drank my second bottle of this since last year and it shows a lot better. Has aromas of rasberry and cherry, garnet color, silky soft mothfeel and mild and sweet flavor of cherries and strawberry, not bitterness. Little acid or tanin- sweet juice
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A decent PN but not great. This wine looses it's focus quickly after the attack. It has some cherries and dirt on the palate but the finish is bitter and hot.
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I seem to enjoy this more than most. Pretty ruby color. Cherry on the nose and palatte. On the "lighter" side of PN's, but I like that. Had it solo, no food. Definitely improved after opening.
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Nice light Oregon PN; earthy nose, light on the palate, medium finish. I prefer the lighter Oregon PNs, and this may be why I liked this more than some of the other reviewers.
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Decanted for an hour. Drank w/Beef Kabobs. Lacking in complexity or "POP" against the beef. On the thin side as well. Not flawed, just lacking much character. Should of just drank it by itself while the Kabobs were still on the grill and instead had a Cab Sav with dinner.
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Tasted June 30, 2007 at home. Opened and splash decanted one hour before serving in a Spiegelau Authentis Balloon Magnum glass. Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking. Nose of briar patch, a smidge of sulphur, red raspberries, red berries and white pepper. Flavors of tart red cherries, raspberries and red berries. Light to medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink over the shorter term. I’d recommend a minimum of an hour in the decanter. 13.5% alcohol.
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You know this comes off as a middle of the road PN. Screw the screw cap folks. Doesn't do a thing for or against any wine. Just takes getting used to I guess. Color was of a nice sparkling ruby. Nose of cherry and rasberry...smells like fruit folks. Balanced acidity and tannins. Comes off fairly flat with not much complexity. If it was aged in oak it seems to be pretty thin. My opinion is a very basic PN which, if it came in around $10-$12 would be an acceptable purchase for an everyday drinking wine. No WOW here. Sorry.
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I agree almost to the letter with the notes from jryoung on this wine. Cherry, earth and burnt toast on the nose with the flavors carrying over to the taste but definitely muted with little to no finish or balance. For the price, it isn't too bad but nothing makes it special.
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Cherry, cut hay and slight hint of burnt toast on the nose. Light bodied, cherry flavor on the palate, but it was muted. It had a bright acidity that was lively but there was nothing to balance it out.
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Gave this another shot and emerged with a more favorable impression. Light cherry notes out of the bottle. Not acidic or heavily tannic. Opened up nicely after 30 minutes of decanting. Would drink again but am reluctant to buy at $20 price point.
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Nice maroon color. Strong acid at first and finish tannins burned a bit. Calmed down over 3-4 hours, but mid-palate went missing. Still a nice wine though I don't think I'd make it the house pinot.
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Bought as a test for possible Thanksgiving dinner wine. First bottle had great color--hints of the famed Oregon purple and dark reds. Nothing great about the nose, good legs. We tried the first bottle with little time for it to breathe. I found it to be simply "ok." It had subtantial fruity flavor, but the tannins were quite strong leaving a bitter aftertaste.
We nixed it for dinner, but opened another on a different day with some dry sausage and sharp cheese, and allowed it to breathe for about 20-30 minutes. Once again, strong berries and fruit, but I found this second bottle better overall, bringing the score from 80-82. Still, for its price, not a bad choice.
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Purchased more out of curiosity after reading something about A to Z gaining rights to produce a Sideways labeled PN, despite their Oregon roots. night one drank by itself without food. Appearance and nose were promising: moderate color intensity with excellent aromaticity typical of Oregon PN: cola, smoke, cherries. First sip lived up to the foreplay: sweet cherries with a little bit of dried leaves/forest floor coming out. decent mouthfeel too. a serious flaw was revealed in the finish and subsequent sips however: man was this astringent to the point of being outright bitter. so much promise with this one for the price, but such a let down due to the rough tannin which screamed either crushed seeds or excessive inclusion of stems (or both) to me.
2nd day ate with a cream based BBQ sauce to calm the tannin but even the heavy cream couldn't slay this beast. Such a shame, because the promise was definitely there for a nice daily drinker. guess the winemaker had to cut corners somewhere to get this juice out at <$20. its just too bad the poor pip choices came at the expense of ruining an otherwise enjoyable bottle.
just one man's opinion...
