Ruby red color with a slight brown edge. A bit tight initially but it gradually yielded blackberry, chocolate, and earthy aromas. Seems a bit tired now so I am glad that this was my last bottle. Enjoyable drinking although it was less exciting than a much younger Willamette Pinot noir that we had at the same time.
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Loud and robust red and purple berries, bramble, cola, tobacco, coniferous forest sous-bois, umami, and black earth on the bouquet and palate. Ripe, generous, and delicious. A very well made crowd-pleaser. Near or at peak.
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Had this bottle tucked away since release in 2010. Was hoping for an awesome tasting experience, but this wine had a slight fizz on the backend. Not so overwhelming as to take away from the pretty structure and gorgeous red pinot fruit and soil notes, but distracting nonetheless. Otherwise quite delicious, with softened tannins and lifted acidity to carry through, but the finish was muted as well, so maybe an off bottle. Disappointing.
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classic BF bright color maybe some bricking around edges lovely fruity nose smooth flavors strawberry, cherry and subtle other things really drinking well looking forward to my last two bottles
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Excellent. Shows maturity as secondary elements of herbs and underbrush come through and palate’s edges are softened, but core of mid toned red fruit and prickly berries is vibrant and fresh. On third night I realized, Wow, this really conveys a sense of place.
Notable acidity, mid weight overall. Drinking really well now, over multiple nights, this was a treat.
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Lifted nose. Classic ripe Pinot. Viscous mouthfeel, malo I’m guessing. Very Good acidity and length. Very Good mid palate energy also. Drinking great now but will hold for awhile I would imagine. Final Coravin: mar 2, 2022: spicy palate with a hint of mint and cloves, nice plush mouthfeel still. More acid than tannin (don’t notice any tannin now). Mid palate Energy is waning as would be expected, Coravin isn’t perfect but not bad for 5 months. Still 93.
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This bottle was within its drinking window, but on the other side of its peak. Slight browning on the edges, flavors slightly faded. Needed an hour to open up to earthy aromas and flavors, slight oak, bramble. Nice acidity and smooth tannins. Fully integrated and well structured. Overall, quite enjoyable and looking forward to our remaining bottle.
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Ribbon ridge nose, if that means anything. Slight CO2 that disappears quickly. Cherry and raspberry, smooth tannins, long finish, with elegance, gracefully aging. Sediment well-formed at the bottom. I have enjoyed the BF wines from 2005 -2008 after Mike Etzyl went biodynamic are lovely and restrained. YMMV.
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Popped and poured at cellar temp. Lovely nose of sour cherry, creosote and underbrush. Nice bracing acidity on the palate with sour cherry fruit and a spice filled finish. Still a youngster, with plenty of time left to develop.
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Just wow. In a perfect spot. Cherry and raspberry on the nose with smooth tannins and a long finish. Threw a fair amount of sediment already. Just awesome.
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Excellent bottle. Opened for about two hours before tasting and it was still great after about five hours. I have no reference to whether this is peaking as the other reviews stated as I only had this bottle, but we all enjoyed this immensely. Served with duck breast with multiple variations of rhubarb and turnip.
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Really in a good spot. PNP at restaurant. Soicy red fruit aromatics. Lively and delicious strawberry and cherry fruit flavors. Nice acid backbone. Terrific stuff.
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With the family for Thanksgiving dinner in Bend Oregon. Opened 30 minutes before dinner, Excellent wine! Ruby in color. Roses and strawberries on the nose. Black cherry and raspberry on the palate. Some soft tannin. Appears to be just entering my sweet spot. Some allspice and other complexities on the finish. Sumptuous wine!
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Lovely nose of creosote, dark cherry and spruce. Beautifully textured, with lots of sweet black cherry fruit but balancing acidity and a lovely cranberry note on the finish. Time has been very good to this, but still plenty of running room and may pick up some more complexity with some more time in the cellar.
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Working my way through 2004-2008 BF over the past few weeks all showing well the 2008 was lively fresh fruits cherry and strawberry great flavor smooth after taste
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Drinking well now, but still has life in it. Well integrated. Ripe red fruits — strawberries, ripe raspberries(?). Soft tannins. Very nice bottle of wine. You don’t need to wait longer.
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Probably the "most aged" BF I've had, and it really shows better vs 3-4 years in the bottle. Has 5-10 ahead of it as well. Consistent with notes below.
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Oregon... (Spoon and Stable): Pop and pour, served a bit too warm, drank a small glass over about an hour. I was keen to try this, my expectation was high, and this exceeded my expectation. Elegance is the dominating theme here, followed by tons of spice, then earth and some funk. Kind of a brambly dark fruit mix that is dominated by dark cherry. Wow, incredible for domestic pinot.
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Having read other notes I chose to decant and started drinking 90mi s later. It was quite gentle and primary at first and didn't really hit its stride until another hour later. I don't thi k there is any rush to drink but if you are, let it breathe or you could be disappointed
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Light ruby color - unfiltered. Medium(+) aromas of cherry/cinnamon/ cloves with light background of earth and maybe a tough of nail polish? Aromas remain quite primary really. Medium palate of cherry, again primary in nature. This is more Burgundian in nature than most Oregon Pinot I have tasted, and the fruit remains strong, particularly on the nose.
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Light in color and body. Ripe Pinot sweetness, thin and light on depth. Mature now, I do not see this improving much due to the lack of acidity and structure.
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This is really quite tasty; certainly leans toward the riper spectrum that I've found Beaux Freres tends to occupy, but it still has lovely balance and is quite pleasant to drink. The nose is still quite primary with loads of ripe raspberry, red currant, black cherry, spice, and just a hint of iron and leaf litter. The palate has quite a rich and decadent feel, but maintains nice freshness and lift which balances that nicely. Finishes very nicely with a lingering taste of red fruit and spice.
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This is drinking quite well right now. We took this bottle to Tina’s Restaurant for date night. Popped and poured and enjoyed over two hours. It paired awesome with the mushroom sauté’ as well as the pork tenderloin with bacon vinaigrette. Terrific Oregon Pinot with plenty of good life ahead of it.
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Tasted blind, decanted, then evaluated over several hours. Light brick red in color. For me a classic Oregon nose. Truffle, allspice , fall leaves and cola on the nose. Elegant layers of strawberry , cherry, mushroom and red licorice. Went well with grilled pork tenderloin and a spicy cherry salsa.
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Gift from Scott and Kelly from prior year. Very thin looking light red apple color, unique and pretty. Very deceptive as the wine has some serious weight and power. Aroma funky initially on opening, almost thought it was flawed. But then after 1.5 hours decant, opened up to a floral nose. Lovely red fruit with noticeable acidity and surprisingly coarse tannins. Complexity in the distance, some fig perhaps, smoke. I actually loved it which surprised me. Christine didn't and she usually likes Pinot. Brian liked it. Would happily drink this again if offered but not sure I would seek it out for the price tag I've seen. Might well be better with more time in the cellar.
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Baby fat gone, light in colour and somewhat in taste, quite elegant, chalk, minerals, PN sweetness here; mature now, very nice and open, no reason to keep this IMHO.
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Lots of fruit on the nose and palate that tends toward grape juice. Appreciated the low alcohol and balanced acidity that lead to a delicate profile. However this wine didn't quite live up to my expectations given that it was $72, from a good producer, and from one of the best years in the region. Fruit-based style rather than earthy. Didn't have the complexity or nuance that I would expect. I don't see this improving substantially with time since there aren't strong tannins or acid to allow for aging.
