2004 Dobbes Grande Assemblage Cuvee Pinot Noir

[dananne]

We stumbled on Dobbes Family Estate wines while on the '05 summer trip, prior to the Washington offline. In fact, it was an '03 Grande Assemblage Cuvee that we brought to dinner at Anthony's to share with the folks from the board. Since we enjoyed the wines so much, and they were such great wines for the $ ($20s instead of $40s), we made it a point to revisit them this past summer. This was part of a case that we put together for shipment once the weather cooled. One of our Thanksgiving wines this year.

Bright ruby in color. Decanted at time of 1st pour. Cherry and cinnamon stick on the nose, with like flavors. A lithe wine with silky texture, good acidic balance, and some complexity on the long finish, including a hint of red spices and coffee. A balanced wine in a somewhat feminine, subdued style -- it doesn't seek to clobber you over the head with fruit and alc. A nice food wine at 13.5%. 645 cases made. Around $24 at the winery, and well worth every penny.

FWIW, uses 95% Willamette fruit and 5% from S. Oregon's Rogue Valley.