2012 Dois Irmaos Winery Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Happy Friday!  I worked a little late tonight and just got back from the gym, so I figure I've earned a glass of wine or two, and for tonight I've decided to open a bottle of 2012 Dois Irmaos Winery Willamette Valley Pinot Noir that I just received today from Wines Till Sold Out!  Now those who know me realize that I'm not a huge Pinot fan, even though I lived in the Raleigh Hills area of Portland in the late 1990s and early 2000s, but there are always opportunities to try a Pinot and see if I like it.  You see, I was introduced to red wine through Bordeaux rather than Burgundy, so my tastes lean much more towards Cabernet and Merlot than Pinot, but since this was billed as a Pinot for Cab lovers I figured I'd give it a shot.

The wine is a little darker in the glass than a typical Pinot, with a nice violet color and great clarity.  The nose is fairly classic Pinot, with some tart fruit notes of cherry and a hint of strawberry amid the slightest hints of green grass and tar.  The taste is rather pleasant with great fruit up front, strawberry, tart cherry and plum that transitions to some nice smoky mineral notes midpalate.  The tannins though young support a long, lovely finish with some great acidity.  Though certainly a far cry from Cabernet, this wine is really quite pleasant.

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it's very nicely structure and it was a great value at just $16!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with the classic pairing of cedar planked wild Alaskan sockeye filet, some wild mushroom risotto and some steamed asparagus.  The acidity in the wine really cuts through the richness of the salmon and risotto, providing the perfect foil.  Cheers!