Four years after Rich Cushman began working on this fortified bottling of Pinot Noir for the Bickford family, he helped them earn Oregon Winery of the Year from Wine Press Northwest. “Puerto Montaña” translates to “mountain pass,” and their scenic tasting room is just off Highway 35, which the Columbia Gorge gateway to Mount Hood. This smells like a cigar humidor is filled with the best tobacco and laced with cherry fruit and over-ripe plums. Violet flowers finish the invite. Perfumed with dried rose petals, the entry of this decadent wine (8% residual sugar) is layered with cherries draped in dark chocolate, butterscotch and a beautifully oaked finish. The sweetness turns to rich dark truffles that would best be paired with a strong cheese, cured meat or bittersweet chocolate. It merited a gold medal last fall at the 2020 Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 140 cases
Alcohol: 19%
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