year ago. The potpourri and funk have evolved. Probably less explosive, but definitely more integrated. Still young but fun to watch it mature. 91-92.
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9/1/2013 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pinot Weekend - Second Willamette Valley Trip; 8/30/2013-9/2/2013 (Dundee, OR): Herbal and spicy nose, orange rind and back cherry fruit. Palate is quite structured, sandy tannin. Surprisingly a dark dark styled fruit palate. Moderate finish where mushroom and loam notes round this out. I was quite impressed at this price point. 91-92
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8/17/2013 - danstrings Likes this wine: 88 Points
Unique style -- a real cross of ripeness and French funk. Some smoky elements, bright ripe strawberry and bing cherry, touch of a pine/resinous note, clove. Textbook old school lighter Oregon pinot color.
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8/1/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 91 Points
Willamette Valley Oregon Trip 4 & 1/2 Days; 7/29/2013-8/4/2013 (Willamette Valley, Oregon): From a blend of the 4 estate vineyards. Light color, earthy and damp, red fruit, floral, P: white pepper, spice, red fruits, balanced, feminine, elegant. 91+pts.
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7/21/2013 - MoserJP Likes this wine: 90 Points
Big time forest floor and riverbank on the nose. The first whiff was like turning over a log somewhere in the deep woods. Awesome... With air time, the berry scents become more prominent with some herb and tobacco notes. The mouthfeel is good, balanced and no rough edges. It's fresh and juicy with a good finish. Will buy another and look forward to trying again in 2-3 years.
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7/9/2013 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
Garnet color with cherry, cardamom, damp leaves, and clove on the nose. As always a classically balanced Eyrie palate with beautiful harmony. This is getting better with age and I think will continue to for several years.
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6/9/2013 - Nedco wrote:
Fascinating comparison of the 2010 Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir and 2010 Vaudoisey Volnay Clos des Chenes right after a trip to Oregon, with duck for dinner. The Eyrie was more approachable and had more perfume while the Volnay was a little more tannic and closed at first. Eyrie had that classic damp strawberry sweet and sour smell that was pure Willamette while the Volnay had a more focused, angular and darker bing cherry aspect. Eyrie was also much lighter in color. It was voluptuous and instantly satisfying in that American way but perhaps too eager to please, with the fruit leading a little too much despite it's Burgundian aspirations. There was also a little sour burn in the throat at the finish that I didn't identify until I looked at the alcohol levels and saw that the organ was 13.5% while the Volnay was 13%. Hard to believe that 13.5% was overdone when most California wines are so much higher. Next to the Volnay this one almost reminded me of the Hartford I had last week which I used to find elegant but is now beginning to taste like a 16% Zinfandel (It's actual level is around 14.5% I think) after spending time in Oregon and having my taste recalibrated. Also interesting that the Eyrie was lighter and more feminine than the Volnay despite Volnay's reputation as among the most feminine wines in Burgundy. Both of these wines were excellent yet it's instructive that I was comparing the best of Oregon against a relatively unknown Volnay (at least by me; we had simply wandered into the domain while in Burgundy). Both wines were purchased at their respective domains, in person after tasting. Both are built to age with obvious acidity in the Eyrie and a nice blend of acidity in tannin in the Volnay. Yet it was fascinating that even the Eyrie, where the aesthetic is far from the heavy oak and alcohol soup approach from places like Domaine Serene, came across as a little hot and a little flabby.
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5/18/2013 - boogeyone wrote: 95 Points
Cherry, grapefruit, flinty, needed air. Will cellar will.
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5/4/2013 - gripNsip Likes this wine: 91 Points
My friend, user Subtlet, is so right when he says that this bottling from Eyrie really benefits from a year in bottle before really starting to check them out. We tasted the 2011 and 2010 side-by-side tonight and this was so open. The nose is delicious ripe cherry, strawberry and cooked rhubarb aromas with funky earthy forest floor and wet tree bark. Smells absolutely wonderful. Great mouthfeel right off the bat with juicy strawberry and cherries, stemminess and pomegranate seeds, and just a touch of something umami/savory as the wine transitions to the finish which showcases the fruit flavors. The wine relaxes into pomegranate and soft red fruit flavors. Fantastic integration between the acids and the tannins, and at this point a real joy to drink. If you stashed some away and haven't checked on a bottle... you should.
