Grower/winemaker Byron Dooley shows a special passion and interest for Riesling in Oregon that's played out in his pursuit old vines of this noble grape. In 2014, he worked with 32-year-old vines at Vigna Giovannia Vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Here, he dives deeper with 43-year-old plants at Tualatin Estate Vineyard — a Forest Grove site belonging to Willamette Valley … [Read more...] about Seven of Hearts 2015 Tualatin Estates Riesling, Willamette Valley, $21
Oregon
Fullerton Wines 2014 Five FACES Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $33
The Fullerton family bottles vineyard-designate Pinot Noirs featuring Croft near the Van Duzer Corridor and Momtazi in McMinnville, but here those two vineyards join forces with Keleri Vineyard in the Chehalem Mountains for a drink of dark blue fruit. Its proprietary name is simple enough — the acronym for members Filip, Alex the winemaker, Caroline and co-owners Eric and … [Read more...] about Fullerton Wines 2014 Five FACES Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $33
Love & Squalor 2014 Riesling, Willamette Valley, $20
Not only is there a renewed movement in Oregon with Chardonnay, but Matt Berson also is at the forefront of the renaissance surrounding Riesling in the Willamette Valley. His combination of Roncali Vineyard in West Eugene with Sunnyside in Salem and Cuddihy in Yamhill-Carlton is presented with crystalline acidity (2.92 pH) and scant sugar (0.7%). It offers aromas of ginger with … [Read more...] about Love & Squalor 2014 Riesling, Willamette Valley, $20
Panther Creek Cellars 2014 Lazy River Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $45
The Lumpkins, successful and proud University of Washington grads, established their 30-acre Lazy River Vineyard in 2000 on Mount Richmond near Yamhill, Ore. In addition to their own winery, they sell to a handful of premier producers in the Willamette Valley, and Tony Rynders gets to work with their fruit on behalf of Panther Creek. He applies a practice of less than a year in … [Read more...] about Panther Creek Cellars 2014 Lazy River Vineyard Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $45
Argyle Winery 2014 Master Series Nuthouse Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, $40
The estate Lone Star Vineyard, a tribute to founding winemaker Rollin Soles’s Texas heritage, takes up all the real estate in this Chardonnay from Argyle Winery that’s a beautiful example of the stylistic approach taking place in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. Picked over the course of two days — Sept. 20-21 — at 22 Brix, lead winemaker Nate Klostermann’s use of 40% new French … [Read more...] about Argyle Winery 2014 Master Series Nuthouse Chardonnay, Eola-Amity Hills, $40