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- Randy Caparoso - 03-21-1999

Oregon styles of Pinot Noir are now so all over the map -- as variable as the vintages, and unpredictable as the weather -- that I've yet to seem some real consensus in publications. Come to think of it, it's the same with Burgundies and Californians -- that 's the beauty of Pinot Noir, I guess. I drink my wine young, and so my current favorites are what I actually drink. Each of these were tasted at at least three times or four times:

1. 1996 Rex Hill "Reserve" - there are richer Oregon PNs,and there are finer ones; but this one hits it exactly in between; luscious, lively, layered fruit with wood-stick spices and supple, uncommonly elegant mouthfeel.

2. 1996 Ici La-Bas "Les Reveles" - Extravagantly spiced and silky fine, feminine style; lovely, any-dish vintage for Clendenen; a real crowd pleaser (I can't help but like to see people pleased with one of "my" selections!).

3. 1996 Beaux Freres - Just as thick, concentrated (succulent, almost sweet black fruits) but less imposing and ungainly than previous vintages. Had it with wild boar stuffed with porcini and chanterelles -- dy-no-mite!

4. 1996 WillaKenzie "Pierre Leon" - New kid on the block, but has already achieved great, buoyant balance and a glorious fragrance (sexy, gingery soy, earth, blackpepper, char and sweet red fruits). Yet so delicate, that even a blackpepper crusted salmon nearly overwhelmed it.

5. 1997 Ken Wright "Canary Hill" - Wright's '97s are generally unevolved, but this one is coming out now with a luxurious red/black fruit aroma and fine, soft, silky middle abbreviated by moderate but young tannin.

6. 1996 Chehalem "Ridgecrest Vineyard" - Fascinating smoky/burnt leaf complexity (combined qualities of concentrated fruit and French oak, rather than just one or another); perfumey, fine, long and silky.

7. 1996 St. Innocent "Seven Springs" - Brambly crushed berry fruit aroma enriched by toasty/tobacco-like (and not all that subtle) French oak; fleshy, but also fairly tannic on the palate, but dominated by the sumptuous fruit in the finish. Was terrific with veal cheeks in a braised natural juice/Pinot Noir/sage reduction.

8. 1996 Adelsheim "Ridgecrest Vineyard" - Personally, I think it's Adelsheim, not Beaux Freres, who are making the most controversial Oregon PNs right now; evidenced by this leathery/earthen, nevertheless richly spiced (incense-and-peppermint), lusciously rounded and densely layered fruit. This one definitely needs an earthy dish; i.e. a crab stuffed "portobello sandwich," served in a truffle vinaigrette laced with a Pinot sauce (it worked!).

9. 1996 Erath "Vineyard Select" - I actually prefer this to Erath's current (and much pricier) '94 "25th Anniversary" cuvee; filled with fresh cranberry/blueberryish juiciness with minty/pine needle spice and a soft yet zesty, lithe middle. Try this with an Asian spiced duck (star anise, soy, ginger, fruit reductions, etc.) and you just can't go wrong.

10. 1997 Ken Wright "Guadalupe Vineyard" - Dense, ponderous black fruit aroma emerges after a few minutes in the glass to give defiition to broad, perfectly rounded, fleshy presence on the palate. A stunning combination with French/Asian style licorice smoked squab with a salsify puree with sesame oil accents.

11. 1997 Ken Wright "Canary Hill" - Luxuriously fragrant Pinot aroma that appears delicate and tilted towards red berry fruit; but on the palate, a velvety, layered, melt-in-the-mouth feel couching more black fruit flavors. Needless to say, a dramatic, still evolving wine.

12. 1996 Beaux Freres "Belle Soeurs" -- My current (albeit pricey) favorite just for drinking; its black 'n blue berry perfumes, and dense yet lively, silky flavors simply too compelling to just-say-no.


- Van The Man - 03-22-1999

Randy -

Thanks for the detailed notes. I was actually thinking of buying a few bottles of '96 Oregon Pinots as I heard the vintage was quite good.

Here in Rhode Island, the wines are starting to show up more frequently at retail....which is surprising considering just how small our market is.

But I'm fairly certain the Seven Springs wines are available as well as Rex Hill (Of course) and a few others.

Thanks again for the details.


- n144mann - 03-22-1999

DITTO on the Thanks!!
Nancy


- Randy Caparoso - 03-23-1999

Great! Speaking of Pinots from the Seven Springs Vineyard, I didn't rate a '95 that I tasted recently that was made by Adelsheim. It was good, fragrant, and smoky, but only moderately intense on the palate.

