For the second straight year, Christopher James Barnes — the winegrower/winemaker behind our reigning Oregon Winery of the Year — has produced the No. 1 Pinot Noir of the Platinum. For this bottling, he decided to give his blend of Dijon 777, 828 and Pommard clones an extra year in bottle than he normally does for this reserve program. While most of the fruit came off his widely diversified estate plantings along Old Wagon Road west of Carlton, there remains a connection to last year’s prized Pinot — Muska Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. That fruit, after 28 months in neutral barrels, leads to complex dark blue fruit notes of Marionberry jam and black cherry. They pick up accents of maple and chocolate, leading out with boysenberry juice. Suggested pairings include pork, duck and cedar-planked salmon. Qualifying award: Savor NW (double gold)
Rating: Double Platinum • 96 points
Production: 150 cases
Alcohol: 15.8%
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