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It was ok but not nearly as good as it was when I purchased it. Was thin and missing a lot of the depth it once had. It opened up a bit but even after a few hours, it wasn't what I had hoped.
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PNP at a restaurant. A little more earth than previous bottles I've had, with some forest and mushroom aromas. After some time in the glass, the more common strawberry fruit tastes emerged. Complex, with a nice finish. A terrific wine that is also always a crowd-pleaser for those who aren't wine snobs.
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Two bottles shared with colleagues for a "Pinots of Oregon" dinner. (I brought 2011 Argyle Knudsen Brut, 2013 Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc, 2008 Beaux Freres Vineyard, and 2012 Domaine Serene Evenstad to share.)
WOTN for 9 of the 11 people at the table. This was outstanding. Rich strawberry and raspberry, a subtle hint of cinnamon and sweetness. Everything is in great balance here--it's rich and expressive at the same time, with enough acidic structure remaining to last at least a couple more years. Terrific.
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Bright red fruit aromas and flavors, just slightly starting to mature. Lots of baking spice. Good concentration and length. Perhaps a touch sweet on finish. Overall, very well done.
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This had a more earthy profile than the '13, with a light funk, macerated cherry, cherry skin, good fine tannins, and a nice earth-mineral-fruit balance. well-structured, in a good place right now.
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Though not the most sophisticated presentation of Pinot Noir, I find these '08s continue to age very well. They offer plenty of fruits with a moderately aged bouquet. I suspect they only have a few more years left of prime drinking. (Thankfully, I have subsequent vintages!) For someone who is not a Pinot fan broadly, this remains one of my go-to options for the grape.
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So I have only reviewed one other wine on CT, and coincidentally it was a 2000 BF. Sadly, this 2008 was as bad as that one. Nice nose and entry on palate, but the finish is a cross between plastic and wet sponge. It was a gift so no harm no foul.
Tangy black cherry and blackberry fruits with excellent structure and balance; light rocky minerality showing through. Good concentration and purity but not over the top or hot. Tight at first pour; really opened up and softened up a bit after decanting. Could go another 3-4 years or more.
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This bottle was purchased on release and stored at 54 degrees. But when opened it was seriously flawed. Foul odor and fizzing suggesting some sort of microbial contaminants.
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Decanted for 1 hour and consumed over 6 hours. 1 hour is the perfect decant. Ripe red cherries and mushroom on the nose. This would be a good $40 PN, but as a local, I wouldn't pay the $75 retail again. There are so many superior Oregon PNs under $50. Thin juice feels like fruit from young vines. Maybe the 2018 vintage will be worthy of the hype, but the current QPV is only average. Drink now, it is at its peak.
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Bright red berry and cherry aromas and flavors with enticing Vosne-like baking spice and new oak that has nicely/mostly integrated well. Very fun and pleasurable.
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Nothing bright about this - all dark, forest floor, spice, earthy flavors, but a very long finish. This is probably going to be at its best in a few years, but with food now is very good. Its just not a sipper type pinot. Which is fine with me.
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Top quality NZ and US Pinot Noirs and Burgundies, with an old Loire to finish (Tinakori Bistro, Wellington): Colour lighter red than the other two. Also, dumber nose with aromas of dark berries and earth. An almost sweet entry to the palate, earthy, black fruited and liquorice in the mouth. Clearly New World, very clean and well made, with good integration between the fruit and spicy oak. Tasters picked this as a NZ wine. Good fruit structure and depth, with good length (finishing on a lovely cherry note). To me, a little uninteresting at this stage. On the reveal, Peter said this was very young and could be expected to develop considerably with time.
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Blackberries, licorice root tea, spice, wood vanilla, mint, forest floor, cola, cherry liquor, salt sea winds. This wine is packed, but also a little bit on the forward side, there's some heat on the finish. Not sure the seams will hold for the really long haul, but for now it's an opulent and still fairly structured new world pinot that goes down very easily and that is highly enjoyable.
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Interestingly cloudy showing deliberate avoidance of fining. Strawberries and cherries and mocha. Very light body but long finish. This shows pinot noir as I think it can truly be...a light wine with refinement and power.
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Absolutely delicious. All sorts of bright red fruit aromas with lots of spice throughout. Raspberry and red cherry flavors with some clove, vanilla and cinnamon, everything in really charming harmony. Moderate length. Very good now, low enough appearance of alcohol that this should continue to age gracefully for five years.
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wow. gorgeous wine. very light in color but full in the mouthful - akin to Burgundy not a RRV pinot. Pretty cherry nose, but hints of earth, mushroom. backbone of acid. some hints of oak/vanilla at the finish. lithe and elegant. def demonstrates why the closest representation of Burgundy in the US is found in Oregon...
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Really nice cherry in color and abundant cherry on the nose and palate. Love the fruit in this wine along with notes of leather and earth. I think this has a long life ahead and may evolve into a more complex wine. Regardless, I love the sweet cherry fruit standing alone. My kind of wine. Stood up to a roast venison loin.
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I agree with an earlier note that the wine is ready to drink at pour. Red cherries, spice and earth on the nose. Smooth palate with spice (allspice) and cherries. It actually worked nicely with grilled vegetables over fresh pasta (with some shredded parm over the top).
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Drank next to a 2009 Sea Smoke and a Nuits St. George 1er Cru. This was the first wine of the tasting and the most amber in color. Had some Burgundian notes mixed with some bigger and brighter fruits. Cranberry, sour cherry, fresh herbs and earth. This had the mouth feel of a french pressed coffee compared to the Sea Smoke which was much more like a chemex.
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Light nose. Medium body and somewhat light flavors of cherry, leather and slight oak. Needed 1 hour decant. This was a little more acidic than expected. Definitely needed food with the wine. We had some crackers and cheese with the wine, which worked well. I was expecting a lot more from 2008, and perhaps this wine still needs more time?
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I am not sure if this bottle was improperly stored or past its prime, as I recently purchased it. I was expecting much more from this 2008. Nice complexity but disappointing nose and finish. This is the second bottle of the three I recently purchased and this is consistent with my impression of the first. After reading my draft for editing, and looking at the tasting notes of other recent tastings, I don't think I will purchase from this wine store again.
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Very nice wine...aromas of dark cherry and xmas spice. Creamy bleuberry, green tea, a touch of cola, and a hint of earth on a long, lovely finish. All of this in a relatively light bodied wine, almost translucent in color.
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The wine looks Rosy colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Raspberry, and Red Currant. The body is Light/Medium. The wine has Narrow texture. The wine finishes Short.
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Some nice violet, cherry and torrified notes on the nose, especially better after breathing a while. The first impression on the mouth is the structure, the acidity is upfront but not overbearing. Tight. With air this became easier, notes of cherry and crunchy red fruit with a slightly earthy finish- and solid Willamette terroir coming through. A good pinot- I could see this vastly improving with age, either way it will certainly go a good distance. For now 91.
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PnP, Very nice nose with cherries and bright fruit. On first taste the palate was a little on the acidic side and decided to let sit for about an hour and then it was quite balanced with lots of fruit. There is a lot going here with some great earth qualities on the finish. Considering how young this is really drinking great and will only get better with cellar time.
