2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir

Happy Saturday!  I had so much planned for today, but as I look back, I pretty much accomplished nothing on my list of chores.  That's all right though, weekends are meant for relaxing and I am feeling more relaxed this evening, so I'll call that a win!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, which I believe will be a great wine to pair with tonight's dinner and as a shareholder, I'm always happy to support my investments!  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a beautiful pale ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Pinot Noir.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, earthy peat, basalt and hints of peppery spice.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in ripe red fruit, cherry, strawberry and currant that easily transition to some earthy notes of tar and basalt, with a good bit of peppery spice midpalate.  The tannins are subdued, but still present a nice backbone for the smooth dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a really pleasant example of a quality Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, with all the character and funk you'd expect.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from fresh salmon to Dungeness crab, hearty lamb shank to an earthy risotto.  Speaking of which, tonight I am pairing this wine with a new dish I've been anxious to try making, a hearty roasted beet risotto, topped with shaved parmesan and amaranth microgreens.  Cheers!

2022 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Happy Wine Wednesday!  I know I didn't have a chance to post over the past week or so, but now I have a chance mid-week!  Tonight, I've opened a bottle of 2022 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir.  As a proud shareholder of Willamette Valley Vineyards, it's always a pleasure to open a bottle, which in this case I found at my local Costco last weekend.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a deep garnet color in the glass with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from a nice Pinot.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, blackberry and plum amid earthy leather and a hint of oak.  The first sip is rush or ripe red fruit, raspberry, cherry and currant that evolve to some notes of warm pepper spice and just a bit of funk midpalate.  The tannins are subdued, but offer a velvety smooth dry finish with a reprise of cherry.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's drinking nicely right now, but might improve a bit over the course of the next year.  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from salmon and seared tuna, to pasta or wild mushroom risotto.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with an easy mid-week dish of tomato and mozzarella ravioli with some Italian sausage marinara.  Cheers!

2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Happy Sunday!  Well, tonight I've brought out a forgotten bottle of wine, as apparently I've reviewed the 2018 vintage, the 2020 vintage and the 2021 vintage, but now I'm finally getting around to the 2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir!  As a loyal shareholder, I am a big fan of Willamette Valley Vineyards' wines, and although the whole cluster Pinot Noir is ideal and approachable on release, tonight we'll find out how they perform five years on!

The wine is a delightful ruby color in the glass with nice clarity, just as you'd expect from the varietal.  A gentle swirl of my Pinot glass reveals aromas of raspberry, bing cherry, green cedar and a hint of eucalyptus.  Take a sip and your palate is awash in ripe red fruit, cherry, raspberry and currant with just a bit of tartness that eases into some earthy notes of dusty limestone midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated, providing for a smooth, dry finish that lingers with a reprise of berry at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a wonderful example of a solid Pinot Noir, that is approachable and ideal for pairing with a broad range of casual dinner fare.  This wine would be great with barbecue, pizza or tacos, grilled seafood or pasta.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with some miso glazed pan seared Coho salmon topped with microgreens, along with some farro and steamed broccolini.  Cheers!

2012 Lachini Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir

Well, it's the first Saturday of a new month and new year, which makes it Cellar Saturday!  This is the magical day where I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making, and tonight I have something a bit off the beaten path.  I bought a bottle of the 2012 Lachini Willamette Valley Estate Pinot Noir just a few months ago from Wines Till Sold Out, as it seemed a terrific bargain, so why not try some?  So, let's see what this Pinot Noir from the Chehalem Mountains of Oregon has to offer!

The wine is a deep rose color in the glass, somewhat lighter than your typical Pinot Noir.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, cherry, sweet lilac and hints of forest floor, a classic funky combination for this varietal.  Take a sip and you're treated to a rush of ripe cherry that cascades through your palate, transitioning easily to some earthy elements of fresh cut grass and peat midpalate.  The tannins are quite subdued, but still bring forth a delightfully dry finish that lingers lightly for a minute or more.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, and although I am not the biggest fan of Pinot Noir, I find this wine to be an interesting departure.  As for pairings, this wine would pair well with a variety of aged cheeses, earthy dishes like wild mushroom risotto, or hearty winter favorites like Yankee pot roast or hearty beef stew.  Tonight I am taking that latter approach and enjoying this wine with some braised elk and bison short ribs on creamy mashed potatoes with some oven roasted carrots.  Cheers!

