1789 Wines 2009 Pinot Noir
Single Vineyard Chehalem Mountains
Bright ruby-red. Seductive bouquet of raspberry, mulberry, star anise and rose oil, plus a hint of musky herbs.
Supple and seamless on the palate, with fresh red and dark berry flavors picking up a musky character with air.
Fine-grained tannins add shape and grip to the finish, which features a smoky hint of black cardamom.
This drinks very well now with some decanting.
91 Points
[ Josh Raynolds - Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar ]
The 2009 Pinot Noir was aged for 11 months in 20% new French oak.
Aromas of spicy cherries and raspberries, incense, and earthy minerals inform the nose
of an elegant, fresh, tasty, impeccably balanced Pinot.
Like most of its peers in 2009, it could have used greater depth and concentration but such was not to be. Nevertheless, it is a charming effort meant for drinking over the next 5-6 years.
90 Points
[ Jay Miller - Wine Advocate - October 2011 ]
This is a glorious example of Dundee Hills pinot, with crystalline red fruits
that are the distilled essence of that terroir.
It's young and a bit tight now -- but after I decanted my bottle for a full day, it was impossible to stop drinking it. When experienced French winemakers do Oregon pinot,
they tend to ride a line between traditional and New World styles in delicious fashion.
This one hits every marker needed to qualify as great pinot noir, and is very strongly recommended.
[ Robert Wolfe - Oregon Pinot Guy ]