Will be visiting Oregon next week and was wondering how the recent vintages for Pinot Noir and Chardonnay stack up? Seems like the 2012’s and 2013’s is what’s mostly on the market now.
You are going to need to select carefully with each of those vintages. Many of the '12 wines, both white and red, tend to the ripe side. The 13’s can lack concentration. There are plenty of wonderful wines made in all the recent vintages. Try to taste before purchase.
P Hickner
In my recent experience, some places might still be pouring 2011 Pinots which can be thin or acidic depending on the producer and vineyard. A few places have 14s already, which from the small number I’ve tasted are showing great.
Yah, I agree with the above statements. A friend and I just went and most places were pouring 2013’s with a 2012 thrown in.
We each preferred different years (me 13, him 12), so it’s a case of needing to taste and see what you like more. Places seem to be willing to sell other years if they had it as well.
Biggio Hamina opens up whatever you want if you’re looking to get a hands on experience with Oregon vintages, which is what we did. Highly recommended.
(oh and I’m talking about PNs, didn’t have enough chardonnay’s to comment)
I like the 12s a lot. A lot like 08, with good density. Maybe some producers tend towards overripeness in that vintage, but not the ones I buy. '13s seem to be doing pretty well now too.
While others of us have purchased many more '11 PNs than we will of either '12 or '13. It’ll depend on your preferred style. That said, I have had many delicious '12 chardonnays.
They are all good, just in different ways.
Argyle is pouring some '14s pinot. They are fruitier than 2013 and I’m a little embarassed to say I like the 2014s quite a bit more, initially at least.
I seek out 2010s and 2011s but for the more recent vintages it really depends on location and winemaker. Many made amazing wines. As noted above. Make (and hold) 1-2 appointments a day with winemakers and ask to taste through 2010 and 2011 along with current releases. I learn something every time!
Some folks will have 2015 whites already in bottle and depending on producers some have really nice acidity to balance the fruit. I had initially been very suspicious of the vintage but recent tastings have proven me just as wrong as right.
I’m an Oregon PN newbie, but am interested in learning more. I was at Trisaetum last weekend and they poured an '07 whch I thought was fantastic, and they mentioned that it was a vintage maligned in the press, but that it has turned a corner recently. What about '07 was challenging and does '11 have parallels? I’ve had some '11s that were so delicate and beautiful and some that lacked concentration, should '11s from good producers that fall into the latter category benefit from bottle time? I guess I’m not 100% sure how to imagine what aging might do to PN as well as I can for Bordeaux/Rhone varietals since I lack much experience drinking it.
This is a huge generalization but many 07s got diluted by rain before harvest and some didn’t fully ripen. 11 was a cooler year than 07 but without the rain issue. 11 just needs time, so long as the winemaker didn’t do anything funny, those wines should gain weight, complexity and fruit as they age. My best guess if I didn’t know the producer is to drink them after I drank all my 2010s and between 2017 and 2025
Oh man. Lot’s for you to read 
Another Shitty '07 Oregon Pinot Noir - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers
Cheers,
Jason
As you will see, many of us here really liked the 07 from day 1. I think 11 is superior but I really enjoyed drinking the 07s.
I’ll let others do a better job of actually answering your question 
Jason
Nothing at all wrong with liking the 14s more now. The13 vintage is like a better 07, and my 07s took some time(less for Jason) to become beautiful. 14 is a very attractive and approachable vintage, and should be good to drink while waiting for the 2013s.
Fruity is right. The early release '14s from Cameron are much fruitier than I imagined they would be. Much.
Paul, I just bottled the 2015 Whistling Ridge Blanc today. Seeing heat statistics, one might be surprised by a 12.7% abv, 5.9g RS, 3.05 pH supremely crystalline and pure white from 2015.
It’s as good a vintage for this wine as any I have made. (not winemaker hyperbole)
I want some of that Marcus, wanna trade for a few bottles of my pink Gew?
I need some. You around August 29?
J
Todd-sure thing. 6 for 6?
Jason-the 29th is Fletcher’s2nd birthday. Ping me as we get closer and I am sure we can work something out
Sounds good, see you next week.