Willamette Valley Vineyards 2014 Estate Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $30
This publicly traded company’s troika of 30-year-old vineyards – Elton, Tualatin Estate and founder Jim Bernau’s Estate Vineyard – are blended beautifully into one of Oregon’s best and largest single bottlings of Pinot Noir. The combined development of these 645 barrels leads to aromas of light chocolate, plum juice, Bing cherry, vanilla bean, pepper and lightly roasted coffee. There’s richness and juiciness to the palate of plums and pomegranate, backed by enjoyable fine-grained tannins. A dusting of spices carries into the long and penetrating finish of cranberry and black raspberry. Suggested pairings include duck, lamb, pork, grilled salmon and aged cheeses.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 15,767 cases
Alcohol: 13.5%
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