A special thank you to Ian Burch and Shawn Bavaresco from Scott Paul for hosting this year’s event. We had an outstanding panel of wines from the 2010 vintage. 35 wines – 7 flights with 5 wines per.
Others will post their notes. This initial post is simply to seed the post-event discussion.
Flight One - Willamette Valley AVA
Division Un, 12.1%
Panther Creek Winemakers Cuvee, 13%
Boedecker Stewart, 13.5%
J Christopher WV, 13%
Antica Terra WV, 13%
Flight Two - Eola-Amity Hills AVA
Vincent Zenith Vineyard, 13.1%
Biggio Hamina Zenith, 13%
Grochau Bjornson, 13.1%
Witness Tree Vintage Select, 13.1%
Walter Scott Dumb Ox, 13.5%
Flight Three - Yamhill-Carlton District AVA + 1 McMinnville AVA
JL Kiff, 13.7%
Belle Pente Belle Pente Vyd, 12.9%
Denison Kiff, 13.5%
Seufert Coleman Vineyard, 13.5% (McMinnville AVA)
Stephen Goff Shea, 13.5%
Flight Four - Dundee Hills AVA
Walter Scott Holstein, 13.5%
Belle Pente Murto, 13%
Artisanal Murto Vineyard, 12.5%
Scott Paul Audrey, 13.1%
Arterberry Maresh Loie’s Maresh, 12.6%
Flight Five - Dundee Hills AVA + 1 WV AVA
Anderson Family, 12.7%
Matello Durant Vineyard, 13.5%
Patricia Green Balcombe 1B, 13%
Andrew Rich The Knife Edge, 13.5% (WV AVA)
Thomas, 13.1%
Flight Six - Ribbon Ridge AVA + 2 others
Brickhouse Cuvee du Tonnelier, 13%
Redman Reserve, 13.7%
Ayres Pioneer, 13.5%
Evesham Wood Le Puits Sec, 13% (Eola-Amity Hills AVA)
Anne Amie L’Iris (WV AVA), 13.3%
Flight Seven - Chehalem Mountains AVA + 2 others
J. Christopher Lia’s Vineyard, 13%
Carabella Estate, 13.5%
Beckham Estate, 13.3%
Evesham Wood La Grive Bleue, 13% (Eola-Amity Hills AVA)
Cameron Abbey Ridge, 12.6% (Dundee Hills AVA)
Thanks to everyone for providing a nice panel of starter wines, great snacks, waters, and company. Let the discussion begin.
I found a few of the wines to be obviously flawed, and aside from the corked wine, no one really talked about it.
Overall the wines were good, lots of different styles from different climates.
Standouts for me were the J Christopher WV, Anne Amie l’Iris, Evesham Wood La Grieve Bleu, Scott Paul Audrey, Arterberry Maresh Loie’s, Walter Scott Dumb Ox and Antica Terra WV.
The group usually bypasses conversations about flaws. It’s a mixed group of producers and consumers, and one persons flaw is often another person’s passion.
It was an interesting tasting. 2010 was defined by a late wet spring, cool summer, and good fall weather until a distinctly nasty rain event showed up. Almost everyone rushed to pick the small crop in the exact same 2-4 days. It wasn’t until today that I realized, with the range of pick days minimized there was a much stronger similarity in the wines than is typical and AVA typicity seemed more prominent.
Standouts:
J. Christopher WV
Walter Scott
Belle Pente Murto
Brickhouse
Biggio Hamina
While many of my favorite names are among the 35 wines listed, not very many are what I would think of as “standard bearers”, particularly after you take out the ones you listed as being successful. I can only gather you are referring to Thomas, PG, and Antica Terra.
Also, IIRC, there was a good bit of positive press from both producers and scribes as to '10 being a very good vintage so interesting (once again) to hear that it ain’t quite so. I invested heavily. When will I ever learn that the old saw from some Bordeaux expert expressed in the late 70’s that “the best vintage in recent history is the one hitting the shelves” is not only valid but of universal application.
Actually Mitch, I thought most of the Pinots were good to excellent.
My favs, not in order:
J. Christopher WV
Antica Terra (and I usually am not a fan)
Witness Tree
Walter Scott Dumb Ox
JL Kiff (never heard of it before)
Belle Pente Estate
Belle Pente Murto
Scott Paul Audrey, despite the reduction
Arterberry Maresh, specialty bottling
Matello Durant
Andrew Rich Knife Edge
Redmond reserve (never heard of it before)
Ayres Pioneer, reduced
Disappointments included Evesham Puits, Cameron Abbey, Thomas (lightly corked) and the PGC… All related to specific issues which may or may not be observed in different bottles at different times.
A hearty thanks to Ian Burch of Scott Paul for hosting…and a nod to Steven Miller for the fine organization.
My overall impression of the tasting was that it is an excellent vintage and one I really wish I had more of in my cellar. I only listed my absolute favorites but many of the wines were very good. Should you wish to divest yourself of any of your 2010 “investments”, I am happy to help you with that process
I think 2010s were so beautiful and harmonious when young. The fruit was beautifully balanced, precise, and the wines were exceptionally drinkable for a cool vintage. At this moment, the fruit is subsiding in some of these wines, and the tertiary flavors are evolving up. However, IMO, many of the wines felt like they were in a phase where these two disparate flavor groups were not in harmony. IMO, the Belle Pente wines really seemed ready for business and the Antica Terra also seemed like it should be consumed sooner rather than later. With the exception of a few flawed wines, everything else seemed quite solid but in need of a few more years.