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5/2/2013 - SkeBum wrote: 87 Points
Still tastes like mid coast California Pinot, will hold last bottle for a couple years to see if it improves, but not holding my breath.
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3/25/2013 - topher2411 wrote: 92 Points
Bright red fruit, with tasty earthy notes and good acidity. Soft but present tannins. Long finish. Benefits from lots of air.
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2/17/2013 - cpsmith33 wrote: 88 Points
going with SKEBUM here. more cali than oregon but i know it needed time. decanted 4 hours. sweet fruit, nice palate...
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1/11/2013 - SkeBum wrote: 87 Points
Sweet on the nose and palate, tasted like a central California Pinot rather then an Oregon Pinot. Time may bring it around.
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1/1/2013 - wiscgrad wrote: 89 Points
alittle young but drinking really nicely. light in color and body. very food friendly
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12/25/2012 - jordanj Likes this wine: 91 Points
Thrilling nose of cherries, crannberries, earth, white pepper and pine forest. The palate lacked in fruit and was devoid of any liveliness, a tad harsh too. After a few hours the wine softened and picked up a pleasant more balanced taste, feel and ended with a pleasant long woody spicy finish. Certainly a domestic pinot made in the style I enjoy.
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12/23/2012 - defnefferson wrote: 87 Points
A little awkward tasting -- almost like alcoholic fruit punch with some earth undertones. Not bad, but not really my cup of tea. Disclaimer being that I don't think I particularly like Oregon Pinot. Figured I'd give this one a shot w/ the good IWC review.
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11/29/2012 - Ron Felthoven Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted this wine since it is so young. Got a huge whiff of funk coming out of the decanter, something I really didn't expect given what I've come to expect from Eyrie. It was a mix of reduction and earthiness and the wine was a little darker than I had expected, but the light wasn't great so I wasn't sure what was up. After about 30 minutes in the decanter much of that funk had blown off but I was left with a really complex and interesting wine that I was having trouble wrapping my head around. The best way to describe it is if you took a bag of black cherries and pomegranates (and a couple of grapefruit segments) with you to snack on as you hiked through some evergreens; you wife had stuffed a little satchel of potpourri in your coat and it had just rained. The moment you lose your balance stepping over a slippery log you fall face first into the ground and your hand slides through the base of pine needles, crushing them and exposing their oils and your palm squishes into the soil below. The taste in your mouth mingles with the scent of the freshly exposed soil and pine needles to create an overall impression not unlike this wine. I sort of feel like I am stealing a page from something Alberty wrote for a Storyteller Wine newsletter but that's really what this wine did for me. I couldn't help but think about how interesting and complex this wine will get over time. Great acidity and balance in the mouth; the mid-palate is on the leaner side, like many 2010's; solid but not perfect. The finish is long and the aromatics are really great beguiling. A superb wine of place that needs time but it's one that you should have in your cellar.
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11/18/2012 - gripNsip wrote:
Taster at the winery: crazy nose loaded with floral aromas, crushed pomegranate and cranberry, just a hint of funk in there too. These flavors show on the palate, interestingly to me the fruit is almost trumped by the sense of floral, potpourri and earth. I look forward to trying a bottle sometime soon, this is not a typical wine currently. Neat wine.
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9/1/2012 - zscheiner wrote: flawed
2010 Oregon Pinot Noirs (Beltramo's, Menlo Park, CA): Stinky, mushroomy, earthy nose. Tart, earthy, tight, savory palate. Weird showing. Didn't seem right to me but pourer said that that previous bottles showed similarly.
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5/26/2012 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 88 Points
Memorial Day Weekend & Eyrie South Block Reserve Pinots (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Rich and soft aromas. Rich and big fruit on the palate, which is soft and nearly elegant. Some good tannins too. Very rich finish, with gripping tannins. Overall, pretty tight right now.
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