Going over my posted notes, however, I realize that I made a big boo-boo -- rating the '97 Ken Wright "Canary Hill" #5 AND #11. It's not that I can't make up my mind, but because I had meant to put in the '97 Ken Wright "WHISTLING RIDGE" as my #5, and the "Canary Hill" as #11 (with the corresponding notes being correct). This guy just comes out with way too many tasty single vineyard cuvees these days, and so I get easily tripped up when writing about them (like mixing up the names of my three daughters when overly excited). While the '97 "Whistling Ridge" has great top-and-bottom flavors, I do distinctly remember the '97 "Canary Hill" as being quite sexy in a silky lingerie type of way, and a little more drinkable at the moment than his others. I've also been reserving judgement on some of his other cuvees, like the "Shea" and "Carter" vineyards -- those tend to be quite big, dense and slower to open up. Perhaps in a few weeks.

Meanwhile -- as noted on the Beaux Freres thread -- my '97 Beaux Freres has hit the dock, and so I'll be jumping the gun on that this week, no doubt.


- Woodman - 03-23-1999

Randy, those are some pretty impressive notes. Of course, you missed some of my favorites, but I'm here in Oregon and you're in Hawaii -- so that could explain a couple of things. Bucko's right on with the Springhill, but I'm not nearly so impressed with the St. Innocents as he is. For my money, I'll leave the "big name big guns" (Beaux Freres, Archery Summit) to the out of staters who think that "pinot meets syrah" are the way to go. FWIW, rumor has it that Mike Etzel would prefer to make his wines a little lighter, but his partner won't allow it.........

Van -- somehow I got WAAAAAY overloaded with '96 Oregon pinot noir when I wasn't looking (damn those wine gremlins) so I'd be glad to trade some of mine to you. Let me know what you're looking for.


- n144mann - 03-23-1999

Woodman, your gremlins actually BRING wine?? Mine only take it when I am gone. I go down to get that great bottle, you know the one you planned the whole meal around, to find it disappeared sometime while I was gone. I have had to start labeling the wines for my gremlin...some read "have this anytime" others read "touch this without me and you die!" [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb/biggrin.gif[/img]


- Woodman - 03-23-1999

Van, my partner gremlin (wife) doesn't like wine, but I still have an overload of pinot.......


- RickBin389 - 04-01-1999

Randy,

Curious as to why you omitted Domaine Drouhin from your list of faves...especially the "laurene".


- Randy Caparoso - 04-01-1999

I've made a couple of passes through the winery and estate over the past five years, and can clearly see that Drouhin's innovative viticulture and attention to detail have made a telling impact on the rest of the Oregon winemaking community. But even up until this date, I've yet to say that I actually enjoy drinking their wines. I've found their releases -- especially their reserves -- quite hard, tough in the middle, and dried out in the finish, in spite of wealths of spicy, dark berry flavor in the entries. I guess it's a "style" thing with me. I wish their wines were a little more gentle and giving -- like even their "bigger" Oregonian competitors (re Beaux Freres, Ponzi, Adelsheim, etc.). I also believe that someday they'll come out with something that combines a little tenderness with their chosen methods, and then I'll be all over it!


- Bucko - 04-02-1999

I had similar reservations about their wines until I tried a vertical and saw how the wines evolve over time. The 91s are just now drinking well.

Bucko


- Randy Caparoso - 04-03-1999

Interesting, Bucko. I'll make a point of rechecking, then. Perhaps next week Mon. and Tue, when I will be making some quick rounds of the Willamette Valley.

By the way, curiosity overwhelmed me and so I opened a bottle of the '97 Beaux Freres I received in my shipment last week. I was very pleased -- sweet, dense, meaty, concentrated, with more than enough velvety fruit and roasted coffee/warm oak intensities to cushion generous tobacco-like tannin at the core. It's not just a clean richness that they now achieve, but also great textural quality -- all this in a somewhat "average" year (and very difficult for some). I'd be interested in trying the '97 Drouhins to see how they stack up. You see, the early vintages of Beaux Freres ('91 thru '93) left me left me a little cold. Fact is, I still don't think they were very good wines -- rough, unstable, overly stated. However, with every new vintage, no matter what the conditions, they seem to get better and better in their wine growing and making. That's what I'd like to see in the Drouhins -- something better than what they've done in the past. Until then, I can't say I'm thrilled.


- Woodman - 04-05-1999

Randy, if you see this while you're in Oregon, send me email and we'll get together. I'm in Portland.