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Appearance: turbid with medium + ruby intensity. No color change from core to rim yet also hard to gauge because of the cloudiness. Nose is of at least medium intensity with youthful red raspberry fruit. The nose character immediately wants to lead me to a new world Pinot, a place where raspberry fruit character can very nicely develop. That isn’t the only thing in there and its not overdone on the nose. There is Pinot character of spice and flowers, oak.
Palate is dry – in this setting it comes across as off dry or fruity, medium acidity, medium tannin, medium alcohol. In this setting the alcohol feels just a touch higher but nothing disturbing or out of the way. The finish has just a touch of heat on it. But again, that could be the setting. Body is medium +, maybe even full for this variety. Yet, and I hope I am not being a homer, the flavor intensity is just medium (again, this could be the field). The flavor revolves around fruit. The length is medium.
Conclusions: overall this is good wine, it is a new world Pinot, it is very well made with excellent fruit character. To me it is missing the complexity and length on the finish to take it higher.
Hazy, med/- ruby an edge that shows a whiff of orange. Red fruit, cranberry, cherry, easier side of oak. Med acid, med/- tannin, med/- body, red fruit, rhubarb. Cherry and oak grain. Ripe fruit feel to the palate, on an overall elegant wine. Edgy balance and four years old. I'm feeling this is something along the lines of Folk Machine's Factories and Smoke. Drink to 2022.
I'm a bit perplexed about the haze and color after reading RP's note on the wine in June 2010 - dark ruby with a slightly deeper core of purple than the Willamette Valley cuvée. The 'purple' is really throwing me off, wondering if we're even on the same wine. And the haze too. Not what I thought I'd get, but I do like it.
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This bottle was basically perfect for me. Tasted like a vintage Burgundy but after only 4 years old. Aroma and flavor profile were fantastic. I loved it, loved it, loved it. Glad I still have another bottle. Only downside is the cost but to get the same experience you would need to spend $200-$300 on a bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy and then let it sit in your cellar for 15-20 years. They knocked this one out of the park!
Opened the bottle with lamb chops and haricot verts. Light in color, good fruit but needs time. Could have benefited from decanting but I'm not opening another bottle for a year or two.
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Tried at Pappas' Pinot Noir Tasting. Well made, but more muted, drier and leaner than the other exemplars from Ribbon Ridge and Dundee. Not a particularly good QPR.
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My #3, just below Chehalem at BWC tasting. Elegant pinot with nose of strawberries, cherries, touch of oak. Nice balance on this wine, with sweet cherries and a real citrus quality. Long finish.
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Boerne wine club - 2008 Oregon Pinots (Scenic Loop Cafe): Some sediment, medium scarlet, somewhat shy nose at first, then some cherry, sweet tart and candied orange peel. Medium light bodied and somewhat lighter than I anticipated, but overall a very classy effort . My #2 and the group's #3 of the night. ****
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- Crimsom color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a medium body. Polished texture - Opened to enjoy while watching the final four. Fantastic wine.
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On opening this wine was very closed and flat; I did what I could to aerate by decanting but had no luck. Ended up opening something else. Blown away by the 2008 Beaux Freres Williamette that I opened yesterday. A day later, more open yet still inferior to the Williamette. A quick TN: medium pale ruby, nose of strawberries, saspirilla, cherry pastille. Sweet, some tannic structure, good minerali, but a tad bitter. Probably just closed, but I can't give this a higher score right now.
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Why make a pinot noir that is just fruity? Not much terroir, if any. If you want elegant fruit - try it. If you want a traditional pinot that taste terroir - buy something else.
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Delicious. Young and very bright cherry flavors. Still on the tannic side, and obviously needs more time in the cellar for tannins and fruit to integrate. Looking forward to opening the next bottle in 2013. This is rated on today's taste, not on what I'm expecting in the future. Brought bottle to Anita & Jay's. Came out #2 against St. Innocent 2006 Anden vineyard.
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Out of the bottle this has a funky nose of tar, rubber, cola, heat. A 2008 Mt Eden blew it away out of the bottle for its elegance, fruit and finish. However, with an hour of air, the BF starts to come around. Still shows cola on the nose, but the fruit starts to show up. Getting better with more air, and showing it is a bigger (but not better) wine than the Mt. Eden right now - but the finish is a bit to short and dry. Question is how it will age, but it seems to have the stuffing, so hopefully it will mellow and develop a better finish. 2nd day this had settled a bit and lost some of the funk on the nose, now showing some fruit and mint. Solid wine on the palate, although the finish still a bit short and hot. Overall an improvement and more pleasant than yesterday, but the Mt. Eden still the better wine of the two (although not clear how the Mt. Eden will age). Worth laying a few of these down given some decent history in strong vintages, but expect the overblown style and hope to be surprised with something more balanced. A-?
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All American Tasting (Binny's on Grand): One of the wines of the tasting. A fantastic Burgundian Pinot. Nice finesse driven wine that shows class and focus on the finish. Great acidity but a silky texture as well.
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Popped and tasted over a few hours. Brilliant ruby color, about 60% opaque and a pinch of sediment. Nice forest and earth elements, a little sour mash, maple, and a full spice drawer in a high powered nose. Palate is really smooth and persistent with fantastic harmony. Cherry crepes, cola, and white mocha with fresh acidity and invisible tannins. Very long and complex finish. 5+11+18+9 = 93
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Mesmerizing complexity on the nose with machine oil, earth, opening towards vanilla and floral notes plus a fun funkiness twist like good body odor if that's plausible. Overall a sense of fresh and springy which I have to say really filled my brain with happy feelings. Huge flavor on the palate, yet utterly graceful. Elegantly balanced acidity and soft supple tannins. Juicy, mouthwatering and endless finish that rolls on like distant thunder. Exceptional and highly recommended.
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Always hate drinking young Beaux Freres - it just evolves so well over time. Neverthelsss this too-warm and pop-and-poured wine was still very very good.
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Mirroring the WS score because I believe it captures this wine exactly. Nose is earth and herbs, with very mild funk. The taste is great on the cherry, berry side with traces of clove and allspice. Balances well between rich flavors and graceful carriage. The flavor lacks a little of the staying power of the upper terrace release, but given that I picked this up for ~$35, a fantastic deal.
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Second time with this wine and it may be the best young BF I've tasted. This time I drank it with the 1998 and while the 98 was more complex at this stage these just seem so smooth and complete that I think in a few years they will be off the charts good. Decanted for a couple of hours and very good now but more to come for sure. You cannot P&P any BF in my opinion. You need to get rid of the spritz or it kills the wine!
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V.I.P. Northwest Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had earth and raspberry, minerals and black currant, and a little spice. The palate was soft, with raspberry and black currant, forest floor and cola, and a nice mineral finish.
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Memorial Day weekend tasting, 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir barrel samples (Northern Willamette Valley): Barrel sample. Back to the funky fruit, oak spice, and carmel on the nose. Very nice piney, woodsy aromas on the nose along with raspberry vines and other red fruits. Incredibly tight finish, but just like the 07 opens after swallowing to a profusion of fruit. Nice tannins. This could become quite pretty. (89-92 points)
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4/2/2024 - DH90 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Ruby red color with a slight brown edge. A bit tight initially but it gradually yielded blackberry, chocolate, and earthy aromas. Seems a bit tired now so I am glad that this was my last bottle. Enjoyable drinking although it was less exciting than a much younger Willamette Pinot noir that we had at the same time.
