TN: 2008 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Estate Reserve

WINE TALK
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  • 2008 Belle Pente Pinot Noir Estate Reserve - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Yamhill-Carlton (9/17/2017)
    Decanted 3 hrs. Agree with Loren Sonkins recent note - a very good wine though perhaps I had higher expectations of where this stands today. Some funk and a tiny bit of VA blew off pretty quick in the decanter giving the wine a pleasing nose of berries and spice. Sweet, black cherry fruit works with some nice spice layers and pretty good acidity - it just felt a bid muddled together. Hopefully, this is just a by product of youthful adolescence and things will come into clearer focus done the road. I hope to save my last bottle for around 2020 - 22. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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Thanks for the TN. I thought this was super-balanced for the vintage when first tasted several years ago. In general for most 08s, the ripeness has really emerged…formerly hidden by structure. 9 years from vintage, this should be in the drinking window…acknowledging that 2008 was a huge exception when talking about what’s “normal” for OR Pinots.

“Muddled together” doesn’t sound wonderful. 4 bottles left so I’ll probably pop one next year at the 10 year mark.

RT

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I am finding mid level 08’s to be drinking well now. No issue with excess ripeness. A recent DDO WV and Evesham Wood Eola-Amity Hills were excellent.

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I had one of these a week ago; should have posted a note. Instead of “muddled,” I might use the term nondescript. Nothing seemed to be going on, nice enough wine, but I was expecting more at this stage. That said, I’m a big fan of Brian’s wines and have “followed him from the start,” meeting on the wine boards of days gone by and visiting the winery several times. It will be interesting to see if the 08 blossoms with a little more time. The score of 91 is about right.

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I recall reading something awhile back where someone (that I trusted) said that the 2008 vintage is going to be a vintage that rewards longer than normal aging…I wonder if the structure of the wines from this vintage will need more patience than say 2009 or 2010…

I didn’t buy much during this vintage due to other financial needs that were more pressing. The few bottles I do have, I’m hoping I’ll give them the patience they need.

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we were just out in oregon in mid-august and had a chance to taste and talk with Brian for a while. he mentioned that they just did a retrospective tasting of every vintage they’ve produced, and the consensus across the board was that each of their wines typically showed best with between 8-12 years of age. with that in mind, i’m sure a vintage like 08 will be on the end of that spectrum and beyond.

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We just tasted the 08 with Brian last month. We really enjoyed it.