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Maroon, cherry color. Bright, fresh cherries on the nose. This is thinner then the '04, with more acidity as well. There's that oregon earthiness to this wine. Not the sweetness to the fruit from last vintage. Mint on the palate. It's still a solid wine for the price, and more elegant and interesting then the '04, but no longer has the yummy throw it back appeal.
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I was disappointed with this. Came recommended by my local liquor store for a great QPR and best $20 or less Pinot. A bit bitter on the finish and didn't linger so well.
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3/23/2011 - jazanol07 wrote: 89 Points
One of my favorite pinot noirs under $20!
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9/18/2009 - mikesvins wrote: 87 Points
drank my second bottle of this since last year and it shows a lot better. Has aromas of rasberry and cherry, garnet color, silky soft mothfeel and mild and sweet flavor of cherries and strawberry, not bitterness. Little acid or tanin- sweet juice
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9/18/2009 - mikesvins wrote: 85 Points
below average Oregon PN - take it to parties
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7/23/2008 - SoCal wrote: 80 Points
A decent PN but not great. This wine looses it's focus quickly after the attack. It has some cherries and dirt on the palate but the finish is bitter and hot.
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3/8/2008 - aficioneophyte wrote: 80 Points
Just not much there. Some red fruit and moderate earthy, spicy taste, but overall watery and virtually no finish.
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1/18/2008 - sea2820 wrote: 84 Points
Fairly peppery... otherwise fair by Oregon Pinot standards.
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11/11/2007 - joshinden wrote: 87 Points
I seem to enjoy this more than most. Pretty ruby color. Cherry on the nose and palatte. On the "lighter" side of PN's, but I like that. Had it solo, no food. Definitely improved after opening.
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9/20/2007 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Frugal/First Steps Tasting (Nashville): Frugal/First Steps Tasting
Loads of pepper!
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9/13/2007 - Kahalu'u Bob wrote: 89 Points
Nice light Oregon PN; earthy nose, light on the palate, medium finish. I prefer the lighter Oregon PNs, and this may be why I liked this more than some of the other reviewers.
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8/19/2007 - JohnnyWine wrote: 85 Points
Decanted for an hour. Drank w/Beef Kabobs. Lacking in complexity or "POP" against the beef. On the thin side as well. Not flawed, just lacking much character. Should of just drank it by itself while the Kabobs were still on the grill and instead had a Cab Sav with dinner.
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6/30/2007 - wineismylife wrote: 88 Points
WIML88,PURPLE89,NOWA,NOWS
Tasted June 30, 2007 at home. Opened and splash decanted one hour before serving in a Spiegelau Authentis Balloon Magnum glass. Garnet color in the glass, slightly dusty looking. Nose of briar patch, a smidge of sulphur, red raspberries, red berries and white pepper. Flavors of tart red cherries, raspberries and red berries. Light to medium acidity, tannins and body. Drink over the shorter term. I’d recommend a minimum of an hour in the decanter. 13.5% alcohol.
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6/24/2007 - djenningsoh wrote: 84 Points
You know this comes off as a middle of the road PN. Screw the screw cap folks. Doesn't do a thing for or against any wine. Just takes getting used to I guess. Color was of a nice sparkling ruby. Nose of cherry and rasberry...smells like fruit folks. Balanced acidity and tannins. Comes off fairly flat with not much complexity. If it was aged in oak it seems to be pretty thin. My opinion is a very basic PN which, if it came in around $10-$12 would be an acceptable purchase for an everyday drinking wine. No WOW here. Sorry.
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6/3/2007 - stranman wrote: 85 Points
Decent Pinot. Improved a lot with some decanting.
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4/18/2007 - Rob MacKay wrote: 81 Points
I agree almost to the letter with the notes from jryoung on this wine. Cherry, earth and burnt toast on the nose with the flavors carrying over to the taste but definitely muted with little to no finish or balance. For the price, it isn't too bad but nothing makes it special.
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4/17/2007 - jryoung wrote:
Cherry, cut hay and slight hint of burnt toast on the nose. Light bodied, cherry flavor on the palate, but it was muted. It had a bright acidity that was lively but there was nothing to balance it out.
