A trip to our favorite American region, Oregon's Willamette Valley, brought us this 2008 pinot...EXPERIENCE
Cork is very light with a little scent of perfume. The nose is like "dirty" cherry coke, not quite as funky and earthy as other Willamette pinot we've had. The first taste has a light sweetness on the tongue and an interesting bitterness to the finish reminiscent of pecorino cheese and white pepper. A fairly subdued (in a good way), medium bodied, almost old-world Oregon pinot.
VERDICT
GREAT VALUE - This bottle retails for $35, though you should be able to find it in the mid $20 range. American pinot can often be over the top, high in alcohol, and too bold and unbalanced for our tastes. This bottle, however, is a great example of a uniquely American wine that shows restraint and winemaker that values balance over shock value. This is very much in line with what the Super-Tuscan winemakers are doing back in Italy.
FACTS
Willamette Valley Vineyards is located in Northwest Oregeon just south of Salem. Their 2008 "Founder's Reserve" Pinot Noir is made from 100% pinot noir grapes and weighs in at 13.1% alcohol. The winemaker boasts that 2008 offered the best winemaking conditions that OR has possibly ever experienced. Check out this wine's fact sheet and the vineyard's site for more details.
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