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11/13/2023 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
Loud and robust red and purple berries, bramble, cola, tobacco, coniferous forest sous-bois, umami, and black earth on the bouquet and palate. Ripe, generous, and delicious. A very well made crowd-pleaser. Near or at peak.
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10/26/2023 - kenv Likes this wine: 92 Points
WCC West Coast Pinot Noir (Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY): Big, red fruit nose. Rich and tasty.
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11/24/2022 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Getting light bodied, with plums, slight jam flavors and aromas. Bramble on the palate. Time to drink up while still in good shape!
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9/18/2022 - Hairofthedog wrote:
Cherry and cedar aroma, bright cherry flavor and soft tannins make this quite drinkable
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5/28/2022 - jww wrote:
Nice nose bright and fruity
A very very slight fizz
Delicious wine vibrant and bright red fruit
Soft tannins just enough acidity
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5/4/2022 - drrobvino wrote: 87 Points
Had this bottle tucked away since release in 2010. Was hoping for an awesome tasting experience, but this wine had a slight fizz on the backend. Not so overwhelming as to take away from the pretty structure and gorgeous red pinot fruit and soil notes, but distracting nonetheless.
Otherwise quite delicious, with softened tannins and lifted acidity to carry through, but the finish was muted as well, so maybe an off bottle. Disappointing.
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4/30/2022 - jww Likes this wine: 93 Points
classic BF bright color maybe some bricking around edges
lovely fruity nose
smooth flavors strawberry, cherry and subtle other things
really drinking well looking forward to my last two bottles
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2/6/2022 - Scamber Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent. Shows maturity as secondary elements of herbs and underbrush come through and palate’s edges are softened, but core of mid toned red fruit and prickly berries is vibrant and fresh. On third night I realized, Wow, this really conveys a sense of place.
Notable acidity, mid weight overall. Drinking really well now, over multiple nights, this was a treat.
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10/4/2021 - ephorn Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lifted nose. Classic ripe Pinot. Viscous mouthfeel, malo I’m guessing. Very Good acidity and length. Very Good mid palate energy also. Drinking great now but will hold for awhile I would imagine. Final Coravin: mar 2, 2022: spicy palate with a hint of mint and cloves, nice plush mouthfeel still. More acid than tannin (don’t notice any tannin now). Mid palate Energy is waning as would be expected, Coravin isn’t perfect but not bad for 5 months. Still 93.
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8/11/2021 - Jack wrote:
Beautiful. These are in a perfect spot and don’t have the spritz that some BFs have.
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5/16/2021 - millerarner wrote: 93 Points
Better than bottles of this consumed 5 & 6 years ago. Expressive nose, good balance, and interesting.
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5/15/2021 - Jack wrote: 97 Points
Wow. Best bottle so far. Doesn’t have near the spritz of other vintages but still needs a little time to blow off. Best on night 2.
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5/15/2021 - cliffkol wrote: 91 Points
This bottle was within its drinking window, but on the other side of its peak. Slight browning on the edges, flavors slightly faded. Needed an hour to open up to earthy aromas and flavors, slight oak, bramble. Nice acidity and smooth tannins. Fully integrated and well structured. Overall, quite enjoyable and looking forward to our remaining bottle.
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12/17/2020 - SeaSea Likes this wine:
Ribbon ridge nose, if that means anything. Slight CO2 that disappears quickly. Cherry and raspberry, smooth tannins, long finish, with elegance, gracefully aging. Sediment well-formed at the bottom. I have enjoyed the BF wines from 2005 -2008 after Mike Etzyl went biodynamic are lovely and restrained. YMMV.
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12/12/2020 - jreis Likes this wine:
Popped and poured at cellar temp. Lovely nose of sour cherry, creosote and underbrush. Nice bracing acidity on the palate with sour cherry fruit and a spice filled finish. Still a youngster, with plenty of time left to develop.
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12/5/2020 - bobdobilina wrote: 94 Points
World of Pinot Noir Tasting (13 Pinots from Burgundy, Germany, New Zealand, Oregon and California); 12/5/2020-12/6/2020 (Zoom): Pale and slightly cloudy sangria color.
Nose really leaps out of the glass with macerated cherries, roses, baking spices.
Great palate intensity without being obtrusive. Lovely red fruits, fine acid, and appealing savoriness. This is in a lovely place.
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9/27/2020 - SeaSea Likes this wine:
Lovely, drinking fantastically, consistent with other recent notes. Cherry, red berry, spice, and acid, all harmonious. No indication of fading.
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7/19/2020 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just wow. In a perfect spot. Cherry and raspberry on the nose with smooth tannins and a long finish. Threw a fair amount of sediment already. Just awesome.
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5/25/2020 - gudetama Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent bottle. Opened for about two hours before tasting and it was still great after about five hours. I have no reference to whether this is peaking as the other reviews stated as I only had this bottle, but we all enjoyed this immensely. Served with duck breast with multiple variations of rhubarb and turnip.
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2/22/2020 - The Wine Write Likes this wine:
Really in a good spot. PNP at restaurant. Soicy red fruit aromatics. Lively and delicious strawberry and cherry fruit flavors. Nice acid backbone. Terrific stuff.
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2/21/2020 - Ralphie1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
If you have any left, drink up. At it’s peak.
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1/25/2020 - dthrash111 wrote: 94 Points
Drinking really well. Fully integrated and likely will not improve. I would suggest you drink it up now.
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11/28/2019 - mhudes Likes this wine: 96 Points
With the family for Thanksgiving dinner in Bend Oregon. Opened 30 minutes before dinner, Excellent wine! Ruby in color. Roses and strawberries on the nose. Black cherry and raspberry on the palate. Some soft tannin. Appears to be just entering my sweet spot. Some allspice and other complexities on the finish. Sumptuous wine!
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11/24/2019 - jreis Likes this wine:
Lovely nose of creosote, dark cherry and spruce. Beautifully textured, with lots of sweet black cherry fruit but balancing acidity and a lovely cranberry note on the finish. Time has been very good to this, but still plenty of running room and may pick up some more complexity with some more time in the cellar.
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10/26/2019 - spineguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still plenty of time left. Evolution in the glass over 30 minutes was amazing.
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7/16/2019 - jackstraw wrote: 92 Points
Amazingly fresh, vibrant - last bottle wish I had more
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7/13/2019 - jww Likes this wine: 91 Points
Working my way through 2004-2008 BF over the past few weeks
all showing well the 2008 was lively fresh fruits cherry and strawberry
great flavor smooth after taste
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4/20/2019 - GregB57 Likes this wine: 90 Points
Drinking well now, but still has life in it. Well integrated. Ripe red fruits — strawberries, ripe raspberries(?). Soft tannins. Very nice bottle of wine. You don’t need to wait longer.
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3/19/2019 - jackstraw Likes this wine: 91 Points
For 10+ year old Pinot really fresh and tasty - better than 3 years ago when I had it last
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2/11/2019 - rnellans wrote: 93 Points
Red fruited. Spice, floral notes on nose. Well balanced. Very drinkable now.
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10/26/2018 - Ralphie1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful 2008 Pinot! Worth the wait!
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10/26/2018 - 10centpower Likes this wine:
Probably the "most aged" BF I've had, and it really shows better vs 3-4 years in the bottle. Has 5-10 ahead of it as well. Consistent with notes below.
