Directly across the Columbia River from this scenic Hood River, Ore., winery’s tasting room and patio is Underwood Mountain, the setting for Dampier Vineyard and the source of multiple Platinum medals for Robb and John Bell’s Pinot Noir program. Those rows at 1,100 feet of elevation in the Columbia Gorge contribute fruit to this melange that includes the Bell family estate and … [Read more...] about Cathedral Ridge Winery 2019 Pinot Noir, Columbia Valley $40
Oregon
Stoller Family Estate 2021 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills $35
The flagship Pinot Noir grown by Jason Tosch's crew and crafted by Melissa Burr’s team above the erstwhile turkey farm where Bill Stoller grew up continues to serve as nationwide ambassador for Oregon’s Dundee Hills. Their consistent approach remains on a fruit-forward style with light barrel influence — 17% new French oak — for 10 months, so these bottlings are released about … [Read more...] about Stoller Family Estate 2021 Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills $35
Bells Up Winery 2020 Zenith Vineyard Candide Reserve Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills $54
Chehalem Mountains grower/winemaker David Specter pays tribute to an operetta by the late Leonard Bernstein with this part of the Bells Up program. Typically, Candide is a Chehalem Mountains project for Specter, but not from the wildfire-plagued 2020 vintage. Instead, he got his hands on a ton of Wädenswil clone Pinot Noir from acclaimed Zenith Vineyard — a site near Salem that … [Read more...] about Bells Up Winery 2020 Zenith Vineyard Candide Reserve Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills $54
Argyle Winery 2019 Vintage Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley $30
This blend of Argyle’s Spirit Hill Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills with historic Knudsen Vineyard just up Worden Hill Road from the Dundee, Ore., tasting house continues to be a deliciously dependable example of Nate Klostermann’s skill. The product of Minnesota is only the second winemaker in the 35-year history of the winery, and his work with three Dijon clones of … [Read more...] about Argyle Winery 2019 Vintage Blanc de Blancs Sparkling Wine, Willamette Valley $30
Chehalem Wines 2019 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge $70
Ridgecrest Vineyard served as a source of pride for founding winemaker Harry Peterson-Nedry as in 1982 it became the first commercial planting in would become the Ribbon Ridge American Viticultural Area. A decade later, investments by former business partner Bill Stoller led to the 1992 plantings of Pommard and Wädensvil clones that Katie Santora crafted for Chehalem, where … [Read more...] about Chehalem Wines 2019 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge $70