Old Vines Pinot Noir
Dundee Hills, Oregon
Regular Price $54.99
Sale Price $43.99
I first visited Oregon in the late 80’s…and was captivated by the burgeoning wine scene; it was open and friendly and passionate, qualities that I felt were no longer in evidence in California. I’d like to tell you that I meet Jim Maresh,Sr., or Fred Arterberry, but that would be a lie. I try not to lie when I’m writing about wine, there are too many people that do that far better than I ever could.
So, anyway, back then, Oregon wines, hell, all wines, were about longevity…great wines became great by allowing them the time to develop in the bottle. That changed when the critics put forth the flawed notion that you can have your cake and eat it, too…that a wine that was full and rich and fruit driven (ergo, great) would also get better with age. Of course, that was never true…today’s ‘great’ fruit wine is unlikely to get better over a period of 30-40 years, but more importantly, the person that loves that wine in its youth will be unlikely to love the way the wine changes over time.
Back to this wine…I don’t have any idea how this wine will evolve, although there are several factors that suggest it will become even interesting, to say the least. Its alcohol level is moderate (12.8%) which suggests that the grapes were picked at reasonable ripeness levels. The old vines are non-irrigated, which tells us that the ratio of water to solids and acidity was at a moderate level. And, I’m assuming that the yield was relatively small, with the vines being 40-45 years old. So, it could get quite interesting
So, perhaps, one should buy this wine and hold on to it. But, I think it’s pretty spectacular right now. No, it’s not the California style of Pinot Noir that’s trying to be Napa Cab (those wines are just wrong!) but rather, a very good example of a full bodied and rich Oregon Pinot Noir. It tastes of Oregon, meaning it shows more than just the fruit but also the the ‘spruce’ and earth. The bountiful acidity (which might help the wine age) creates tension and verve and stops the plentiful berry flavors from becoming overwhelming. It’s really very, very good and I have little doubt that it will be even more enjoyable over the next year or so. Beyond that? Well, if you like the way it tastes today, who cares? Will it get better? Perhaps. If you decide to wait, I’d be interested in hearing about the wine when you get around to drinking it.