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10/15/2018 - galewskj wrote: 94 Points
Oregon... (Spoon and Stable): Pop and pour, served a bit too warm, drank a small glass over about an hour. I was keen to try this, my expectation was high, and this exceeded my expectation. Elegance is the dominating theme here, followed by tons of spice, then earth and some funk. Kind of a brambly dark fruit mix that is dominated by dark cherry. Wow, incredible for domestic pinot.
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10/14/2018 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: An Embarrassment of Oregon Riches (Spoon & Stable, Mpls, MN): Small pour. Wow, this was rocking. Wonderful and complex spices, deep berries, hints of cassis, mushroom and funk, very elegant. 93+ to 94pts.
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7/13/2018 - nittanyjack wrote:
Not as good as previous experiences. Maybe an off bottle.
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6/4/2018 - cliffkol wrote: 89 Points
acidity overpowered the flavors. Had experienced this previously.
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5/11/2018 - nrk99 wrote:
Bottle oxidized with terrifically acidic palate verging on vinegar but for spare dark fruit. Consider it wasted.
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4/22/2018 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Alive and kicking. It might have a ways to go but no reason to wait.
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3/15/2018 - chrisdgsmith@hotmail.co.uk Likes this wine: 92 Points
Having read other notes I chose to decant and started drinking 90mi s later. It was quite gentle and primary at first and didn't really hit its stride until another hour later. I don't thi k there is any rush to drink but if you are, let it breathe or you could be disappointed
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1/27/2018 - dsamuel Likes this wine: 91 Points
Light ruby color - unfiltered. Medium(+) aromas of cherry/cinnamon/ cloves with light background of earth and maybe a tough of nail polish? Aromas remain quite primary really. Medium palate of cherry, again primary in nature. This is more Burgundian in nature than most Oregon Pinot I have tasted, and the fruit remains strong, particularly on the nose.
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1/23/2018 - Cellar notes by DB wrote: 89 Points
Light in color and body. Ripe Pinot sweetness, thin and light on depth. Mature now, I do not see this improving much due to the lack of acidity and structure.
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1/18/2018 - jnewman77 Likes this wine:
This is really quite tasty; certainly leans toward the riper spectrum that I've found Beaux Freres tends to occupy, but it still has lovely balance and is quite pleasant to drink. The nose is still quite primary with loads of ripe raspberry, red currant, black cherry, spice, and just a hint of iron and leaf litter. The palate has quite a rich and decadent feel, but maintains nice freshness and lift which balances that nicely. Finishes very nicely with a lingering taste of red fruit and spice.
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12/31/2017 - Djfermentation Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is drinking quite well right now. We took this bottle to Tina’s Restaurant for date night. Popped and poured and enjoyed over two hours. It paired awesome with the mushroom sauté’ as well as the pork tenderloin with bacon vinaigrette. Terrific Oregon Pinot with plenty of good life ahead of it.
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12/27/2017 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted blind, decanted, then evaluated over several hours. Light brick red in color. For me a classic Oregon nose. Truffle, allspice , fall leaves and cola on the nose. Elegant layers of strawberry , cherry, mushroom and red licorice. Went well with grilled pork tenderloin and a spicy cherry salsa.
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12/27/2017 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Chocolate, cola, brown sugar, more modern fruit, brighter cherry, less floral, less strawberry. Less earth.
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12/23/2017 - Triforwine Likes this wine: 91 Points
Gift from Scott and Kelly from prior year. Very thin looking light red apple color, unique and pretty. Very deceptive as the wine has some serious weight and power. Aroma funky initially on opening, almost thought it was flawed. But then after 1.5 hours decant, opened up to a floral nose. Lovely red fruit with noticeable acidity and surprisingly coarse tannins. Complexity in the distance, some fig perhaps, smoke. I actually loved it which surprised me. Christine didn't and she usually likes Pinot. Brian liked it. Would happily drink this again if offered but not sure I would seek it out for the price tag I've seen. Might well be better with more time in the cellar.
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11/25/2017 - MC wrote:
Probably at it's peak right now. Drinking well, and although a little bigger than I like I enjoyed this. A-
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9/22/2017 - MC wrote:
Good but the 08 Mount Eden blew it away tonight. Drink now. B+/A-
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8/14/2017 - MC wrote:
Time has been kind to this wine, and it is in a good drinking window now. Big pinot, showing a lot of cola, but solid fruit and enjoyable. A-
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7/23/2017 - beatles wrote: 91 Points
Baby fat gone, light in colour and somewhat in taste, quite elegant, chalk, minerals, PN sweetness here; mature now, very nice and open, no reason to keep this IMHO.
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7/12/2017 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 89 Points
Lots of fruit on the nose and palate that tends toward grape juice. Appreciated the low alcohol and balanced acidity that lead to a delicate profile. However this wine didn't quite live up to my expectations given that it was $72, from a good producer, and from one of the best years in the region. Fruit-based style rather than earthy. Didn't have the complexity or nuance that I would expect. I don't see this improving substantially with time since there aren't strong tannins or acid to allow for aging.
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5/13/2017 - nittanyjack Likes this wine:
This was drinking superbly that evening...I don't have any descriptive notes. Need to find more!
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4/2/2017 - WinemakerJosh Does not like this wine:
It was ok but not nearly as good as it was when I purchased it. Was thin and missing a lot of the depth it once had. It opened up a bit but even after a few hours, it wasn't what I had hoped.
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3/24/2017 - kenthargis wrote: 88 Points
I liked better than K. Past its prime a bit, but still nice richness of fruit and good length. Dark color, dark cherries in terms of fruit.
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2/14/2017 - Boomer Sooner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark fruit, bold pinot, needs an hour decant. Very good pinot , nice long finish. Still improving, I am glad I have more bottles in my cellar.
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10/11/2016 - pdxwinefan Likes this wine: 92 Points
PNP at a restaurant. A little more earth than previous bottles I've had, with some forest and mushroom aromas. After some time in the glass, the more common strawberry fruit tastes emerged. Complex, with a nice finish. A terrific wine that is also always a crowd-pleaser for those who aren't wine snobs.
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8/14/2016 - millerarner wrote: 90 Points
This bottle seemed a little bit closed. Re-corked and will visit again the following night.
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8/13/2016 - bjr11 Likes this wine: 94 Points
From the nose to the finish, a fantastic wine, notes of cherry, cola, and spice, continues to evolve an hour after opening.
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8/6/2016 - pdxwinefan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Two bottles shared with colleagues for a "Pinots of Oregon" dinner. (I brought 2011 Argyle Knudsen Brut, 2013 Domaine Serene Coeur Blanc, 2008 Beaux Freres Vineyard, and 2012 Domaine Serene Evenstad to share.)
WOTN for 9 of the 11 people at the table. This was outstanding. Rich strawberry and raspberry, a subtle hint of cinnamon and sweetness. Everything is in great balance here--it's rich and expressive at the same time, with enough acidic structure remaining to last at least a couple more years. Terrific.
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7/13/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Bright red fruit aromas and flavors, just slightly starting to mature. Lots of baking spice. Good concentration and length. Perhaps a touch sweet on finish. Overall, very well done.
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7/4/2016 - shelmar wrote:
lost
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6/23/2016 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
This had a more earthy profile than the '13, with a light funk, macerated cherry, cherry skin, good fine tannins, and a nice earth-mineral-fruit balance. well-structured, in a good place right now.
