I have just received an offer for some Oregon Pinots for the first time ever. They are very rarely seen in Oz. Interested in collective wisdom re styles and quality of the following producers.
Chehalem
Cristom
Elk Cove
The Eyrie Vineyards
Haden Fig
King’s Ridge
Penner-Ash
Rex Hill
Stoller Family Estate
Also some information re recent vintages would be good. My limited reading suggests 2015 was hot and ripe and that 2016 are superior. Interested in thoughts on 2014 vintage also.
FWIW, I like Pinots showing varietal definition, unobtrusive oak with good structure. I am not interested in ripe ‘dry-red’ styles.
I’ve been wanting to start a thread like this but never got around to it. I have had several OR Pinots that were great and quite a few that were just not. I find that I prefer restrained and less intervention styles but I can’t always tell who makes what styles. This could be a nice compendium of OR PN house styles if it takes off.
Though there is a range of styles, I’ve really liked Goodfellow, Eyre, Cameron, and Patty Green. I’d love to seek out more like these with more confidence in the styles I’m after.
I can’t answer all your questions now, but based on your stated preferences, I’d stick with Cristom, Eyrie, and Haden Fig (and Evesham Wood, a sister winery to HF, if available.
In terms of vintages, I’d favor 2015 over 2014 for long-term aging. 2014s are better for shorter term drinking IMO, although with the aforementioned producers, aging either vintage should not be a problem. Not had enough 2016s, but Ikm sure Marcus, Todd, Jim A, or Rick can provide good intel.
Agree 100% with Scott. The ‘15’s I’ve had show enough acidity to last w/ the producers above. If they make a restrained style in 14 or 15, I think you can trust any other vintage from that producer.
Thanks Todd. I take it that you are a winemaker there and I would be interested in your thoughts. I know that you can’t have favourites, but in your experience how does the climate compare to say Burgundy, Central Otago and Yarra Valley or any other Australian Pinot region that you may be familiar with.
I would like to buy them all but in these parts money is a finite resource and I need to guage market demand before diving in head first.
Kent; I usually read your notes on Burgs. I would only buy the Cristom and Eyrie. On the Cristoms, skip the Mount Jefferson Cuvee’. The ones you will most likely enjoy are Eileen and Jessie but they need age. I am a huge Eyrie fan. Year in, year out, buy Eyrie! There’s a sappiness to Eyrie that is distinct and I love it. Just my 2 cents. I would skip the rest. I find Haden Fig to be simple and a bit forward. The only Chehalem I would go for would the Stoller. I don’t think you would like any of the rest. Penner Ash would have you running from your house screaming that your hair is on fire.
Mitch, the Mount Jeff Cuvee is fine for entry level. We’re talking resto wine list. I’d take it over the better wines from a number of the listed producers. Chehalem is very hit and miss for me. Haden Fig does tend to be a bit simple (blocky comes to mind, but not all of them)…sometimes that works. As an AFWE and cool OR vintage lover, a lot of those producers miss the mark for me although I’ve had acceptable Pinots from most all. Never tasted King’s Ridge.
