2001 EIEIO Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

[dananne]

Jay MacDonald (get it, EIEIO?) is Willamette's answer to the Burgundy negotiant, and he crafts a fine range of PN, both stellar single vineyard stuff and broader blends. We enjoyed his wines on both our '05 and '06 visits. Oddly, we bought this '01 both times, once for $36 and once for $45. Didn't realize the price difference until we were home and logging the wines into the cellar. This one cost $36, but I don't know which year we bought it.

This wine was fantastic. It had a deep reddish-purple color, with a nose of black cherry, pine needles, cinnamon, and clove. The light body and texture were textbook, like liquid satin. Very stylish. Flavors were both subtle and complex, and it had some light and polished tannins to provide some structure, while still keeping the light and ethereal body. Finished long and with the red spices showing. Really happy with it, and we eagerly look forward to the other one. It's at the top of it's game, though it should stay on this plateau for another year or two. Possibly controversially, I'd suggest that this makes a rather strong argument for blending in Oregon, which goes against the grain right now. Granted, we've had some wonderful juice from single vineyards in Oregon, some of the best PN that we've ever had, but I think too often that people there eschew blends in favor of single vineyard wines, even if there is a subsequent decline in quality. I suppose it justifies the rising price tags, which is harder to do with a general blend. No alc. given on the label, but it was certainly well integrated and not noticeable.