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4/3/2007 - nubbin wrote: 88 Points
Fresh. Candy & vanilla. Very nice. Food wine. (D 6.5, F 5.5, SoPo)
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3/5/2007 - aktormedic wrote: 85 Points
Simple, dirty red fruit, sour cherries, earth. Bitter tannins on the finish. Got better with air, but still a bad QPR
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1/15/2007 - eric31 wrote: 85 Points
Gave this another shot and emerged with a more favorable impression. Light cherry notes out of the bottle. Not acidic or heavily tannic. Opened up nicely after 30 minutes of decanting. Would drink again but am reluctant to buy at $20 price point.
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1/9/2007 - Schu wrote: 80 Points
This wine lacked in just about every category. It was very drinkable but had little fragrance and little taste. Previous vintages were better.
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1/9/2007 - jeffj2h wrote:
Light body. Chrisp. Dry. Low tannin. Weak flavor. Dark cherries. Watery aftertaste; flavors dissipate quickly. Very drinkable but not special.
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1/4/2007 - jahlove wrote: 82 Points
Nothing too impressive about this wine. Standard cherry notes. Not a bad quaff, but nothing memorable either. Definitely not worth the price.
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1/3/2007 - chd850 wrote:
Light in nose. Spice bites in mouth. Shell and plum. Acidity lower than previous one. Low dryness. Smooth. $21
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12/30/2006 - BGStahnke wrote: 85 Points
Strawberries, cherries, spice and vannilla on the nose. Raspberry fruit with some light earthiness in the glass, smooth tannins and a decent finish.
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12/28/2006 - teich wrote: 75 Points
I find myself agreeing with the other reviewers here - unbalanced, dissapointing, and not really worth the price.
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12/18/2006 - aficioneophyte wrote:
Nice maroon color. Strong acid at first and finish tannins burned a bit. Calmed down over 3-4 hours, but mid-palate went missing. Still a nice wine though I don't think I'd make it the house pinot.
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12/15/2006 - MJTed wrote: 83 Points
Not a good QPR Pinot, despite the low price tag.
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11/23/2006 - sadiewine wrote: 85 Points
Had for Thanksgiving. It was good, not great. Very nice color. Good fruit flavor.
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11/21/2006 - thegbees wrote: 82 Points
Bought as a test for possible Thanksgiving dinner wine. First bottle had great color--hints of the famed Oregon purple and dark reds. Nothing great about the nose, good legs. We tried the first bottle with little time for it to breathe. I found it to be simply "ok." It had subtantial fruity flavor, but the tannins were quite strong leaving a bitter aftertaste.
We nixed it for dinner, but opened another on a different day with some dry sausage and sharp cheese, and allowed it to breathe for about 20-30 minutes. Once again, strong berries and fruit, but I found this second bottle better overall, bringing the score from 80-82. Still, for its price, not a bad choice.
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11/4/2006 - lmuszkie wrote: 84 Points
Appears thin without a lot to say. Enjoyed the subtle earthiness.
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10/30/2006 - jwjon1 wrote: 80 Points
Purchased more out of curiosity after reading something about A to Z gaining rights to produce a Sideways labeled PN, despite their Oregon roots. night one drank by itself without food. Appearance and nose were promising: moderate color intensity with excellent aromaticity typical of Oregon PN: cola, smoke, cherries. First sip lived up to the foreplay: sweet cherries with a little bit of dried leaves/forest floor coming out. decent mouthfeel too. a serious flaw was revealed in the finish and subsequent sips however: man was this astringent to the point of being outright bitter. so much promise with this one for the price, but such a let down due to the rough tannin which screamed either crushed seeds or excessive inclusion of stems (or both) to me.
2nd day ate with a cream based BBQ sauce to calm the tannin but even the heavy cream couldn't slay this beast. Such a shame, because the promise was definitely there for a nice daily drinker. guess the winemaker had to cut corners somewhere to get this juice out at <$20. its just too bad the poor pip choices came at the expense of ruining an otherwise enjoyable bottle.
just one man's opinion...
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10/18/2006 - hutch wrote: 87 Points
Maroon, cherry color. Bright, fresh cherries on the nose. This is thinner then the '04, with more acidity as well. There's that oregon earthiness to this wine. Not the sweetness to the fruit from last vintage. Mint on the palate. It's still a solid wine for the price, and more elegant and interesting then the '04, but no longer has the yummy throw it back appeal.
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10/3/2006 - eric31 wrote: 83 Points
I was disappointed with this. Came recommended by my local liquor store for a great QPR and best $20 or less Pinot. A bit bitter on the finish and didn't linger so well.
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