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4/4/2016 - Edclr Likes this wine: 95 Points
ONe of my favorite Beaux ever. Lots of dark fruits, great finish, still very youthful.
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1/17/2016 - TomOfCT Likes this wine: 92 Points
Though not the most sophisticated presentation of Pinot Noir, I find these '08s continue to age very well. They offer plenty of fruits with a moderately aged bouquet. I suspect they only have a few more years left of prime drinking. (Thankfully, I have subsequent vintages!) For someone who is not a Pinot fan broadly, this remains one of my go-to options for the grape.
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12/29/2015 - johnh1001 wrote: 91 Points
Nice red and blue fruit. Pure, ripe and nice spice.
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12/14/2015 - orange boy wrote: 91 Points
tough on start then fine example well balanced fruit structure
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12/14/2015 - Motz wrote: 92 Points
Red and purple berries, rosehips, cola, spice, and herbaceousness on the bouquet and palate. Medium plus acid, tangy, and polished. Very well made.
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11/28/2015 - roasted hill wrote:
Bright red. Nose of red cherry, red raspberry, and a hint of rose. Red berry, spice, and a tangy fresh finish of moderate length. Simple yet lively.
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11/25/2015 - CADomer Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice. Bright red fruit and extremely drinkable. Really enjoyed this bottle.
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11/16/2015 - travispete wrote: 85 Points
So I have only reviewed one other wine on CT, and coincidentally it was a 2000 BF. Sadly, this 2008 was as bad as that one. Nice nose and entry on palate, but the finish is a cross between plastic and wet sponge. It was a gift so no harm no foul.
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11/8/2015 - Ridgerunner Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely Oregon Pinot
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10/23/2015 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Tangy black cherry and blackberry fruits with excellent structure and balance; light rocky minerality showing through. Good concentration and purity but not over the top or hot. Tight at first pour; really opened up and softened up a bit after decanting. Could go another 3-4 years or more.
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9/12/2015 - Chris Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely light color with a Burgundian aroma. This is a deep and complex wine and one of my favorite Willamette Valley pinots.
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9/11/2015 - ProfBainbridge wrote: flawed
This bottle was purchased on release and stored at 54 degrees. But when opened it was seriously flawed. Foul odor and fizzing suggesting some sort of microbial contaminants.
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9/9/2015 - MC wrote:
Dark, brooding, cola and tar. Even with some air I will take the '08 Mt Eden any day and only hope this improves with age. B+?
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3/18/2015 - MC wrote:
Needed a little time to open up, but enjoyable. B+/A-
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2/28/2015 - Edclr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another gorgeous bottle. This is probably the best vintage of BF that I remember.
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2/26/2015 - cliffkol wrote: 88 Points
Very acidic, tannic. Overshadowed the fruit. Hopefully an aberration, definitely not corked.
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2/11/2015 - jdinkin1 wrote: 93 Points
Very nice big Pinot. Still has years to go.
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12/31/2014 - madalyn Likes this wine: 92 Points
very nice, drinking nicely now
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12/9/2014 - WDSteers wrote: 92 Points
Cherry cola with balance and soft tannins
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11/22/2014 - tbailey540 wrote: 93 Points
Loved it, hit of the night
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10/31/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very nice
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10/18/2014 - pinothoarder Likes this wine: 90 Points
Decanted for 1 hour and consumed over 6 hours. 1 hour is the perfect decant. Ripe red cherries and mushroom on the nose. This would be a good $40 PN, but as a local, I wouldn't pay the $75 retail again. There are so many superior Oregon PNs under $50. Thin juice feels like fruit from young vines. Maybe the 2018 vintage will be worthy of the hype, but the current QPV is only average. Drink now, it is at its peak.
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10/7/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Silky smooth. Bursting with fruit. Excellent
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9/20/2014 - peterhimes Likes this wine: 90 Points
Balance of earth and dark fruits; medium acids; good length maybe 15 sec. Black/blueberry on the palate with slight pepper on the back palate.
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8/31/2014 - rustyRudy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Garnet. Very Burgundian on the nose and palate . Mushrooms , elegant with good acidity. Drinking well now.
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8/30/2014 - andrewdodd86 wrote: 94 Points
Really delicious wine. Very Burgundian. Forest floor and mushrooms. Raspberry and cherry.
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7/31/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Bright red berry and cherry aromas and flavors with enticing Vosne-like baking spice and new oak that has nicely/mostly integrated well. Very fun and pleasurable.
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7/25/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Excellent
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6/5/2014 - Edclr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nothing bright about this - all dark, forest floor, spice, earthy flavors, but a very long finish. This is probably going to be at its best in a few years, but with food now is very good. Its just not a sipper type pinot. Which is fine with me.
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5/1/2014 - gmat5497 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent. Full bodied.
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4/17/2014 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Top quality NZ and US Pinot Noirs and Burgundies, with an old Loire to finish (Tinakori Bistro, Wellington): Colour lighter red than the other two. Also, dumber nose with aromas of dark berries and earth. An almost sweet entry to the palate, earthy, black fruited and liquorice in the mouth. Clearly New World, very clean and well made, with good integration between the fruit and spicy oak. Tasters picked this as a NZ wine. Good fruit structure and depth, with good length (finishing on a lovely cherry note). To me, a little uninteresting at this stage. On the reveal, Peter said this was very young and could be expected to develop considerably with time.
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4/9/2014 - sari85253 Likes this wine: 91 Points
after two flawed bottles, this one was ok. I like the structure
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3/28/2014 - Omar Khayyam wrote: 89 Points
Blackberries, licorice root tea, spice, wood vanilla, mint, forest floor, cola, cherry liquor, salt sea winds. This wine is packed, but also a little bit on the forward side, there's some heat on the finish. Not sure the seams will hold for the really long haul, but for now it's an opulent and still fairly structured new world pinot that goes down very easily and that is highly enjoyable.
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3/22/2014 - Pfleonard wrote: 91 Points
Interestingly cloudy showing deliberate avoidance of fining. Strawberries and cherries and mocha. Very light body but long finish. This shows pinot noir as I think it can truly be...a light wine with refinement and power.
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2/16/2014 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Absolutely delicious. All sorts of bright red fruit aromas with lots of spice throughout. Raspberry and red cherry flavors with some clove, vanilla and cinnamon, everything in really charming harmony. Moderate length. Very good now, low enough appearance of alcohol that this should continue to age gracefully for five years.
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11/28/2013 - djinc01 wrote: 93 Points
Rich ripe baked cherry pie, minerality and acidity... Perfect blend!
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11/14/2013 - winelover1808 wrote: 93 Points
wow. gorgeous wine. very light in color but full in the mouthful - akin to Burgundy not a RRV pinot. Pretty cherry nose, but hints of earth, mushroom. backbone of acid. some hints of oak/vanilla at the finish. lithe and elegant. def demonstrates why the closest representation of Burgundy in the US is found in Oregon...
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11/9/2013 - cos82 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Really nice cherry in color and abundant cherry on the nose and palate. Love the fruit in this wine along with notes of leather and earth. I think this has a long life ahead and may evolve into a more complex wine. Regardless, I love the sweet cherry fruit standing alone. My kind of wine. Stood up to a roast venison loin.
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11/8/2013 - Mel-o-Vino Likes this wine: 90 Points
I agree with an earlier note that the wine is ready to drink at pour. Red cherries, spice and earth on the nose. Smooth palate with spice (allspice) and cherries. It actually worked nicely with grilled vegetables over fresh pasta (with some shredded parm over the top).
