Carlton Cellars 2013 Seven Devils Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $25
Pennsylvania software developer Dave Grooters began learning about the Willamette Valley wine industry in 1979 when he came out to visit a friend he’d made while serving in the Army — Nick Peirano of famed Nick’s Italian Cafe in McMinnville. That connection led to a new and growing circle of friends, and after selling his business, Grooters transitioned from working as one of Ken Wright’s vineyard managers to creating his own small label in 2001 in Carlton, Ore., just a block or so from Ken Wright Cellars. Seven Devils, named for the beach just north of Bandon Dunes, is Grooters’ largest production wine and stretches beyond his 25-acre vineyard on Savannah Ridge. It opens with elegant aromas of red currant, dried strawberry and subtle baking spices and follows up with a graceful presentation of cassis, dark raspberry and more dried strawberry flavors.
Rating: Excellent
Production: 1,075 cases
Alcohol: 12.2%
Had to think out the math problem… We can’t thank you enough.