2014 Cameron Ribbon Ridge

My first of six. Did not disappoint. Wave of pinot goodness hits the nose upon opening. The first taste was almost off-puttingly dense; is this CA PN? No, no, it’s okay. It settled down. Actually kind of awesome. Cameron kicks so much a$$.

I know that this is supposedly from warmer sites than the DH bottling, but I missed the DH in 2014 and only secured this. I have some 2015 DH. Even from a ripe year and ripe site, this was balanced and delicious.

This was the 2014 Cameron bottling I was most concerned about due to site and vintage. But your note and others on CT give me hope.

I’ve got 2 of these somewhere. Look forward to opening when I find one.

Certainly no rush. Time should help a bit I’d say. I’ll spread my remaining five out over some time.

Since I am too lazy to post a separate TN, I opened a 2010 Cameron Abbey Ridge the other night that really showed well. No rush on those but the acid on this is starting to integrate, and very little funk is showing. Lovely stuff.

Sounds good Ron, plus nothing wrong with a running Cameron TN thread. I mainly buy at the low end, WV, Regional designates and reserves. So much quality at this point I find it hard to leave the shallow end.

Sounds like we need a “What Cameron are you drinking” thread. Would encourage me to drink more of my Cameron stash. Been buying since 2010 vintage, but I’ve avoided drinking my CE, AR, AL and Nebbiolo. Drink a fair amount of the Ramato and Saignee of PN while I wait. My wife highly enjoys the Spritz.

Would be a highly enjoyable thread. I must confess that outside of the pinots and chards, my Cameron experience is lacking. What are some of his other wines you would consistently recommend?

I realize I’m splitting hairs in complaining about ~$20 bottles of Pinot, but I have to say that my only ‘relative’ disappointment in Cameron wine is the Willamette Valley Pinot. I don’t like when he (they, there is another) blend inferior Yamhill/Ebola Hills or whatever Lemelson fruit with their prize juice to create a working man’s Pinot for us locals.

Scott, I think the WV bottling is excellent for the price. The '13 was very good and the '14 was perhaps a bit heavier handed but still quite good. I sat out '15 on the WV bottling but I’ll be back in for '16.

Ryan, the pinot blanc-based Giovanni was really good in '13, which was a leaner year, but I haven’t cared nearly as much for the two vintages since, finding them just too round and a bit blowsy in those riper years, but I’d definitely check back in a leaner year.

I haven’t yet had a chance to try the Chardonnay but am hoping to source some this year.

The acid is my concern with the 2010 AR (Marcus called it “Acid Ridge” )…and that’s coming from an avowed acidophile. I still have faith…but when you say “no rush”, I’m thinking 3 - 4+ more years. Glad it didn’t trigger your “funk alarm”.

These last few warm vintages have me cutting back on OR purchases pretty sharply. There’re lots of very good wines to be found from 2013 - 2015. It’s just easier to be picky when sitting on a cellar full of previous vintages. If I lived in OR, I’d no doubt be stocking up on entry level pinots (regular drinkers) from the usual suspects…Cameron included.

RT

I hear you Richard, I’m pretty well stocked up on four of my favs, but going through the '14s with gusto.

I have the '14 DH and DH Reserve, but not the RR. I’m sure we could arrange a combined tasting, at some point, if interested.

I bought two cases of this wine, and have gone through most of it. The best QPR pinot I’ve ever come across. If I owned a restaurant, I’d want this on my wine list. It’s ready to drink, right out of the bottle . . . no waiting. Tasted blind, I’d guess a very good, $50 bottle of RRV pinot noir. The '15 is as good or better. Can’t wait for the '16s to come out.

• 2014 Cameron Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (6/2/2018)
  Medium garnet, getting some figs on the nose. Open over night, some of the ripe fruit has morphed into a more tart red berry. Red currants, cane pith tannins and sorrel, some ripe plums surfacing in the background, some red earth, more blood than iron. Interesting with the acid playing with the fruit to give complexity to the smooth mouth feel. Becoming more balanced and integrated with time in the glass. Another night and very well balanced with bright fruit and just a hint of bitter on the tannins. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

I opened a '16 RR last week when in Oregon and think it has a ton of potential. I still prefer the DH based on this experience, but this was a great young Pinot for the price. Ripe and tightly wound with a core of darker fruit than I’d expect, but still showing a lot of potential. I’m happy to have another three for 2022 and beyond.

Yes, it was crazy to pop one that young. We were visiting friends in Portland and I wanted to try one in case I needed to load back up at Vinopolis before flying back to Texas.

Enjoyed a 2010 Abbey Ridge tonight. Still quite bright but evolving and interesting. Lovely stuff that should last a while. Energetic to say the least.

It’s my understanding that this is no longer the case as of the 2016 vintage, which is sourced from AR, CE and RR. Downside of course is that there’ll be less to go around.

Replying to myself, see Rick Allen’s posts in this thread: 2016 Cameron Pinot Noir Willamette Valley.