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10/20/2013 - philgilbertsr Likes this wine: 96 Points
Unbelievable. Ready to drink at pour... fully open at 40 minutes decanted. that full fruit taste that BF is known for. amazing year.
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10/17/2013 - NSJD wrote:
Subtle flavors of rose, light cherry. Not a powerful wine yet delicious and low alcohol. I was expecting more for some reason. Required decanting.
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9/29/2013 - Decadent wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for 1 hour. Elegant, smooth, and balanced. Cherry and subtle smoke. Drinkable now but still has lots of time left.
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9/22/2013 - emdub wrote: 92 Points
Drank next to a 2009 Sea Smoke and a Nuits St. George 1er Cru. This was the first wine of the tasting and the most amber in color. Had some Burgundian notes mixed with some bigger and brighter fruits. Cranberry, sour cherry, fresh herbs and earth. This had the mouth feel of a french pressed coffee compared to the Sea Smoke which was much more like a chemex.
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9/17/2013 - cliffkol wrote: 88 Points
Light nose. Medium body and somewhat light flavors of cherry, leather and slight oak. Needed 1 hour decant. This was a little more acidic than expected. Definitely needed food with the wine. We had some crackers and cheese with the wine, which worked well. I was expecting a lot more from 2008, and perhaps this wine still needs more time?
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9/14/2013 - sari85253 wrote: 88 Points
I am not sure if this bottle was improperly stored or past its prime, as I recently purchased it. I was expecting much more from this 2008. Nice complexity but disappointing nose and finish. This is the second bottle of the three I recently purchased and this is consistent with my impression of the first. After reading my draft for editing, and looking at the tasting notes of other recent tastings, I don't think I will purchase from this wine store again.
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8/31/2013 - vinordinaire wrote: 95 Points
Classic aroma. Full, rounded fruit well-balanced with leather and slightly smokey notes.
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8/6/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
consistent with notes of 2/7/2013
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8/4/2013 - Floyd77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Herbal spice on the nose, berries on the palate. Concentrated, dark color, good acidity. Drinking great right now.
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8/1/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Willamette Valley Oregon Trip 4 & 1/2 Days; 7/29/2013-8/4/2013 (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Earthy, spices, round, berry, cherry, red licorice, velvety.
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5/18/2013 - Geoff Likes this wine: 91 Points
Acidic, but otherwise totally enjoyable. Great with food.
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2/7/2013 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very nice wine...aromas of dark cherry and xmas spice. Creamy bleuberry, green tea, a touch of cola, and a hint of earth on a long, lovely finish. All of this in a relatively light bodied wine, almost translucent in color.
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12/26/2012 - cadamson Likes this wine: 90 Points
Good, with decent potential to become near excellent, especially with the acidity and bright red fruit. Young, but happy with it.
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12/18/2012 - Alexepop wrote: 92 Points
- Crimsom color and aromas of strawberry and cherry - Nice fruit aromas, light flavor. Very enjoyable
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12/8/2012 - RoryMcI Likes this wine: 90 Points
The wine looks Rosy colored. The legs are Fast. It smells like Raspberry, and Red Currant. The body is Light/Medium. The wine has Narrow texture. The wine finishes Short.
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11/22/2012 - The King wrote: 89 Points
A little disappointed. Acidity high, and didn't open up to become fruity.
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10/21/2012 - arthrovine wrote:
Opened at a party. Obviously too young. A big wine tat shows great promise. Needs prob 5 years at least.
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10/19/2012 - Winekrupt wrote: 91 Points
Some nice violet, cherry and torrified notes on the nose, especially better after breathing a while. The first impression on the mouth is the structure, the acidity is upfront but not overbearing. Tight. With air this became easier, notes of cherry and crunchy red fruit with a slightly earthy finish- and solid Willamette terroir coming through. A good pinot- I could see this vastly improving with age, either way it will certainly go a good distance. For now 91.
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10/7/2012 - artist777 wrote: 94 Points
PnP, Very nice nose with cherries and bright fruit. On first taste the palate was a little on the acidic side and decided to let sit for about an hour and then it was quite balanced with lots of fruit. There is a lot going here with some great earth qualities on the finish. Considering how young this is really drinking great and will only get better with cellar time.
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9/21/2012 - "H" wrote:
Drank at 2012 Beefeaters. Terrific.
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8/28/2012 - Ben Christiansen wrote:
Wine was tasted blind
Appearance: turbid with medium + ruby intensity. No color change from core to rim yet also hard to gauge because of the cloudiness.
Nose is of at least medium intensity with youthful red raspberry fruit. The nose character immediately wants to lead me to a new world Pinot, a place where raspberry fruit character can very nicely develop. That isn’t the only thing in there and its not overdone on the nose. There is Pinot character of spice and flowers, oak.
Palate is dry – in this setting it comes across as off dry or fruity, medium acidity, medium tannin, medium alcohol. In this setting the alcohol feels just a touch higher but nothing disturbing or out of the way. The finish has just a touch of heat on it. But again, that could be the setting. Body is medium +, maybe even full for this variety. Yet, and I hope I am not being a homer, the flavor intensity is just medium (again, this could be the field). The flavor revolves around fruit. The length is medium.
Conclusions: overall this is good wine, it is a new world Pinot, it is very well made with excellent fruit character. To me it is missing the complexity and length on the finish to take it higher.
Guess: new world pinot.
2008 Beaux Feres Beaux Feres Vineyard Ribbion Ridge
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8/27/2012 - nzinkgraf wrote:
Hazy, med/- ruby an edge that shows a whiff of orange. Red fruit, cranberry, cherry, easier side of oak. Med acid, med/- tannin, med/- body, red fruit, rhubarb. Cherry and oak grain. Ripe fruit feel to the palate, on an overall elegant wine. Edgy balance and four years old. I'm feeling this is something along the lines of Folk Machine's Factories and Smoke. Drink to 2022.
I'm a bit perplexed about the haze and color after reading RP's note on the wine in June 2010 - dark ruby with a slightly deeper core of purple than the Willamette Valley cuvée. The 'purple' is really throwing me off, wondering if we're even on the same wine. And the haze too. Not what I thought I'd get, but I do like it.
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8/26/2012 - The King wrote: 94 Points
Awesome.
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8/21/2012 - kennyg wrote: 92 Points
Nice balance, not overdone. A bit tight but opened up over a couple houres. Should be a show stopper in several more years.
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7/28/2012 - Chris Likes this wine: 99 Points
This bottle was basically perfect for me. Tasted like a vintage Burgundy but after only 4 years old. Aroma and flavor profile were fantastic. I loved it, loved it, loved it. Glad I still have another bottle. Only downside is the cost but to get the same experience you would need to spend $200-$300 on a bottle of Grand Cru Burgundy and then let it sit in your cellar for 15-20 years. They knocked this one out of the park!
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7/1/2012 - StephenDavis wrote: 90 Points
Opened the bottle with lamb chops and haricot verts. Light in color, good fruit but needs time. Could have benefited from decanting but I'm not opening another bottle for a year or two.
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6/16/2012 - TannicBeast wrote: 88 Points
Tried at Pappas' Pinot Noir Tasting. Well made, but more muted, drier and leaner than the other exemplars from Ribbon Ridge and Dundee. Not a particularly good QPR.
