Dr. Donald Olson’s winery in Dundee, Ore., serves as the official winery of the Portland Japanese Garden, and it specializes in Pinot Noir under the expert hands of Jacques Tardy. Each year, this premier bottling focuses on select barrels from nearby Olson Estate, La Colina and Nysa vineyards, and the result is a hedonistic and cherry-filled offering that opens with aromas of Black Cherry Vanilla Coca-Cola, caramel and pipe tobacco. The drink is big, bold and fruity with black cherry and cherry pie flavors within elegant, well-integrated tannins and crushed walnut in the finish. It’s one worth hanging on to, but its structure can be enjoyed already with beef tenderloin or rack of lamb. Olson recently opened an additional tasting room in Woodinville, Wash.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 125 cases
Alcohol: 13.8%
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