Evesham Wood and Cameron are two of my personal favorite wineries and today, IMO, just wasn’t a good day for those bottles. Others may feel differently. It was a good reminder for me that making consistently great Pinot Noir from a challenging climatic region is very, very difficult. Of the standard bearers you mentioned, the PGC wine really seemed to need(as opposed to want) a few more years in bottle, and our bottle of Thomas was debated as to being very mildly corked.
ABV’s reflected the cool vintage. Low for the tasting was 12.1 and high 13.7. Average & Median 13.1. I’m certainly wishing I owned more 2010’s after this tasting. So many beautiful wines right in my personal wheelhouse.
Interesting observations. I have missed the last couple of these events largely in part because it coincides with my wedding anniversary and I have felt like it’s more important to get away with my wife than to attend the post-IPNC sausage fest (just kidding guys).
I’ve been a huge fan of the 2010’s and I too found that they have been beauties just about all their lives. Interesting to think they may be hitting an awkward/transition phase. I will try to be patient. Looking back on my own CT notes I’ve consistently had winners, most recently a 2010 Matello Whistling Ridge (one of the best OR wines I’ve ever had). A recent Brickhouse Evelyn’s was slightly disappointing for the $50 price tag, but very good nonetheless.
Sometimes I wonder how truly well wines can show in this type of tasting forum. I much prefer to sit with a bottle over the course of a few hours and see all it has to offer and how it evolves. But these glimpses at the cross section of a vintage are pretty unique. I miss you guys and I’m glad to see you keeping the tradition alive!
(In my best Bob Wood voice) I was only able to stay for the first four flights, but I was generally unimpressed with the wines I tasted. I thought Joel Kiff’s wine was very good, as was the Walter Scott Dumb-Ox. I also thought the fourth flight had four good wines in it - the Walter Scott, Belle Pente, Scott Paul & Arterberry Maresh. Overall I would have liked to have seen a little more of an acid backbone, a stronger, more concentrated mid-palate, and more complete finishes. I haven’t touched any of my 2010’s yet, and after this tasting, I’m not sure why I’m waiting.
I think 2007 was a better vintage than this, but maybe I’ve been drinking too much Champagne lately…
That was tasty Champagne, and the magnum of Chardonnay was probably my Wine of the Tasting (which is why I’m trying to increase the percentage of Chardonnay in my cellar). Ron, I’m afraid that I’m mainly drinking 2005 through 2009 these days. I’m waiting on the 2012’s, and I have very few 2013’s or 2014’s (see the Chardonnay comment).
Some of the flaws were definitely discussed quietly, in small groups. Opinions on flaws are often not announced to all. There were a few, but overall I really liked these wines. I would be very happy to sit down to a meal with most of these (which was mentioned by others and is partly recognition that some wines show well in these types of formats and some do not - either by style or where they are grouped in a flight).
A lot of the wines I liked best, but not all, had the best finishes. I suspect some will develop a really nice finish and some won’t. And I haven’t generally seen 2010 as having a particularly stuffed middle, so didn’t consider that a downfall.
While it is very interesting experience new producers, I wouldn’t have minded seeing a few more of the so-called “standard bearers” (or at least what the general public views as standard-bearers, by reputation or by relative longevity) represented to give a broader perspective on the vintage. Beaux Freres, Eyrie, DDO, Penner-Ash, Adelsheim, Elk Cove, etc.
Not-in-rank-order favorites:
J Christopher WV
Antica Terra
Boedecker
Vincent
Biggio Hamina
WS Dumb Ox
Kiff
Belle Pente Belle Pente
WS Holstein
Arterberry Maresh
Matello
Andrew Rich
Anne Amie
Brick House
J Christopher Lia’s
EW La Grive Bleue
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Ron, I’m afraid that I’m mainly drinking 2005 through 2009 these days. I’m waiting on the 2012’s, and I have very few 2013’s or 2014’s (see the Chardonnay comment).[/quote]
Rick,
I know you’re too much of a baller to be drinking those wines now (or ever, w/r to 2014). My comment was actually alluding to the issue of whether people (laypeople?) will start getting used to the run of bigger vintages we’ve had and find the more typical historic years to be “thin.”
As to the 2013s, I am starting to wish I had bought more. I bought a ton of PGC, a good amount of Vincent, and some Matello/Goodfellow. Nothing else, except a few stray bottles. Maybe I just picked right and was successfully selective, but all of those wines are kicking ass. Marcus’s 2013s have acid galore and you will not be wanting for any more! I think some of the better wines in that year could be looked back on as truly fine wines.
Looking over my notes as I enjoy some Matello Souris 2010 (Well Done, Marcus!).
I felt the 2010’s overall were very consistent; outside of a few mildly corked or otherwise flawed bottles I felt like there were many very good wines across the flights.
A few of my favorites in no order:
Antica Terra
Belle Pente
Artisanal Murto
Scott Paul Audrey
Brick House Tonnellier
Looks like I may have underestimated the berserker presence in my area…if no one has put the pieces together I was the younger guy with the big hair at the end of the table.
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