2021 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Happy Sunday!  As you may know, I've been a happy preferred shareholder of Willamette Valley Vineyards for a few years, so it's always a treat to review a wine that I have an equity interest in producing!  I previously reviewed the 2018 vintage here and the 2020 vintage here, so let's see what the current vintage has to offer!

The wine is a medium bodied ruby color in the glass with great clarity, just as you would expect from a nice Pinot Noir.  A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of strawberry, plum and a hint of mint, with undertones of earthy peat and mineral notes.  Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of ripe, sweet fruit, strawberry, currant and marionberry, that transition easily to some notes of black pepper spice, green tea and the faintest hint of tar midpalate.  The tannins are well integrated and unobtrusive, providing for a wonderfully smooth dry finish, that lingers until your next sip.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, though I think this wine is just a bit better than the 2020 vintage.  This wine is very approachable and would pair well with a range of dishes, from barbecue to Asian, but tonight I am taking a traditional Pacific Northwest approach.  I am enjoying this wine with a baked steelhead filet with lemon dill cream sauce, along with rive and some oven roasted baby carrots and leeks.  Pinot and salmon, you can't go wrong, cheers!

2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Well, it was an eventful Saturday, as I got the truck out and traveled to Illinois to move a windmill from my uncle's yard back to mine.  It was rather uneventful, as I prepared for the worst and had it removed and placed in the truck within about 10 minutes!  So, I got back early and had time to go to the hardware store and pick up some spray paint to repaint it before finding a spot to put it in the yard.  So, now that I have some time to sip some wine and make dinner, I've decided to open a bottle of 2020 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, which is a wine that I'm pleased to be an owner of, but also one that I think will go well with my classic Labor Day dinner.  So, let's see how this wine tastes!

The wine is a wonderfully bright ruby color in the glass, with great clarity to create such a gem like appearance.  A quick swirl in the glass releases aromas of strawberry, a bit of tart cherry and the faintest hint of rose petals.  Take a sip and you have a rush of tart cherry up front that eases into some earthy mineral notes with a bit of tar midpalate.  The tannins are supple, creating a base for a wonderfully smooth, dry finish with a reprise of acidity at the end.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's just a classic Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  This wine would pair well with a range of dished, from lamb to salmon, barbecue to asada beef tacos.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with my classic Labor Day dinner, of steamed lobster and corn on the cob.  Back in my sophomore year of college, the Civil Air Patrol would sell live Maine lobsters for $5 each for a fundraiser, so our first weekend back on campus was always a lobster fest in our fraternity house.  Since my local market had live lobsters on sale today, I've recreated my Labor Day lobster dinner.  Cheers!

2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir

Happy Sunday!  I apologize for not posting in over a week, but we had some thunderstorms roll through midweek, and although all my big trees survived, my home computer, printer and modem did not (the modem survived but now I only have wifi access to the web, no wired access).  But now everything is back online, so it's an ideal time to open up a nice bottle of wine.  Tonight I've opened a bottle from Willamette Valley Vineyards, of which I am an owner, so I am very enthused to taste the 2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir.  This wine is sourced from the three estate vineyards, including the original vineyard in the Salem Hills, the Tualatin Estate and the Elton Vineyard.  So, let's see how this wine is tasting!

The wine is a pale garnet color in the glass with great clarity, just as you might expect from this varietal.  A gentle swirl in the glass releases aromas of ripe berries, blackberry, currant and raspberry intermingled with dried herbs and a bit of minerality.  The first sip reveals a rush of sweet berry fruit that eases into some anise and a hint of spice midpalate.  The tannins are nicely structured providing some backbone to the velvety dry finish that lingers for a bit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's the type of Pinot Noir that I enjoy sipping, vibrant fruit and minerality that is not overpowered by any sort of funk.  This wine would pair well with salmon, lamb or earthy mushroom dishes, or even a classic truffle mac and cheese.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a pretzel crusted chicken breast along with a saffron potato puree and some bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir

Well, today was another day of work and errands, though I had time enough for a bike ride just before dinner, though I might have thought through that decision given temperatures in the upper 80s and 71% humidity! In any case, it's supposed to thunderstorm soon, so no patio dinner tonight, but there is still wine and dinner, and tonight I've opened a bottle that I picked up last week while in Grand Rapids, the 2019 Willamette Valley Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir.  This one is a special one, since I bought preferred stock in Willamette Valle Vineyards last year, which makes me a proud owner of the winemaker as well as the bottle!  So let's see how this wine is tasting.

