TN: 2006 Oregon Pinot Noir Retrospective

WINE TALK
21

Only '06 OR Pinot I have remaining is Retour. Loved it when it came out and still love it today. Only '05’s I have are Shea and they’ve been tight, tight, tight. So I’ll sit on those a little longer.

22

Thanks for the notes, Loren. My general impressions follow yours. An '06 Westrey Abbey Ridge last week, while well made, was not in my wheel house: jammier and bigger than I prefer. The Thomas, on the other hand, is a keeper. Your notes are consistent with mine from late October.

23

Kinda fun reading everyone’s lists which provides a view into palates. Since I actively began cellaring in 2002 I’ll start there.

My top 3: (Theme here is moderate alcohols, solid fruit & structure)

2008: HOLD
2002: HOLD/DRINK (many are ready, some aren’t)
2005: HOLD (I did have very good experience recently with an 05 Belle Pente Murto which is coming around nicely)

Next 3: (07 & 10 are very elegant vintages, many beautiful wines which are turn offs for those looking for power)

2007: HOLD/DRINK (Many are in a gorgeous place and are hard to lay off on)
2010: HOLD (except for entry bottlings. Could end up a swap with 2007)
2004: Unsure (Haven’t opened any recently – I might have to swap with 09)

bottom 3: (similarity here is all warm vintages of different character)

I’ve found more 03’s to like than 06… but mostly I chose to sit all 3 of these vintages out so I can afford to cellar more from preferred vintages.
2009 (Agree with Jim’s assessment of the best wines. There are some stunning examples that I may break down and buy)
2003 (Many are simply pruny due to the extreme heat before harvest, but cooler sites did better. The better 03’s are better than similar 06’s imo)
2006 (Crazy alcohol’s in many, often soft & flabby)

24

The 1995 Cameron Abbey Ridge I had a year ago (actually 2 years now I think) made me weak in the knees. It still took 3 hours to open up, and the purity was breathtaking. I still have one more (thank you WineBid!!!).

I chatted with the winemaker, John Paul, about it. He said they worked hard at the sorting table that vintage, clearing out the rot.

25

My view lines up very well with yours, Steve!

Among the pre 2002 vintages, I have been pleased with many 2001’s and 1999’s but generally have had the best experience with 1998’s.

Cellar wise, I am unfortunately too long on 2006 but about half of that is Thomas!

26

Well this is fun. If I recall correctly, with the spaces indicating a gap in categories in terms of success:

2008
1985
1983
1998
1999
1988
2002

2005
1993
1989
2007
1986
1994
2001

1992
2000
1982
2004
1991
1990

1997
1987
1995
2006
1996
2003
1984 (the birth of Oregon Pinot rose)

Andy I am sure we can help you with your 2006 Thomas’ if they become a burden for you.

27

Thanks for your kind offer but Thomas is never a burden! In fact, Thomas is by far the largest holding in my cellar going back 14 vintages.

Now there are some other '06’s…

28

Same idea as Steve, with slightly different groupings.

  1. Classic, with wines that can appeal to a wide range of tastes, but needing time in the bottle
    '08
    '05
    '10 (probably '11 also)
    '02 Now ready, and never really shut down like the above.

  2. Ripe
    '09
    '04
    '06
    '03
    Placed in order of preference.
    I’ve tasted a number of well balanced, ageable '09s eg. Belle Pente, Brick House, Patricia Green, Westry, and more. Same goes for '04 and '06, but a smaller percentage make the cut. Both weather and more experienced wine making puts '09 well at the head of this class.

  3. Useful. Not classic overall, but some great wines with careful selection
    '07
    '01
    '00

P Hickner

29

Interesting. The only 1985 that I have had was an '85 Arterberry that Jim popped for RT, our spouses and me at a tasting earlier this year (the day before the '07 Smackdown). It was amazing. Also, what are your thoughts on were '09 fits in?

30

[worship.gif] You and Susan definately need to make a trek to St. Louis!

Loren – Apologies for the off-topic drift.

31

Greg,

[cheers.gif]

Look forward to seeing you again in either locale!

32

I’d say right after 1992; omitted it unintentionally. Didn’t rate 2010 or 2011 yet, insufficient time/samples. I probably struggled most with rating 2006 as I have had some beautiful '06s, but have had too many uckly ducklings as well and they are more recent memory-wise than are other vintages.

That '85 Arterberry was one of the breakout stars of the vintage all right, and at that time in Oregon’s history one of the breakout Oregon wines period. A nice treat for you Greg!

33

John, that 1985 Arterberry was a remarkable treat and amazingly generous of young Jim Arterberry-Maresh. Which 06s did you find beautiful? Every “rough” vintage seems to have a few outliers.

Andy, last night Greg opened a '94 Thomas that (once the crumbled cork was filtered and the pseudo-corkiness blew off) was lip smackingly NSG-like.

RT

34

Rich, the ones that come to mind today are La Bete Meredith Mitchell, Andrew Rich WV, Iris Hill Reserve, Evesham Wood (except maybe the Eola AVA), Amity Sunnyside (I think it was that vyd), Ken Wright Carter, Le Cadeau Cote Est, Bethel Heights Flat Block (or was it South Block?). But there have been plenty of duds, for my palate anyway, even amongst some of my favorite producers. I have not kept a lot in the cellar other than EW and La Bete. Perhaps others are getting better and I should have waited, and if so that’s my error. But frankly the contrast with '07 and then '08 was so stark that it probably reduced my opinion of '06s by sheer proximity.

35

Iris (they have since dropped the Hill) is located south of Eugene in a relatively cool site. Their $15 2002 WV was our house wine for as long as I could still find stores with it in stock. How much cooler is their site than the northern valley? Their 2006 reserve is 1-1.5% below most of the PN’s made that year! They do use 100% new oak with their reserve – be prepared to sit on these to give the oak time to integrate.

Final Analysis 2006 Iris Reserve just 13.54% alcohol; TA 5.4; pH 3.59

36

I am jealous. '94 is the only Thomas vintageI have never had!

37

Sorry about my contributions to thread drift.

Anyone interested in a 2006 Oregon Pinot get together in January once we’re past the Holidays. Perhaps we can do a Clint Eastwood theme…“The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”?

38

I have precious little to contribute, but I’m sure I can dig up something. Set up a thread in the offline forum.

39

Andy et al: I’m always interested in an Oregon PN retrospective…even if it is 2006.

Cheers,

Doug

40

I did not see anyone mention Antica Terra in this discussion. I suspect Maggie’s wines may be too “big” for some of the tastes as I read between the lines here. I really enjoyed her 2006s which drank quite well young and mine are all gone now. The 2007 regulars are just now starting to open based on a 2 bottle sampling over the past two years. The Botanica 2007 needs many years based on one bottle this summer. I have not tried any of her 2008s and will probably let both the regular and the Botanica rest for a few years.

I suspect most here know she was involved in SQN for many years and if you like those Pinots I think you would like Antica Terra…though I think hers are even a touch better…more complex overall IMHO.

Cheers, Bob