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6/15/2012 - macker100 wrote: 91 Points
My #3, just below Chehalem at BWC tasting. Elegant pinot with nose of strawberries, cherries, touch of oak. Nice balance on this wine, with sweet cherries and a real citrus quality. Long finish.
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6/15/2012 - cos65 wrote:
Boerne wine club - 2008 Oregon Pinots (Scenic Loop Cafe): Some sediment, medium scarlet, somewhat shy nose at first, then some cherry, sweet tart and candied orange peel. Medium light bodied and somewhat lighter than I anticipated, but overall a very classy effort . My #2 and the group's #3 of the night. ****
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5/13/2012 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
Third time with this and the weakest showing. Still, really good but a little muted. Very soft and silky.
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3/31/2012 - "H" wrote:
- Crimsom color with fast forming legs. It's balanced with a medium body. Polished texture - Opened to enjoy while watching the final four. Fantastic wine.
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3/7/2012 - KPB wrote: 91 Points
On opening this wine was very closed and flat; I did what I could to aerate by decanting but had no luck. Ended up opening something else. Blown away by the 2008 Beaux Freres Williamette that I opened yesterday. A day later, more open yet still inferior to the Williamette. A quick TN: medium pale ruby, nose of strawberries, saspirilla, cherry pastille. Sweet, some tannic structure, good minerali, but a tad bitter. Probably just closed, but I can't give this a higher score right now.
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2/25/2012 - Sundbyberg wrote: 88 Points
Why make a pinot noir that is just fruity?
Not much terroir, if any.
If you want elegant fruit - try it. If you want a traditional pinot that taste terroir - buy something else.
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12/31/2011 - pabloslough wrote:
lovely jovely
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10/23/2011 - cliffkol wrote: 90 Points
Delicious. Young and very bright cherry flavors. Still on the tannic side, and obviously needs more time in the cellar for tannins and fruit to integrate. Looking forward to opening the next bottle in 2013. This is rated on today's taste, not on what I'm expecting in the future. Brought bottle to Anita & Jay's. Came out #2 against St. Innocent 2006 Anden vineyard.
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8/1/2011 - MC wrote:
Out of the bottle this has a funky nose of tar, rubber, cola, heat. A 2008 Mt Eden blew it away out of the bottle for its elegance, fruit and finish. However, with an hour of air, the BF starts to come around. Still shows cola on the nose, but the fruit starts to show up. Getting better with more air, and showing it is a bigger (but not better) wine than the Mt. Eden right now - but the finish is a bit to short and dry. Question is how it will age, but it seems to have the stuffing, so hopefully it will mellow and develop a better finish. 2nd day this had settled a bit and lost some of the funk on the nose, now showing some fruit and mint. Solid wine on the palate, although the finish still a bit short and hot. Overall an improvement and more pleasant than yesterday, but the Mt. Eden still the better wine of the two (although not clear how the Mt. Eden will age). Worth laying a few of these down given some decent history in strong vintages, but expect the overblown style and hope to be surprised with something more balanced. A-?
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5/28/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 93 Points
consistent with prior notes. need to find more.
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5/5/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 93 Points
All American Tasting (Binny's on Grand): One of the wines of the tasting. A fantastic Burgundian Pinot.
Nice finesse driven wine that shows class and focus on the finish.
Great acidity but a silky texture as well.
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4/18/2011 - gondrik wrote: 91 Points
Very pleasant but no defining character.
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4/8/2011 - mnh wrote: 92 Points
Very good
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4/7/2011 - fingers wrote: 93 Points
Popped and tasted over a few hours. Brilliant ruby color, about 60% opaque and a pinch of sediment. Nice forest and earth elements, a little sour mash, maple, and a full spice drawer in a high powered nose. Palate is really smooth and persistent with fantastic harmony. Cherry crepes, cola, and white mocha with fresh acidity and invisible tannins. Very long and complex finish. 5+11+18+9 = 93
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4/3/2011 - WineGeneral wrote: 93 Points
Extremely light and easy drinking--cherries and raspberries galore!
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3/30/2011 - danielbleier wrote: 93 Points
consistent with prior notes
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3/15/2011 - ckinv368 wrote: 87 Points
Dark forrest and barnyard on the nose. Bit of burnt onion. Yeastie and a bit thin with nice fruit on the palate.
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3/11/2011 - coremill wrote: 89 Points
Mostly 2008 Willamette Valley Tasting at Union Square Wines (Union Square Wines): Medium red. Layered pure red cherrry nose, with some oaky vanilla, some spice/herb, touch of VA. Palate is pure, deep, tannic, but smooth. A little cola at the end. Very good.
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3/4/2011 - ChinonRouge wrote: 93 Points
Excellent pinot. Not veiled. Nice fruit. Really good wine.
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2/3/2011 - Jack Cranley wrote: 94 Points
Mesmerizing complexity on the nose with machine oil, earth, opening towards vanilla and floral notes plus a fun funkiness twist like good body odor if that's plausible. Overall a sense of fresh and springy which I have to say really filled my brain with happy feelings. Huge flavor on the palate, yet utterly graceful. Elegantly balanced acidity and soft supple tannins. Juicy, mouthwatering and endless finish that rolls on like distant thunder. Exceptional and highly recommended.
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1/15/2011 - Clarkmeister wrote: 91 Points
Always hate drinking young Beaux Freres - it just evolves so well over time. Neverthelsss this too-warm and pop-and-poured wine was still very very good.
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12/18/2010 - danielbleier wrote: 93 Points
Mirroring the WS score because I believe it captures this wine exactly. Nose is earth and herbs, with very mild funk. The taste is great on the cherry, berry side with traces of clove and allspice. Balances well between rich flavors and graceful carriage. The flavor lacks a little of the staying power of the upper terrace release, but given that I picked this up for ~$35, a fantastic deal.
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12/2/2010 - cliffkol wrote: 92 Points
Beautiful floral nose and cherries. Well balanced and deep flavors of dark fruit, earth and underlying oak. Needs more time.
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11/11/2010 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
Second time with this wine and it may be the best young BF I've tasted. This time I drank it with the 1998 and while the 98 was more complex at this stage these just seem so smooth and complete that I think in a few years they will be off the charts good. Decanted for a couple of hours and very good now but more to come for sure. You cannot P&P any BF in my opinion. You need to get rid of the spritz or it kills the wine!
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10/20/2010 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
Quench 2010 (W Hotel): Great job. Big fruit. Smooth. Probably the best yet.
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9/19/2010 - mmurry Likes this wine: 89 Points
V.I.P. Northwest Tasting (Farpointe Cellar): The nose had earth and raspberry, minerals and black currant, and a little spice. The palate was soft, with raspberry and black currant, forest floor and cola, and a nice mineral finish.
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8/21/2010 - cartime wrote: 90 Points
Block 7 Wine Co. 1 Year Anniversary Tasting (Houston, TX): Spicy black cherry. Nice grip. A bit too much alcohol on the finish.
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5/23/2009 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 91 Points
Memorial Day weekend tasting, 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir barrel samples (Northern Willamette Valley): Barrel sample. Back to the funky fruit, oak spice, and carmel on the nose. Very nice piney, woodsy aromas on the nose along with raspberry vines and other red fruits. Incredibly tight finish, but just like the 07 opens after swallowing to a profusion of fruit. Nice tannins. This could become quite pretty. (89-92 points)
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