The wine is a lovely, bright ruby color in the glass, with a decidedly gem-like character.  A gentle swirl of the glass releases aromas of blackberry, raspberry and currant intermingled with some earthy notes.  A sip reveals a cascade of dynamic fruit notes, with a rush of tart cherry that eases into some notes of marionberry with a hint of sweetness midpalate.  The tannins are supple, creating a velvety texture that makes the perfect base for the smooth finish, that's dry, but not abrupt.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a really pleasant Pinot Noir for folks like me that prefer a heartier version.  The depth and texture of this one really makes it a new favorite for the varietal.  This wine would pair well with a range of dishes, from lamb and duck, to an alder planked salmon.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bison New York strip, topped with the very last of the season's garlic scapes and some blistered cherry tomatoes, along with an array of oven roasted root vegetables.  Cheers!

2018 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir

Well, this is a post I've been anxious to write, since I recently became a shareholder in this winery!  There are very few publicly traded wineries, but Willamette Valley Vineyards is one of them.  I recently bought some of their preferred stock (and by no means is this to be considered investment advice, please consult your own investment professional!) which has a lot of benefits for being a shareholder, including wine discounts, special events at the wineries, and a bonus of you choose to receive your preferred stock dividend as a wine credit!  

So since I'm now a proud shareholder, I searched around and finally found a bottle of wine to taste tonigh, the 2018 Willamette Valley Vineyards Whole Cluster Pinot Noir, so let's see if my investment is paying off!

The wine is a brilliant ruby color in the glass, with nice clarity, just as you would expect from a nice pinot noir from Oregon.  The nose is a pleasant rendering of lovely floral and herb notes, lavender, lilac and hints of orange blossom and mint with earthy undertones.  The taste is a rush of lovely red fruit, cherry, plum and lingonberry washing over your palate before transitioning to some wonderful earthy notes of tar and tobacco midpalate, with a bit of white pepper spice at the end.  The tannins are expertly structured to provide a wonderfully smooth, dry finish that lingers with w bit of fruit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as this Pinot noir falls into the category that I like, lighter but full of great flavor (a Pinot that us Cabernet lovers can get behind!) and it was also a darn good value at just $22 here locally.  This wine would pair well with the classic Oregon fare, salmon, Dungeness crab and fantastic Thai food, and tonight I've gone one of those routes.  I'm enjoying this wine with a nice Alder planked wild Alaskan sockeye served with some mango, pineapple and jalapeno salsa and some black beans and rice.  Cheers! 

2017 Megan Anne Pinot Noir

 Happy Sunday!  I admit I've been slacking on by blogging duties, but I've been battling a cold which has inhibited my wine reviewing.  But tonight I've opened a bottle of Pinot Noir (those of you paying attention will note that I'm not the biggest pinot fan, but what the heck!), this one the 2017 Megan Anne Willamette Valley Pinot Noir, which is Mark Ryan's label for Oregon Pinot Noir.  I bought several bottles of this vintage from Wines Till Sold Out, when I saw the offer at nearly half price, so let's see what this wine has to offer!

The wine is a little richer in color than many Pinot Noirs, but still with great clarity and a nice crimson color.  The nose is chock full of ripe red fruit, cherry and marionberry, with earthy aromas of peat and tar, with a ribbon of vanilla strung throughout.  The taste is a rush of cherry and raspberry that bows to some vanilla and caramel intermingled with earthy peat midpalate.  The tannins are a bit sharp, but well structured for the lingering dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, which it pretty high for a varietal that's not my favorite.  This wine would pair well with a variety of lighter dishes, from classic halibut, Dungeness crab or wild mushroom risotto, but I think it might also pair well with game, such as venison.  Tonight I am taking that route, enjoying this wine with a rare seared bison filet mignon with a rather whimsical pairing of tater tots and bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

2013 King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir

Happy Hump Day!  I just got back from the gym and now I've popped a pizza in the oven, so what wine to open?  How about a nice Oregon Pinot?  In this case it's a bottle that my friends brought last weekend and left for me (along with a water bottle and a sparkly hair apparatus), the 2013 King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir, so let's see how it is!

The wine is a bit lighter in color, with bright ruby color, classic Pinot.  The nose presents aromas of green grass, tar and that classic Pinot twang (which can best be described as a combination of tart cherry, burnt toast and barnyard).  The taste is pretty nice for a Pinot (and you know I'm not the biggest Pinot fan), with a rush of tart cherry, currant and some pepper spice that transition to some notes of tobacco and a hint of vanilla midpalate.  The finish is very nice, with a reprise of tart fruit on a long, smooth and dry finish, that seems to linger a bit.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's a nice example of the varietal, but not spectacular,  This wine would pair well with a variety of dishes, from salmon to dungeness crab, to a classic pot roast.  But tonight, I'm enjoying this wine with a thin crust pizza with spicy sausage and caramelized onions, as the tart fruit in the wine is a perfect foil to the richness of the pizza.  Cheers!

2013 Domaine J. Meuret Les Chenes Pinot Noir

Happy Saturday!  I am simply exhausted!  I started the day running errands, then I planted all of my impatiens in the only flower bed I have that is devoted to annuals and mow that my back is killing me, I've decided to open a bottle of wine with dinner.  Thankfully, I received my wine club shipment from Maison Bleue on Friday, and included in the shipment were a couple bottles of 2013 Domaine J. Meuret Le Chenes Pinot Noir from the Phelps Creek Vineyard in Oregon.  The name "Lew Chenes" means "the Oaks" in French, which I can certainly relate to given the many oaks in my yard, but it was actually named for the many white oaks in the vineyard which was planted in 1990.  So let's see how this wine stacks up!

The wine is a lovely pale red color in the glass, a classic Pinot Noir.  The nose presents aromas of cherry, cassis, tobacco and cedar, certainly not your typical Oregon Pinot, but much more reminiscent of a great burgundy.  The taste is simply wonderful, with some lovely red fruit notes up front, cherry, red plum, earthy mineral notes and wonderful spice.  The tannins are very well structured and integrated, creating a long. seductive and dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, and you know I'm not a huge Pinot Noir fan!  This wine would be perfect with roast pork tenderloin, classic salmon or duck, but tonight I am enjoying this wine with a bacon wrapped Angus filet mignon, with grilled asparagus and a baked potato, and I must admit this wine was a perfect accompaniment!  Cheers!

2007 Cliff Creek Cellars Syrah

Happy Sunday!  I was looking for a bottle of wine to open for dinner and was surprised to find a bottle from a producer I met at the Portland airport while there on business in April 2014 (you can see that post here: 2009 Cliff Cree Cellars Merlot).  They are an interesting small producer located in Southern Oregon, in the town of Gold Hill.  At the time I really loved the Merlot, but apparently didn't think the Syrah was too bad either, hence I'm enjoying the 2007 Cliff Creek Cellars Syrah with my Sunday dinner!

The wine is a beautiful ruby color in the glass with nice clarity.  The nose presents earthy aromas of leather, musty peat and oak over layers of lush berries and plum with just a hint of smoke.  The taste is quite nice, with some initial ripe black fruit that gives way to some eucalyptus and baking spice midpalate.  The finish is very smooth, with a reprise of some berries intermingled with toasted oak, as the well developed tannins support the long, dry finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's very nice, but not as nice as the stellar Merlot (I really need to find that other bottle I brought back!).  This wine would be good with a variety of rustic winter dishes, but tonight I'm pairing it with a classic holiday Sunday dinner or roasted chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy and classic green bean casserole.  Cheers!

2007 Elk Cove Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Merry Christmas!  Yes, I know it's only Christmas Eve, but this is the night when I typically watch a whole bunch of Christmas movies while gorging myself on Chinese food, since it won't leave me too full for the real feast tomorrow!  I just returned from the gym, just to make me feel good about myself before the feast of obesity begins, all the presents are wrapped and I just placed my order at the Jade Garden, so I may as well open a bottle of wine to enjoy this evening, and tonight it's one of my all time favorite Oregon Pinots, the 2007 Elk Cove Vineyards Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.  Now in all the time I lived in Portland, I never got into the Pinot scene like everyone else it seems, but I did find this one that appealed to me, a big bold Cabernet and Bordeaux drinker that wasn't the light, whispy Pinots that you often find in Oregon or Burgundy!

Now I'll admit I had a hard time finding this wine today, I tore the cellar apart, looking in case after case, knowing had to be there somewhere, and alas I found it in a half case of Languedoc!  So here we are, a beautiful deep garnet color in the glass with great clarity.  The nose is just a rush of Oregon Pinot memories, rustic earthy elements of peat, leather, blackberries and fresh herbs.  The taste is a burst of fruit, plums, black cherries and cassis, all of which blend together for some earthy mineral notes of limestone, cedar intermingled with Asian spice midpalate.  The finish is remarkably smooth, without the tannins and dryness that you can get from a Cabernet, this one is just all around pleasant to drink from start to finish!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of the fine Pinots coming from the Willamette Valley, but it's probably reached it's peak for drinking now.  As I mentioned, tonight it's Christmas Eve which means Chinese food, so I'm pairing this with some wonderful Kung Po chicken, steamed dumplings and spring rolls, some of my favorites!  Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!

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!

2009 Cliff Creek Cellars Merlot

I love travel don't you?  Even if it's just for work and you barely have time to think much less enjoy a glass of wine. But sometimes in your travels you discover some wonderful new wines that you just have to share, and this was the case on Friday as I was waiting for my flight home from Portland.  If you ever happen to find yourself in PDX, the Made in Oregon store has a lovely selection of Oregon wines, and since it's past Security, you can buy as much as you want and carry it on the plane with you! On Friday, they were having a tasting of Cliff Creek Wines, a producer from Southern Oregon located in Gold Hill, Ore. to be exact (about halfway between Grant's Pass and Medford along I-5).  At the tasting I was fortunate to sample the red wine, the Merlot, the Cabernet Sauvignon and the Syrah, and needless to say I fell in love with the Merlot!

The wine itself is a dark ruby leading to an inky black center, classic for a nice Merlot.  The nose is just chock full of ripe black fruit, blackberry, plum and cassis, that transitions effortlessly to some nice Asian spice and coffee notes.  The taste is classic, big bold Merlot, with bright fruit up front that transitions to some stark minerality mid palate, limestone, leather and cedar.  The finish is divine, with nicely structured tannins that provide the perfect foundation for the long, dry and velvet smooth finish.  This is the kind of Merlot I'm used to drinking from the Walla Walla Valley, but who knew they were producing wines this nice down in southern Oregon?

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as I really did fall in love with it on my first taste at PDX, and it's such a terrific value as well!  This wine was normally priced at $21.95, but with the 10% discount at the tasting it was under $20!  In fact when I bough 2 bottles of Merlot and a bottle of Syrah and the total was far less then I was expecting I added another bottle of the Merlot (which in hind sight was a real strain on my arms carrying that bag!).  Tonight I enjoyed this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse topped with some grilled leeks along with some mashed potatoes and green beans almondine.  Such a great wine for a big ol' steak!

2011 Wallace Brook Cellars Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

Tonight I've decided to open up a lovely Oregon Pinot noir to accompany a classic Sunday dinner. Now when I lived in Portland from 1999-2002 I learned to appreciate a good Pinot, especially those from the Willamette Valley, so I've opened a bottle of 2011 Wallace Brook Cellars Oregon Pinot noir.

The wine is a lovely ruby color in the glass with great clarity, but not as light as many Pinots I've seen. The nose is quite lovely with aromas of strawberries, leather and spice that allude to the complexity that awaits. The taste us very fruit forward, with lovely plum, cherry and raspberry flavors harmonizing with a touch of green grass and tea mid palate. The finish is quite nice with well structured tannins supporting an unusually long and dry finish. 

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, as it's a lovely example of a Pinot noir from one of the premier growing regions and it was a good value at only $19.  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a classic Sunday dinner or roast chicken with cornbread stuffing, mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli, just mike mom used to make!  Cheers!

Domaine Serene Rockblock SoNo Syrah

Once again the weekend is coming to a close, so why not make the best of it with a bottle of Northwest wine?  Tonight's selection is a little different, as it's a multi-vintage wine from Domaine Serene, produced from the best grapes and vintages from two vineyard sites in the Walla Walla region of Oregon.  And for those unfamiliar with the area, Walla Walla is just a few miles north of the Oregon border and fortunately good wine grapes don't stop growing once you reach Oregon!  The fruit for this wine was sourced from the Seven Hills and Stone Valley Vineyards in Oregon.  As a non-vintage wine, this one should be interesting.

The wine has a nice deep, inky purple color at the center, leading to a bright ruby along the edges.  The nose is at first a spicy sweetness, with black pepper and blueberries that ease into some hints of smoke, cocoa powder and a touch of lavender.  The taste is wonderfully complex, with some spice and floral notes up front that transitions smoothly to blueberries and black plum midpalate.  The tannins are somewhat rustic and smoky that suppose a silky finish that lingers on the palate.  Very pleasant to sip at the end of a long day!

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 8.5, as it's a lovely example of Walla Walla Valley Syrah that shows a lot of complexity.  The only real negative I can see with this wine is the price, as I paid $33 for this bottle at my local wine merchant, G.B. Russo's, so it's clearly not an everyday wine if you're on a budget!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a simple Sunday dinner of salad, herb roasted chicken breast and some steamed fingerling potatoes with butter and parsley.  The rich blue fruit and spice of this wine make a nice foil to the more subdued flavors of chicken and potatoes.  Cheers!

2011 J. Scott Cellars Rendezvous Rose

Well after a couple of weeks of unseasonably cool weather, summer is back in all its glory as it was sunny and hot today!  And of course with summer heat back, what can follow but a nice chilled rose wine, and tonight it's the 2011 J. Scott Cellars Rendezvous dry rose wine from Oregon!  I bought this bottle at the Portland airport of all places, as I flew through PDX on my way home from my Walla Walla vacation earlier this summer.

The wine is a nice peach color in the glass, not a pure pink but with more of an orange tint to it.  The nose has wonderful notes of grass, mild citrus and strawberry notes and some lovely floral overtones.  The taste is quite interesting, with your typical bright citrus notes, some strawberries, and then toward the end, out of nowhere there is a taste of Champagne, not overwhelming, but just a flavor that made me think of sparkling wine.  The finish is very dry, which probably explains a bit of the sparkling wine flavor, and the tannins are nicely structured to support the finish.

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 7.5, it wasn't spectacular, but it was a very solid rose effort, and a pretty good value at only $15 at the airport!  Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a lovely summer dinner of stuffed scallops and a salad of mixed spring greens and white balsamic.  This wine would also be good with a nice salmon fillet, or just by itself as I could easily see myself sipping this one on the patio as the sun goes down and the evening cools off.  Cheers!

2011 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir

Tonight I've decided to go a little lighter for the summer fare that will be on my plate this evening, so I've decided to open a bottle of 2011 Erath Oregon Pinot Noir that I bought today at my favorite local wine purveyor, G.B. Russo's!  I figured it would be somewhat lighter, though with the cool weather we've had lately I could have gone with the heaviest of Cabs and felt wine with my choice!

The wine is light in color, and somewhat translucent, like many of the quality Pinot Noirs from the Willamette Valley of Oregon.  The nose has some lovely fruit, blackberry and strawberry, with some lovely earthy notes, cedar and sagebrush, just like you might smell if you were walking through the valley.  The taste is very pleasant, with berries and cherry notes teasing you at the outset, gradually transitioning to some wonderfully earthy spice notes, cracked pepper.  The lovely, rather mild tannins lead you to some nice vanilla notes at the end, for a lovely, long and smooth finish that beckons you to take another sip!

Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, it's a lovely example of a classic Oregon pinot noir, but it was also a relative bargain at only $16!  Tonight I am trying this one with a new recipe for poached wild Alaskan sockeye salmon, with some wild mushrooms and fresh green beans in a white wine cream sauce over some al dente buccatini, so delicious and the pinot just pairs so well with the earthy notes of the wild mushroom cream sauce, Cheers!