[wine] Pinot Anything at the 510

An update, and some info on OR pinots from the speculator. ----- Forwarded message from "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> ----- Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2004 17:51:34 -0500 From: "Jim L. Ellingson" <jellings(a)me.umn.edu> To: wine(a)thebarn.com Subject: [wine] Pinot at 510 Greetings, Ribs at Bob's was grand. This week, it's Pinot at the 510. Most any pinot will do. From pinot gris to Burgundy. Who's coming. Brian Betsy Bob Lori Jim Bill S. Lots of others I'm sure. Thursday (tomorrow), 6:30 p.m. at 510 Groveland. The 510 Restaurant 510 Groveland Ave MINNEAPOLIS, MN 55403 Phone: 612-874-6440 Cheers, Jim Wine Spectator Online http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Main/Feature_Basic_Template/0,1197,2262,0… Home > Oregon Scores Big With 2002 Pinots Oregon Scores Big With 2002 Pinots Opulent, balanced wines dominate another warm vintage Posted: Monday, July 26, 2004 By Harvey Steiman Click map to enlarge Top-Scoring Oregon Pinot Noirs Smart Buys Best Values Oregon Pinot Noir Vintage Chart Beyond Pinot Noir Pinot Noir is Oregon.s most important varietal, but others are notable, especially whites 10 Vintners Under One Roof Carlton Winemakers Studio lets small Oregon wineries share state-of-the-art equipment The first wave of 2002 Pinot Noirs from Oregon is terrifically ripe and extraordinarily well-balanced, making it clear that this is the state's best vintage yet, the pinnacle of a string of warm, dry vintages. The best 2002s have superb balance and pure, ripe flavors. Ten of my top 15 wines in this report, which covers all the Oregon wines reviewed in the past year, are 2002 Pinot Noirs. The other five are Pinot Noirs from 2001, also a strong vintage. It's a measure of 2002's superiority that it dominates the top-rated group even though I tasted fewer 2002s than 2001s in the past year. The longer-aged 2002s have yet to be released, but based on the barrel samples I tasted on a visit to Oregon in March, it appears the vintage conditions favored producers who prefer opulent styles, because the natural ripeness in 2002 was not over-the-top. The steady, warm weather in 2002 produced balanced, supple wines. In all, I tasted more than 400 finished Oregon wines for this report. Pinot Noir accounted for more than 60 percent of the total, outnumbering Pinot Gris, the next largest group, by nearly six to one. Chardonnay and Pinot Blanc are also players. Warmer Oregon regions, such as Rogue Valley and those portions of eastern Oregon that share the Columbia Valley and Walla Walla appellations with Washington, make Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Sangiovese, Sauvignon Blanc and Viognier. But those wines, and the occasional Arneis, Dolcetto, Gamay, Gew�rztraminer, Melon and Muscat, pleasant as they can be, are not consistent standouts. Pinot Noir is. (For top Oregon wines other than Pinot Noir, see "Beyond Pinot Noir.") Among what's available so far, the Pinot Noir champ is Beaux Fr�res Willamette Valley The Beaux Fr�res Vineyard 2002 (95 points on the Wine Spectator 100-point scale, $75), a lavish wine with mouthwatering acidity. Its wash of plum, blackberry, cherry and dusky spice flavors zoom over a fine-grained finish. That's the ideal from 2002 -- ripe flavors in perfect harmony. Another arresting bottling is Bergstr�m Willamette Valley Arcus Vineyard 2002 (94, $85), which is plush-textured and layered with wild berry and cherry flavors. Vintage 2002 is so good across the board that some of the lower-priced Pinots are more attractive than some at two or three times their price. For sheer value, it's hard to beat Ponzi Willamette Valley Tavola (91, $15), the winery's entry-level Pinot. It has deft balance, plum and white pepper flavors and impressive length. Van Duzer Willamette Valley (91, $22), Argyle Willamette Valley (90, $18), Raptor Ridge Yamhill (90, $18) and a new wine from Brick House, Willamette Clos Ladybug (90, $19), all score high on the value meter in '02. I liked the basic Patricia Green Oregon bottling (90, $19) better