Best Buy! Pete and Marcia Buffington name their wines for members of their family, and they’ve enjoyed consistent success with their grandson Caleb's Pinot Gris. This vintage marked their sixth as a bonded winery in the Cascade foothills near Salem, Ore., and these grapes benefit from this cooler climate. Bosc pear, dusty Golden Delicious apple and gooseberry aromas are joined … [Read more...] about Abiqua Wind Vineyard 2015 Caleb Knorr Estate Pinot Gris, Willamette Valley, $15
Oregon
Zena Crown Vineyard 2013 Conifer Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, $75
A trio of blocks harvested across Zena East and Zena West between Sept. 28 and Oct. 4 gave Idaho native Shane Moore the components for an earthy and yet fruity expression for Jackson Family Wines’ 7-year-old plantings west of Oregon’s capital city. A barrel program that's a bit lighter than either of his 2013 Slope or 2013 Sum bottlings gives this a profile of strawberry syrup … [Read more...] about Zena Crown Vineyard 2013 Conifer Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, $75
Armonéa Winery 2014 Summit Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $35
Wine Country Farm near Dayton, Ore., celebrated the 10th anniversary of Armonéa Winery and cellar established by the late Joan Davenport. Summit View Vineyard fruit - across a fence from Domaine Drouhin's Block 11 - remains a key ingredient for the estate program of winemaker Alberto Alcazar, and this latest vintage continues his string of underappreciated success with … [Read more...] about Armonéa Winery 2014 Summit Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills, $35
Zena Crown Vineyard 2013 Σ The Sum Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, $75
The first commercial vintage for Jackson Family Wines after its purchase of Zena Crown Vineyard west of Salem, Ore., is a collaboration of winemakers Tony Rynders and Shane Moore, and they use the sigma sign to designate mathematical symbol of “the sum.” Indeed, this is deep dark red fruited Pinot Noir is a reflection of the sum of Zena East blocks 4, 5 and 12, and Moore’s … [Read more...] about Zena Crown Vineyard 2013 Σ The Sum Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills, $75
Panther Creek Cellars 2014 Kalita Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $50
Tony Rynders furthers his efforts to return this historic Oregon brand to prominence with this vibrant Pinot Noir from Arthur Kalita’s vineyard, a 22-acre site established near Yamhill in 1998 that counts a number of the Willamette Valley’s top wineries as client. The juice spent just eight months in 42% new French oak, allowing for aromas boysenberry, Montmorency cherry and … [Read more...] about Panther Creek Cellars 2014 Kalita Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $50