Tom Mortimer’s vines on the southern edge of Parrett Mountain have entered their third decade of life, and this bottling represents a blend through the 16-acre vineyard which he found thanks to Harry Peterson-Nedry of Chehalem Wines fame. The nose shows the ripeness of the historically hot 2015 vintage, offering black cherry, cola and Graham cracker notes with forest floor and … [Read more...] about Le Cadeau Vineyard 2015 Pinot Noir, Oregon, $38
Oregon
Cathedral Ridge Winery 2014 Bordheauxd Red, Columbia Valley $28
One of the first wines that owner Robb Bell created with Sonoma-based winemaker Michael Sebastiani after buying Flerchinger Vineyards in Hood River, Ore., was this blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah, and it remains a fixture. Bordheauxd serves as a tribute to the area's iconic windsurfing culture and Bell brings in grapes from vineyards not far from the “board head” … [Read more...] about Cathedral Ridge Winery 2014 Bordheauxd Red, Columbia Valley $28
Acrobat Winery 2016 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Oregon, $14
Best Buy! King Estate continues to expand its Acrobat program, and the tandem of Spencer Spetnagel and Brent Stone combined for a beautiful and serious rosé that’s open to a wide assortment of food pairings. More than a dozen vineyards in Western Oregon factor into this, but much of the Pinot Noir comes off the Eugene estate. Created in the saignée method, it then spent two … [Read more...] about Acrobat Winery 2016 Rosé of Pinot Noir, Oregon, $14
Vidon Vineyard 2014 Estate Chardonnay, Chehelem Mountains, $35
Fourth-leaf Chardonnay fruit from Dijon clones 76 and 95 came off Don Hagge’s Vidon Vineyard hamlet in the Chehalem Mountains on Sept. 11, and he took a lemony and complex path. A program of 25% new French oak and full malolactic fermentation leads to aromas of cotton candy, toffee and toast with lemony nougat. Inside, it’s tasty with flavors of Lemonhead candy and apple with … [Read more...] about Vidon Vineyard 2014 Estate Chardonnay, Chehelem Mountains, $35
Aubichon Cellars 2015 Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $50
The latest releases of Pinot Noir by Jim Sanders under this second label for Willamette Valley producer Le Cadeau Vineyard continue the trend we are now accustomed to in terms of superb fruit and suave tannins. In this case, dark purple tones of blueberry and pomegranate include whiffs of cola, baking spice and graphite. There’s a match on the palate with a juicy profile and … [Read more...] about Aubichon Cellars 2015 Reserve Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $50