Very similar to my previous impression from 2021: “ Open with lovely cherry flavors, but good substance. Light Oregon spice, but Burgundian style. (Everyone thought it was French) More forward than the Savigny Lavieres of the same vintage, but more attractive and forward. Very nicely done, Veronique.”
Decanted 2 hours.
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This fooled me. I was previously thinking that the drinking window was closing 5 years ago. Wrong. It has continued to mature gracefully. Beautiful and well balanced, on the downhill side of the window.
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No detailed notes. Recall it being rather light in color with simple aromas and an equally simple palate. It was nicely balanced but there really was nothing to get excited about. All in all disappointing considering the producer and the vintage. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
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Oak too dominant for me. Also how is this so closed for a 2011? Where's the fruit and lightness? Alcoholic and astringent. Not impressed. Hard and aggressive. Stoney and resistant to pleasure.
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Open with lovely cherry flavors, but good substance. Light Oregon spice, but Burgundian style. (Everyone thought it was French) More forward than the Savigny Lavieres of the same vintage, but more attractive and forward. Very nicely done, Veronique.
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This is a pretty damn delicious pinot that is drinking superbly right now. Some cedar floor on the nose. It hits the palate with some sweetness that evolves into a well balanced integration of earthy tannins, cranberries, cherries, and cedar spiciness. Elegant old world style. Each mouthful leaves you wanting more. While I don't think this wine will improve with further aging, it certainly could still hold out well for another 2 or 3 years in the cellar.
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Doing Pinot Noirs Blind, Covid-Style, in Seattle (Seattle, WA): Tasted blind. Smells slightly aged/older. Amidst the cherry fruit, a curious hay/alfalfa note. Light ruby. Good, bright acidity with cherry fruit and a nice mineral undertone. I guessed Burgundy, perhaps Oregon.
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Decanted for about 3 hours. When first opened the wine was very closed with muted aromas and lacking depth. But over time the wine opened up nicely. Light garnet color fading to rust at the edge. Notes of cherry compote, ripe strawberry, spice, black tea and a wisp of smoke. Moderately high acidity makes it a good food wine. Light bodied with a fairly long, mineral driven finish. An elegant wine from a very challenging vintage.
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Asperg Wine Syndrome Tasting Group: November 2019 edition: Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah Tasted blind. Not decanted. Clear, medium ruby-garnet color. Clean, medium intense, developing nose with some kitschy cherry and strawberry note, iron, spices, herbs and smoke. Youthful. Could be Pinot. Dry, medium+/high acidity and medium+/high tannin. 13,5% abv. Lots of red fruit, spices, oak well integrated as a noticeable backbone. Very dense, cool, masculine and young. Lots of power, still a bit closed. Medium+ finish. Give it 2-3+ more years. 88-90
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this has really improved a lot. gone is the tartness and in are even spicier profiles and feral notes. savoury with some fruit still left. lovely and worth the wait
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Agree with previous comment (just yesterday), this 2011 needed time. Drinking tonight it is lovely, if not particularly complex. I am glad my case got hidden behind some others, it still has plenty of life and, perhaps, some evolution.
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Complex flavors, light to medium bodied, rustic, good acid, not totally balanced but enough fruit to keep it interesting, drank with stuffed pork chops, will drink again.
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I had just about written off Domaine Drouhin's pinot after a series of confirming first through third impressions of the wine. Having signed onto to their mailing list, I received a case a year. In general the wines had too much alcohol, wood and over the top fruit for my tastes. So I unsubscribed and vowed to consume or give away the remaining bottles I had left. I'm down to 4 bottles.
I opened one of the four last night and was very pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't call 2011 Drouhin "Burgundian" but this wine displayed soft earth tones, subdued fruit and more mushroom than wood. The tannins were soft and the finish was suitably long. Perhaps I drank the initial bottles too soon?
This last bottle still has some time left in the bottle, unlike my notes from previous tasting. The tannins are still a bit young and rough. There is enough backbone to age a few more years. Try again in 2018.
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Disappointing - thin, very acidic, tannic, and earthy. Could only have one glass before I decided I couldn't drink any more of it, and that doesn't happen very often. :-p I really couldn't taste very much of the fruit - I wonder if my bottle was off somehow. Too bad, because we kept this one for five years and it just didn't deliver. Hours later, I can still sense the jarring aftertaste - not pleasant.
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Judgement of Price Edward County: (Tasted Double Blind) This pours a medium translucent red with purple flecks at the rim. The nose is of candied red cherry, mixed herbs, a touch of green bell pepepr, sour raspberry, leather, and soil. The palate is sour with elevated acid. Herbs and a touch of smoke round out the finish.
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Hmm, this just doesn't even come close to the normal DDO experience - so there you have it - it took on weight as the evening went on, had a nice perfume, but the palate and depth just not there, with a clipped finish - sub-standard vintage shows in this wine
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Good color. The nose is ripe and floral, showing red fruits and a hint of spice. This is medium bodied on the palate, with good concentration and good finesse for Oregon. The medium plus length finish features good acidity and slightly rustic tannins.
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Definitely on the younger side, but still showed enough to make for an enjoyable lunch wine. Has the crunchy juicy fruits of the vintage, delivered in a very elegant and balanced package. Blind, it would be impossible to tell it apart from a Bourgogne / lower end village wine. Not particularly complex, and ultimately not a great value at the price point, but quiet enjoyable nonetheless.
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Very nice. Only ding was the finish which was kind of short. A little smoky, some dark fruit, and a lot of spiciness. The nose is prettier than the taste but both are nice.
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Good wine;subtle but good flavor; medium bodied; drank easily; the bottle disappeared; drank with loin lamb chops; love PN with lamb;complex and just an excellent wine in an OK vintage in the Willamette Valley.Will drink again.
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A pleasant if not spectacular OR pinot showing notes of sour cherry and cranberry at this time. Not a lot to add since there are many other tasting notes for this wine. Expected a bit more for the price but perhaps this one needs more time as others have noted.
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Top quality NZ and US Pinot Noirs and Burgundies, with an old Loire to finish (Tinakori Bistro, Wellington): Colour deep ruby. Nose red fruited but appearing a little candied and confected. Not very expressive with an unusual iodine element. Sweet red fruit on the palate, flavours of red and black currants. Good acidity and well balanced, seemingly lightly extracted. with a cleanness of palate, suggesting stones and minerals, improved by the food. A little hard on the back palate. The alcohol seemed higher than the 13.9% alc on the label. For me the Dundee Hills Willamette Valley pinot noir was overshadowed by the French Drouhin.
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Pours nicely transparent, light on colour. Nose of cherry, anise, red and blue licorice, cherry blasters candy, and cinnamon. Palate is relative dense given the colour. Good structure with soft but slightly drying tannin and great acid. Cherry blaster and red licorice is replayed on the palate finish is medium, almost medium plus in length. Good and should merit a few more points. A restrained style but I wouldn't mistake it for burgundy, or if I did it would have to me from a warm vintage. High quality wine.
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Night 2: Fairly dark for 2011. The nose is thick with perfumed cherry and raspberry notes and hints of earth and oak spice. The structure on the palate is tight and clearly premature. It's tannin-driven with bright acidity and a tight finish. This is very young and primary, but could be enjoyed now with ample air time.
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Solid Pinot. Good varietal character on the nose, the boquet is still a bit sweet for my liking, but this is par for how I find most Oregon pinot. Judicious use of oak here, not overbearing, the fruit component is bright and tight.... good acidity followed by some intense fresh red cherry components. Much more in a burgundian vein than any of the preceding Oregon Drouhin's I've had. I could see this going for quite some time, and getting better for another five years.
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TASTED AT WINERY W/ DANNY. PRIVATE TOUR AND TASTING. A LITTLE TIGHT, SOME ACIDITY. ASST TASTING ROOM MANAGER SHANNON SAYS THIS VINTAGE WAS JUST LIKE THE 2007'S. MY IMPRESSION: WAIT A LITTLE BIT FOR IT TO SETTLE DOWN.
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Dark cherry, cedar, fresh soil, and toasted notes on nose. Cherry, tobacco, and subtle baking spices on the palate. Chewy tannins for a Pinot; medium-bodied, nice acidity.
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A bit of barnyard funk on the nose. Light, nearly transparent, red in color with a light body. Red cherry, darker cherry and clove notes. Austere, tart acidity that needs time to open and will benefit from further cellaring. I would put the early end of the drink window in 2015.
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Nose was cherry and clover, nice balance of fruit and mild acidity, not a big berry-bomb but rather a bit austere. This is a very approachable Pinot that would be a crowd-pleaser in most wine circles.
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Black tinged dark cherry red color; baked cherry, oak, strawberry nose; tart cherry, baked tart cherry, strawberry, oak, mineral palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (13.9% alcohol)
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Spices (clove), cedar, and dark fruit on the nose. Restrained fruit, overpowered slightly by the oak. Firm acidity. Will wait to see if the 2011 vintage resembles the previous cool Willamette vintage of 2008.
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Fresh strawberry and red fruit aromas. Light-to-medium bodied with more strawberry and red fruits, along with earth, beetroot and minerals. Very fruit forward with mouth watering acids. Chalky and dusty tannins that could use time. Medium-length finish. Hold at least 3-4 years.
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Dark raspberry red color with moderate transparency. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry, cherry, cranberry, and some thyme. Palate has crunchy raspberry and cranberry fruit with some tart cherry and rhubarb that carry into a grapey medium finish. Structural elements are dominating now and this needs food and air to be enjoyable beyond a taste. Hold.
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Good wine with nice intensity and fruit. Light color but lots of flavor. Have not had much 2011 Willamette Valley PN's. This wine was impressive with veal. Too many Oregon PN's are tasteless these days.
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Dundee Hills with Alan, Corina, Julie and Craig: Very pleasing aromas, with elegant fruit and soft aromatic texture. Soft texture on palate entry, but then developing gritty, cutting tannins as its held. Nicely tannic with mildly earthy fruits. Puckering acid on the finish as well, which is equally as tannic. Very sweet fruit though, and lots of interesting briar. Coating and puckering. Impressive entry level Pinot for 2011 that will certainly improve from here. 90+
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Pleasant to drink now, but this will not improve much with age. Structurally it is a lightweight. Drink now through 2016. Tasted twice with similar results.
APPEARANCE: Beautiful, dark red. Still pinot like in color with watery edges AROMA: Bright fruit. Pomegranate, cranberry, and a bit of tartness TASTE: Heavy black pepper. Little bit of heat on the back end, probably due to its youth
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New bottling and not ready for consumption or release. Bouquet & taste were identical. Harsh tobacco notes with very little fruit. Wine was tight and felt unripened. It tastes similar to the 2007 vintage which was another cool year but 6 years later became a favorite for everybody. You have to trust the winemaker, lay it down and hope that somewhere around 2017 you have scored a hit. Personally, it made me go back and snap up more of the 2010 vintage
11/18/2023 - azcowino Likes this wine: 89 Points
Drink now
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7/21/2023 - aChave Likes this wine: 90 Points
Very similar to my previous impression from 2021:
“ Open with lovely cherry flavors, but good substance. Light Oregon spice, but Burgundian style. (Everyone thought it was French) More forward than the Savigny Lavieres of the same vintage, but more attractive and forward. Very nicely done, Veronique.”
Decanted 2 hours.
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9/7/2022 - jmcafee wrote:
This fooled me. I was previously thinking that the drinking window was closing 5 years ago. Wrong. It has continued to mature gracefully. Beautiful and well balanced, on the downhill side of the window.
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6/3/2022 - tomandlu wrote:
No detailed notes. Recall it being rather light in color with simple aromas and an equally simple palate. It was nicely balanced but there really was nothing to get excited about. All in all disappointing considering the producer and the vintage. Purchased on release and stored in my cellar since.
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3/25/2022 - Radders12345 wrote: 88 Points
North London TWS Tastings series: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (Must and Lees, N1): Shy nose - perhaps hint of white pepper.
Palate has bright redcurrant, some more pepper spice. Acidity kicks in quite quickly.
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3/24/2022 - NickA Likes this wine: 91 Points
Chardonnays and Pinots of North London (Must & Lees): Spicy, with forest fruits. Soft and enjoyable. Didn't seem to have changed much from the time I had it in 2019 - plenty of time in hand.
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3/24/2022 - ricard wrote:
Oak too dominant for me. Also how is this so closed for a 2011? Where's the fruit and lightness? Alcoholic and astringent. Not impressed. Hard and aggressive. Stoney and resistant to pleasure.
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3/24/2022 - oenanthe Likes this wine: 89 Points
North London TWS Tastings series: Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (Must and Lees, N1): Another wine I would have guessed as french had I not seen the bottle. Piercingly bourgogne and really nice, but another one suffering from imposter syndrome. I would just ignore the label and the geography and enjoy the wine!
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11/16/2021 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Very nice and in a nice place. Well-rounded, towards red on the fruit profile, some pleasant light earthy flavors.
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9/25/2021 - Spragwell wrote: flawed
Got it as a gift right before we tried it. It had passed. Perhaps not stored well? Or just past due?
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6/17/2021 - aChave wrote: 89 Points
Open with lovely cherry flavors, but good substance. Light Oregon spice, but Burgundian style. (Everyone thought it was French) More forward than the Savigny Lavieres of the same vintage, but more attractive and forward. Very nicely done, Veronique.
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12/16/2020 - davo22 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a pretty damn delicious pinot that is drinking superbly right now. Some cedar floor on the nose. It hits the palate with some sweetness that evolves into a well balanced integration of earthy tannins, cranberries, cherries, and cedar spiciness. Elegant old world style. Each mouthful leaves you wanting more. While I don't think this wine will improve with further aging, it certainly could still hold out well for another 2 or 3 years in the cellar.
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11/26/2020 - mwneil Likes this wine: 91 Points
Earthy, balanced, fruit is subtle, nuanced complexity, drank with turkey, nicely aged, last bottle.
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6/12/2020 - Explorateur Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tart cherries, pleasant Pinot Noir, well balanced. Less expressive than warmer years from this label. Introvert. Well made and enjoyable.
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4/21/2020 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
My wife loved this. I liked it. Juicy, red fruits, maybe a little soft, some earthiness. Finish is quite pleasant.
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4/18/2020 - BRR Likes this wine:
Doing Pinot Noirs Blind, Covid-Style, in Seattle (Seattle, WA): Tasted blind. Smells slightly aged/older. Amidst the cherry fruit, a curious hay/alfalfa note. Light ruby. Good, bright acidity with cherry fruit and a nice mineral undertone. I guessed Burgundy, perhaps Oregon.
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3/31/2020 - boredo Likes this wine:
Decanted for about 3 hours. When first opened the wine was very closed with muted aromas and lacking depth. But over time the wine opened up nicely. Light garnet color fading to rust at the edge. Notes of cherry compote, ripe strawberry, spice, black tea and a wisp of smoke. Moderately high acidity makes it a good food wine. Light bodied with a fairly long, mineral driven finish. An elegant wine from a very challenging vintage.
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11/2/2019 - NoTrollingerPlease Likes this wine: 89 Points
Asperg Wine Syndrome Tasting Group: November 2019 edition: Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
Tasted blind. Not decanted. Clear, medium ruby-garnet color. Clean, medium intense, developing nose with some kitschy cherry and strawberry note, iron, spices, herbs and smoke. Youthful. Could be Pinot.
Dry, medium+/high acidity and medium+/high tannin. 13,5% abv. Lots of red fruit, spices, oak well integrated as a noticeable backbone. Very dense, cool, masculine and young. Lots of power, still a bit closed. Medium+ finish. Give it 2-3+ more years. 88-90
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7/26/2019 - fedro Likes this wine: 91 Points
this has really improved a lot. gone is the tartness and in are even spicier profiles and feral notes. savoury with some fruit still left. lovely and worth the wait
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7/24/2019 - NickA Likes this wine: 90 Points
Leon's Oregon Offline (Piccolino): Really nice balance between fruit and secondary flavours. A pleasant richness. At its sweet spot?
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2/25/2019 - QWL Likes this wine: 89 Points
Agree with previous comment (just yesterday), this 2011 needed time. Drinking tonight it is lovely, if not particularly complex. I am glad my case got hidden behind some others, it still has plenty of life and, perhaps, some evolution.
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2/24/2019 - dundeehills Likes this wine: 90 Points
Worth the wait. Drinking very well at this point.
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1/25/2019 - mwneil Likes this wine: 89 Points
Complex flavors, light to medium bodied, rustic, good acid, not totally balanced but enough fruit to keep it interesting, drank with stuffed pork chops, will drink again.
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11/11/2018 - sunalsorises wrote: 90 Points
Medium depth with fruit at the tip and a slightly tart finish. Hint of hot on the finish.
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8/16/2018 - chbeaumont wrote: 89 Points
Not overworked, expressive PN, with a feral note; a light peppery bite; some grip. Approaching its plateau.
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3/24/2018 - fedro Likes this wine: 91 Points
drank over 2 nights, thought it was entering its drinking window
very elegant and restrained
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1/3/2018 - Nickmc22 wrote: 95 Points
Amy and garrett
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6/26/2016 - pepmi wrote: 89 Points
I had just about written off Domaine Drouhin's pinot after a series of confirming first through third impressions of the wine. Having signed onto to their mailing list, I received a case a year. In general the wines had too much alcohol, wood and over the top fruit for my tastes. So I unsubscribed and vowed to consume or give away the remaining bottles I had left. I'm down to 4 bottles.
I opened one of the four last night and was very pleasantly surprised. I wouldn't call 2011 Drouhin "Burgundian" but this wine displayed soft earth tones, subdued fruit and more mushroom than wood. The tannins were soft and the finish was suitably long. Perhaps I drank the initial bottles too soon?
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6/8/2016 - jmcafee Likes this wine:
This last bottle still has some time left in the bottle, unlike my notes from previous tasting. The tannins are still a bit young and rough. There is enough backbone to age a few more years. Try again in 2018.
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5/27/2016 - Ron Felthoven wrote:
Moving along slowly. Hold 2 years.
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2/28/2016 - basianov Does not like this wine: 68 Points
Disappointing - thin, very acidic, tannic, and earthy. Could only have one glass before I decided I couldn't drink any more of it, and that doesn't happen very often. :-p I really couldn't taste very much of the fruit - I wonder if my bottle was off somehow. Too bad, because we kept this one for five years and it just didn't deliver. Hours later, I can still sense the jarring aftertaste - not pleasant.
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1/26/2016 - Wine Canuck wrote: 88 Points
Judgement of Price Edward County: (Tasted Double Blind) This pours a medium translucent red with purple flecks at the rim. The nose is of candied red cherry, mixed herbs, a touch of green bell pepepr, sour raspberry, leather, and soil. The palate is sour with elevated acid. Herbs and a touch of smoke round out the finish.
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1/22/2016 - xuaeinw wrote: 92 Points
Surprised at reviews below 90. I thought this was a pretty good wine ready to drink now.
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12/13/2015 - pdxscottyb Likes this wine: 95 Points
Aged beautifully! So tasty
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10/8/2015 - winot wrote: 87 Points
Hmm, this just doesn't even come close to the normal DDO experience - so there you have it - it took on weight as the evening went on, had a nice perfume, but the palate and depth just not there, with a clipped finish - sub-standard vintage shows in this wine
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10/10/2014 - KCBrian Likes this wine: 89 Points
Solid Pinot. Not as much strawberry as other pin its. Foo of bright tart red fruits. Decent QPR.
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10/8/2014 - aajder wrote: 87 Points
Good color. The nose is ripe and floral, showing red fruits and a hint of spice. This is medium bodied on the palate, with good concentration and good finesse for Oregon. The medium plus length finish features good acidity and slightly rustic tannins.
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10/6/2014 - Sifu111 wrote: 91 Points
Delightful. Earthy nose, sour cherries on palate, great acidity and balance. Medium finish. A real find.
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9/22/2014 - pifcho Likes this wine: 89 Points
Definitely on the younger side, but still showed enough to make for an enjoyable lunch wine. Has the crunchy juicy fruits of the vintage, delivered in a very elegant and balanced package. Blind, it would be impossible to tell it apart from a Bourgogne / lower end village wine. Not particularly complex, and ultimately not a great value at the price point, but quiet enjoyable nonetheless.
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9/17/2014 - Rktekt3 wrote: 78 Points
This sux. I actually wasted one usage of my coravin on this bottle.
At least I didnt buy the bottle. Gift.
On the plus side. It is a beautiful color of ruby red. On the nose it is nice as well. But if you are planning on drinking this, forgetaboutit.
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8/28/2014 - chitowncdpguy wrote:
Very nice. Only ding was the finish which was kind of short. A little smoky, some dark fruit, and a lot of spiciness. The nose is prettier than the taste but both are nice.
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7/31/2014 - mwneil Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good wine;subtle but good flavor; medium bodied; drank easily; the bottle disappeared; drank with loin lamb chops; love PN with lamb;complex and just an excellent wine in an OK vintage in the Willamette Valley.Will drink again.
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5/18/2014 - brown57 Likes this wine: 90 Points
A pleasant if not spectacular OR pinot showing notes of sour cherry and cranberry at this time. Not a lot to add since there are many other tasting notes for this wine. Expected a bit more for the price but perhaps this one needs more time as others have noted.
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5/7/2014 - ecdysiast Likes this wine:
Nose is elegant, but the palate is bold and a bit wild. Wouldn't open this again for a couple years.
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4/17/2014 - HowardNZ Likes this wine:
Top quality NZ and US Pinot Noirs and Burgundies, with an old Loire to finish (Tinakori Bistro, Wellington): Colour deep ruby. Nose red fruited but appearing a little candied and confected. Not very expressive with an unusual iodine element. Sweet red fruit on the palate, flavours of red and black currants. Good acidity and well balanced, seemingly lightly extracted. with a cleanness of palate, suggesting stones and minerals, improved by the food. A little hard on the back palate. The alcohol seemed higher than the 13.9% alc on the label. For me the Dundee Hills Willamette Valley pinot noir was overshadowed by the French Drouhin.
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4/16/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 88 Points
Pours nicely transparent, light on colour. Nose of cherry, anise, red and blue licorice, cherry blasters candy, and cinnamon. Palate is relative dense given the colour. Good structure with soft but slightly drying tannin and great acid. Cherry blaster and red licorice is replayed on the palate finish is medium, almost medium plus in length. Good and should merit a few more points. A restrained style but I wouldn't mistake it for burgundy, or if I did it would have to me from a warm vintage. High quality wine.
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2/10/2014 - MoserJP Likes this wine: 90 Points
Night 2: Fairly dark for 2011. The nose is thick with perfumed cherry and raspberry notes and hints of earth and oak spice. The structure on the palate is tight and clearly premature. It's tannin-driven with bright acidity and a tight finish. This is very young and primary, but could be enjoyed now with ample air time.
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2/7/2014 - Winekrupt Likes this wine: 90 Points
Solid Pinot. Good varietal character on the nose, the boquet is still a bit sweet for my liking, but this is par for how I find most Oregon pinot. Judicious use of oak here, not overbearing, the fruit component is bright and tight.... good acidity followed by some intense fresh red cherry components. Much more in a burgundian vein than any of the preceding Oregon Drouhin's I've had. I could see this going for quite some time, and getting better for another five years.
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1/17/2014 - terroirgeek wrote:
TASTED AT WINERY W/ DANNY. PRIVATE TOUR AND TASTING. A LITTLE TIGHT, SOME ACIDITY. ASST TASTING ROOM MANAGER SHANNON SAYS THIS VINTAGE WAS JUST LIKE THE 2007'S. MY IMPRESSION: WAIT A LITTLE BIT FOR IT TO SETTLE DOWN.
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1/16/2014 - PT insurgent wrote:
WSET Level 3; 1/13/2014-1/17/2014 (WSET School, London): Medium+ nose of strawberry, red plum, meat.
High acid, Med+ tannin, cinnamon, strawberry, raspberry, pepper.
Very good wine.
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12/31/2013 - apmarques Likes this wine: 88 Points
Amazing - young but totally ready to drink. Great wine.
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10/5/2013 - jviz wrote: 89 Points
A delicate wine - agree with notes of cherry, rose petals. Subtle wine that would pair well with salmon or veal
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9/9/2013 - behm0027 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Dark cherry, cedar, fresh soil, and toasted notes on nose. Cherry, tobacco, and subtle baking spices on the palate. Chewy tannins for a Pinot; medium-bodied, nice acidity.
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8/12/2013 - Wine Gopher wrote: 89 Points
A bit of barnyard funk on the nose. Light, nearly transparent, red in color with a light body. Red cherry, darker cherry and clove notes. Austere, tart acidity that needs time to open and will benefit from further cellaring. I would put the early end of the drink window in 2015.
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7/31/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 89 Points
Willamette Valley Oregon Trip 4 & 1/2 Days; 7/29/2013-8/4/2013 (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Love the nose on this wine, but it far exceeds the palate. The nose shows roses, dust, dried earth, perfume, strawberry. The palate is woody, tannic, red fruits, cherry finish. Maybe this will settle down.
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7/13/2013 - Mike Oxlong Likes this wine: 90 Points
Nose was cherry and clover, nice balance of fruit and mild acidity, not a big berry-bomb but rather a bit austere. This is a very approachable Pinot that would be a crowd-pleaser in most wine circles.
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6/11/2013 - rjonwine@gmail.com wrote: 91 Points
Black tinged dark cherry red color; baked cherry, oak, strawberry nose; tart cherry, baked tart cherry, strawberry, oak, mineral palate with medium acidity; medium-plus finish (13.9% alcohol)
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6/11/2013 - behm0027 Likes this wine: 88 Points
Spices (clove), cedar, and dark fruit on the nose. Restrained fruit, overpowered slightly by the oak. Firm acidity. Will wait to see if the 2011 vintage resembles the previous cool Willamette vintage of 2008.
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6/2/2013 - Jake112380 Likes this wine: 89 Points
Day Trip to the Willamette Valley (Willamette Valley, Oregon): Nose has a foundation of earth with red fruit notes. Flavors of unripe cherry with a hint of oak. Very long finish. Needs to lay down a few years.
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5/22/2013 - IamNotDrinkingAny#@!%Merlot wrote: 89 Points
Delicate, very nuanced, lighter-bodied pinot. Beautiful flavors, although could have had some more depth for me.
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5/13/2013 - nav2u wrote: 88 Points
Medium-light ruby. High-toned, and a little lean, with strong white pepper, sour cherry, and raspberry notes. Definitely too young.
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4/15/2013 - cono_sur wrote: 89 Points
Fresh strawberry and red fruit aromas. Light-to-medium bodied with more strawberry and red fruits, along with earth, beetroot and minerals. Very fruit forward with mouth watering acids. Chalky and dusty tannins that could use time. Medium-length finish. Hold at least 3-4 years.
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4/14/2013 - fredb Likes this wine:
Dark raspberry red color with moderate transparency. Aromas of raspberry, blackberry, cherry, cranberry, and some thyme. Palate has crunchy raspberry and cranberry fruit with some tart cherry and rhubarb that carry into a grapey medium finish. Structural elements are dominating now and this needs food and air to be enjoyable beyond a taste. Hold.
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4/14/2013 - mwneil Likes this wine: 91 Points
Good wine with nice intensity and fruit. Light color but lots of flavor. Have not had much 2011 Willamette Valley PN's. This wine was impressive with veal. Too many Oregon PN's are tasteless these days.
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4/6/2013 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 90 Points
Dundee Hills with Alan, Corina, Julie and Craig: Very pleasing aromas, with elegant fruit and soft aromatic texture. Soft texture on palate entry, but then developing gritty, cutting tannins as its held. Nicely tannic with mildly earthy fruits. Puckering acid on the finish as well, which is equally as tannic. Very sweet fruit though, and lots of interesting briar. Coating and puckering. Impressive entry level Pinot for 2011 that will certainly improve from here. 90+
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3/30/2013 - Zweder wrote: 89 Points
Ripe fruits and also focus and minerality. Good acidity. Beautiful and youthful wine. Wait a few years.
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3/22/2013 - cartime Likes this wine: 89 Points
Tart black cherry and black berry with lots of earthiness and minerality. Nice.
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3/16/2013 - terroirgeek wrote:
TASTED AT WINERY 3/16/13-VERY FRESH AND NICE ACIDITY. NICE BALANCE AND STRUCTURE.
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3/16/2013 - jmcafee wrote: 87 Points
Pleasant to drink now, but this will not improve much with age. Structurally it is a lightweight. Drink now through 2016. Tasted twice with similar results.
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3/1/2013 - bjecjohnson Likes this wine: 91 Points
APPEARANCE: Beautiful, dark red. Still pinot like in color with watery edges
AROMA: Bright fruit. Pomegranate, cranberry, and a bit of tartness
TASTE: Heavy black pepper. Little bit of heat on the back end, probably due to its youth
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2/10/2013 - Oregon Pinot wrote: 85 Points
New bottling and not ready for consumption or release. Bouquet & taste were identical. Harsh tobacco notes with very little fruit. Wine was tight and felt unripened. It tastes similar to the 2007 vintage which was another cool year but 6 years later became a favorite for everybody. You have to trust the winemaker, lay it down and hope that somewhere around 2017 you have scored a hit. Personally, it made me go back and snap up more of the 2010 vintage
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