Harvest at Argyle during this vintage began Sept. 1 with Chardonnay from Lone Star Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills. Fruit from historic Knudsen Vineyard in the Dundee Hills came onto Nate Klostermann's crush pad later on as he deliciously navigated the wildfires to produce another friendly example of Oregon Chardonnay. This was 18 months in the making, starting with 12 months … [Read more...] about Argyle Winery 2020 Grower Series Chardonnay, Willamette Valley, $25
Oregon
Vino Vasai Wines / The Potter’s Vineyard 2018 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, $58
The 2022 Oregon Winery to Watch in the eyes of Great Northwest Wine received a double gold at this year's Cascadia International for the 2018 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir crafted along a plateau above the town of Newberg by winemaker/pottery artist Bill Sanchez, and this bottling marks his seventh vintage of working with the site planted by Laura Volkman in 2001 and originally … [Read more...] about Vino Vasai Wines / The Potter’s Vineyard 2018 Estate Reserve Pinot Noir, Chehalem Mountains, $58
Lenné Estate 2019 Eleanor’s 114 Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $60
At the behest of industry leaders such as David Adelsheim, Oregon State University brought over several clones from Burgundy in the late 1980s, and 114 was among those that were shipped from France with a return address of "Dijon." Few producers in the North Willamette Valley have embraced and excelled with 114 as Steve Lutz has at Lenné Estate near Carlton. This work, named … [Read more...] about Lenné Estate 2019 Eleanor’s 114 Pinot Noir, Yamhill-Carlton, $60
Bailey Family Wines 2017 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $115
The owners of Youngberg Hill near McMinnville, Ore., made it their quest to "have captured 'The Hill' in the bottle," and the Baileys have done so in lively fashion with this Pinot Noir blend from Biodynamically farmed 30-year-old Pommard and Wädenswil clone fruit and much younger Dijon 777. Wayne Bailey harvested this at 22 Brix, which accounts for the lithe aspect to the … [Read more...] about Bailey Family Wines 2017 Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley $115
Bells Up Winery 2019 Titan Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $44
The Specters' confidence in their Jory-influenced estate plantings of Pommard is rewarded as they included the sixth-leaf Pinot Noir into the Titan blend (30%) for the first time - with the balance being Dijon 115 and 777 from Tonnelier Vineyard for one last time. (The vineyard was sold in 2020.) It's a perfumy nose featuring strawberry, dusty raspberry, facial powder and … [Read more...] about Bells Up Winery 2019 Titan Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley, $44