than most of the winery's higher-priced, single-vineyard wines. Among the 2001s that have arrived since last year's first look at that vintage are a couple of glorious wines from Archery Summit, including its rich, blackberry- and pepper-redolent Oregon Arcus Estate (93, $75). Another gem among the more recently issued wines is Chehalem Willamette Valley Rion Reserve (93, $50), which is nicely fleshed out with rich flavors. Based on availability and price, the juiciest choices among the later-released 2001 Willamette Valley Pinots might be WillaKenzie's Pierre Leon (91, $36) and its Aliette (91, $36), two distinctive reds that are neither too big nor too lean, and a pair from Argyle, the Reserve (91, $30) and Nuthouse (91, $40), both a bit less opulent than usual but still offering pure flavors. Also, keep an eye out for the Hamacher 2001 (91, $35), arriving later this year; it's a beautifully crafted wine with a welcome tang of fresh earth, currant, blackberry and cherry flavors. Other recent releases include the last of the 2000s, among them Ponzi Willamette Valley 30th Anniversary Reserve (91, $55), Domaine Drouhin Oregon Louise Red Hills Estate (91, $75), Eola Hills Oregon Wolf Hill Vineyard (91, $40) and Witness Tree's Willamette Valley Vintage Select 2000 (91, $32), which is more available than the winery's two other limited bottlings. On the downside, the field is starting to get crowded, partly because existing wineries can't resist adding more reserve and single-vineyard bottlings. After tasting too many examples that are pretty good but not so special, I can't help wondering if their regular bottlings might be better if they didn't divert so much of the best wine to these higher-priced cuv�es. New wineries on the block, such as Gypsy Dancer, are also demanding attention for their Pinot Noirs. In 2001 Gary Andrus sold his interests in both Archery Summit and California's Pine Ridge wineries. In 2002, he bought the former Lion Valley property just in time to cut the crop by about a ton per acre and make a lovely wine labeled Gary & Christine's Vineyard 2002 (91, $40), which has crisp acidity to balance its plum and currant flavors. Gypsy Dancer's Yamhill Cuv�e A & G Estate Vineyard 2002 (92, $70), made from a Red Hills vineyard owned by Andrus, is richer and more stylish. Andrus says he was attracted to the site because of its closely spaced vines -- at 4,000 per acre, the densest in Oregon -- and has continued the style in planting the remaining 20 acres, all visible from the family home built atop the winery. One winery showing significant improvement over previous vintages is Van Duzer. Carl Thoma, former owner of California's Parducci winery, bought the property in 1998 and has been pouring money into the vineyards. It's evident from a visit to the property, with its closely spaced vines and Low Input Viticulture and Enology-certified soil management regime, that these guys have gotten serious. They stopped purchasing grapes after 2001, and started making the wine in Oregon rather than shipping it to California for processing. The results include the widely available 2002 Willamette Valley Estate bottling (91, $22). It's dramatically aromatic, plays its ripe flavors against firm tannins and promises much with bottle age. Van Duzer's 2003s, tasted from barrel, are at least as good. Also in March, I had a taste of the most recent vintage, 2003. I encountered more than a few samples that were still sweet, as their primary fermentations had not finished. The '03 growing season was so hot that the grapes got too ripe in many vineyards. The best 2003s will be from growers and winemakers who managed to keep their fruit from raisining and developing too much sugar. The word I hear most from winemakers about 2003 is "challenging." "2003 was the hardest vintage since 1997," says Sam Tannahill, who makes wine for Shea Wine Cellars and has his own label, Francis Tannahill. "It was so hot, and the grapes were so ripe. You didn't have that slow, long, consistent hang time." "The challenge was dealing with sugar," says Ken Wright of Ken Wright Cellars. "We had to find yeast strains that were tolerant of higher alcohols." Wright's wines, in barrel, show refreshing balance and finesse despite the elevated alcohol levels. "The 2003s are pretty, but not in a schoolgirl sort of way. They're more of a slinky bombshell in an evening gown," he says. Many winemakers noticed that older vineyards did better in 2003 than younger vineyards planted with Dijon clones imported from Burgundy in the 1990s. "For most of us, I think it's vine age more than anything else," says Don Lange of Lange Winery. "The vineyards with Pommard clones are the ones with deep roots and older, stable vines. The first Dijon clones were only planted 10 years ago." Lange's were planted in 2000. But Rollin Soles, who makes the wines at Argyle, thinks that the traditional Oregon clones, Pommard and Wadenswil, were able to adapt to the heat better than the Dijon clones, which are geared to ripen sooner. In Argyle's Lonestar vineyard, where the old and new clones are planted in adjacent blocks, a sample of the Pommard clone wine is tight, focused and wonderfully redolent of cherry, while wines from Dijon clones 667 and 777 come off as exotic and distorted. And then there is Tony Soter, who made his name in California in the 1980s and 1990s consulting on big-name Cabernet Sauvignons and with his own Etude label. He sold that in 1999 and bet the farm on Oregon Pinot Noir. I found his 1997, 1998 and 1999 wines excessively tough and tannic, but he has made great strides in taming the rough streak. "We find that tannin in the wine correlates with how much you beat up the grapes," says Soter, ladling out a pot of soup in his newly built home facing the vines on Beacon Hill. "So we've been concentrating on fewer and gentler punch downs during fermentation, less maceration afterwards." A vertical tasting reveals the development. The Soter Vineyards 1999, released last year, shows grippy tannins around a lovely core of fruit. I rated it 87 points. The 2000, to be released later this year, has darker fruit and is much more supple. There will be no 2001. "The grapes were so big and the wine showed a little hollowness," Soter says. "It was not the caliber we wanted. We bit the bullet and sold it off." The 2002, still in barrel, shows wonderful raspberry and plum aromas and a jazzy, racy mouthful of bright flavors that last and last on the finish. The wine should be Soter's calling card for years to come, another legacy of an outstanding vintage. Editor at large Harvey Steiman is Wine Spectator's lead taster on the wines of Oregon. Top Wines Wine Score Price BEAUX FR�RES Pinot Noir Willamette Valley The Beaux Fr�res Vineyard 2002 95 $75 Big, ripe and mouthwatering, with acidity bringing harmony to the plum, blackberry, cherry and dusky spice flavors. BEAUX FR�RES Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Belles Soeurs Shea Vineyard 2002 94 $50 Rich and seductive, with fresh plum, blackberry and subtle spice flavors that stay ripe and supple on the long finish. BERGSTR�M Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Arcus Vineyard 2002 94 $85 Rich and plush, with wild berry and cherry; black pepper and green olive flavors mingle on the fine-grained finish. ARCHERY SUMMIT Pinot Noir Oregon Archery Summit Estate 2001 93 $150 Strong grip of tannins, but underneath it delivers a glowing core of plum, raspberry, pepper and black olive flavors. ARCHERY SUMMIT Pinot Noir Oregon Arcus Estate 2001 93 $75 Juicy, ripe blackberry and peppery, floral flavors, rich and distinctive, almost aggressive. Tannins are nicely submerged. BERGSTR�M Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Bergstr�m Vineyard 2002 93 $60 Almost opaque, but not heavy-handed. Supple, with dark plum and hints of cherry and sassafras. Fine-grained tannins. CHEHALEM Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Rion Reserve 2001 93 $50 Supple, with rich black cherry, rose petal and pepper flavors; unhampered by anything resembling obvious tannins. BERGSTR�M Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Cumberland Reserve 2002 92 $32 After a blast of chewy tannins, rich black cherry, plum and tar flavors well up and bathe the finish as it lingers. CARLTON CELLARS Pinot Noir Oregon Roads End 2002 92 $38 Generous and well-focused, with clear blueberry, plum and subtle spice flavors. Fine tannins and a long finish. CRISTOM Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Eileen Vineyard 2001 92 $40 Elegant, with velvety, ripe blackberry and currant flavors. Fine tannins let the fruit and gentle earthy flavors linger. GYPSY DANCER Pinot Noir Oregon Yamhill Cuv�e A & G Estate Vineyard 2002 92 $70 Smooth, silky and open-textured, with sweet plum, blackberry and currant fruit, with mocha notes from spicy oak. OWEN ROE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2002 92 $36 Ripe and focused, with a bright core of blackberry and currant, shading the aromas with hints of meaty roasted game. SHEA Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Block 23 2002 92 $48 Gentle, supple and refined, generous with its spicy plum and lingonberry flavors, finishing with well-modulated tannins. VAN DUZER Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Homestead Block 2002 92 $32 Plump and generous, with currant, white pepper and spice flavors that linger beautifully on the fine-grained finish. Smart Buys Wine Score Price PONZI Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Tavola 2002 91 $15 Open-textured and deftly balanced; currant, plum and white pepper flavors emerge uncontested by fine-grained tannins. VAN DUZER Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Estate 2002 91 $22 Dramatically aromatic, brimming with black cherry, hinting at smoke and spices as the flavors play against firm tannins. ARGYLE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2002 90 $18 Smooth and round, plush but not overwhelming, keeping its musky cherry, plum and tobacco flavors in harmony. PATRICIA GREEN Pinot Noir Oregon 2002 90 $19 Meaty, slightly gamy flavors around a rich core of raspberry and currant fruit, which lingers on the generous finish. PONZI Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2002 89 $13 Has more layers than most Pinot Gris, offering earthy pear, melon and pepper flavors in a smooth package. TORII MOR Pinot Noir Oregon 2001 89 $17 Tangy and pretty, with a strawberry jam note and a touch of rhubarb and cranberry on the smooth, well-knit finish. WILLAKENZIE Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2002 89 $18 Supple, round and generous with its peach, cantaloupe and perfumy, citrusy overtones, finishing silky. CHEHALEM Chardonnay Willamette Valley INOX 2002 88 $15 Soft and gentle, with pretty pear and floral flavors, with no interference from oak. Persistent, well-balanced finish. SILVAN RIDGE Early Muscat Oregon Semi-Sparkling 2002 88 $14 Light and effervescent, sweet and fragrant, with litchi, spice and pear flavors that remain balanced and lively. Best Values Wine Score Price A TO Z WINEWORKS Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2002 87 $11 Light, bright and open, very fruity, with pretty pear and floral flavors, finishing with a nice touch of green melon. WILLAMETTE VALLEY Pinot Noir Oregon Whole Cluster 2003 87 $15 Lively, youthful style brims with cherry and dark berry flavors, framed by fine-grained tannins. O'REILLY'S Pinot Gris Oregon 2002 86 $11 Bright and juicy, with fresh honeydew melon and cucumber flavors lingering on the finish. OAK KNOLL Pinot Gris Willamette Valley 2002 86 $10 Contrasting ripe fruit and tangy flavors in this tasty, smooth-textured white; a bit pumped up, but fun to drink. DUCK POND Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2002 85 $9 Light, fresh and appealing for its strawberry and raspberry fruit, which lingers on the tangy finish. EOLA HILLS Pinot Gris Oregon 2002 85 $8 Soft, with spicy melon and delicate orange flavors. -- ------------------------------ * * Dr. James Lee Ellingson, Adjunct Professor jellings(a)me.umn.edu * * University of Minnesota, tel: 651/645-0753 fax 651 XXX XXXX * * Great Lakes Brewing News, 1569 Laurel Ave., St. Paul, MN 55104 * ----- End forwarded message -----