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Van Duzer Vineyards 2011 Dijon Blocks Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $55
It makes sense that Florent-Pierre Merlier excels with Dijon clones. After all, he received a degree in viticulture from the University of Dijon not long before marriage led him to Oregon in 2009. This release is from Van Duzer’s Block Designates program, and the blend is of Dijon 777 (50%), Dijon 115 (30%), Dijon 113 (20%) and Dijon 667. Its fragrance leads with rose petals and rose hips, followed by cherry, orange oil, vanilla and truffle. There’s a big fruity entry with strawberry/rhubarb compote, cranberry, Montmorency cherry and white raspberry with enjoyable tannins and a scrape of minerality. A suggested pairing is with Grilled Pomegranate Molasses Pork Loin and Roasted Red Potatoes from Oklahoma culinary instructor Marc Dunham.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 145 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
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