Posted from CellarTracker
Nice note, Josh. I almost opened a 2013 last week, but opened a different Oregon Pinot. I last had the 2013 PG Balcombe two years ago and it was lovely. I am new to Patricia Green but have enjoyed the few I have opened.
Thanks, Diane,
PG is one of my favorite Oregon producers and Balcombe probably my favorite of their single vineyard bottlings, though at this point I doubt that I have tried them all. Inundated as I tend to be with Burgundy, among other things, I just don’t have an opportunity to drink them that often, so I rarely purchase them these days. Almost always pleasurable and satisfying when I get a chance to quaff some.
Best,
Josh
I had a 2007 Patty Green Balcombe a few months ago and it was just terrific almost 12 years on. Was my first of this bottle and would gladly re-up.
Don’t doubt it, know it. 27 Pinot Noir bottlings in 2017 and 2018 with 22 and 23 single vineyard bottlings respectively. Rare is the person beyond the staff that tries them all.
Crazy in Oregon, but nothing I guess in comparison to Drouhin, Bouchard, or Jadot in Burgundy.
And some of your own favorites these days are? (I have the Olenik and Etzel Block in the same year and same format, but I thought they needed still more age than the Balcombe.) Or is that like asking a mother which she loves the most?
Changes vintage to vintage based on any number of reasons. I generally really like all 3 of our Wadensvil bottlings (Estate, Olenik, Freedom Hill), Weber is oft times (2016) very compelling, the Hyland stuff, while new to us, is very interesting to me and there is the weird stuff like the Estate First Vines or Ridgecrest (2018 only it appears) that I think are righteous.
you’re setting a challenge to all WB wine nerds, Jim. sadly us Brits only get access to a small handful of the single vineyard wines. Guess we’ll have to come over and visit.
Jim,
How do those Pinot’s break down between DTC and distribution? Love the commitment to showing diversity of Oregon…and that is only the # of Pinot’s you produce.
We have wines that are gettable out in the wide world of distribution. They are:
Reserve
Balcombe
Estate
Estate Old Vine
Freedom Hill
Lia’s
Marine Sedimentary (Chehalem Mountain/Ribbon Ridge soil)
Volcanic (Dundee Hills soil)
Most of our 20ish distributors carry most/all of those.
Some wines cross over DTC into distribution but are still fairly small production and would likely be special orders or wines dedicated to one account or on-premise only.
Durant Madrone
Estate Wadensvil
Freedom Hill Wadensvil
Hyland Coury
Mysterious
Notorious
All the other Pinots are 99% club/wait list/tasting room wines. We try to make it as easy as possible for people to get what they want. Sometimes though given the scant production level on some of these wines it’s hard to do anything about it.
Love these wines. On their mailing list. Favorite of mine but I think I drink them way too young. Any experience with older bottlings?
Josh, I didn’t realize just how descriptive your note was until I opened the 2013 Balcombe tonight. I won’t even attempt to write a tasting note since your note is perfect for this wine, as well. A slight difference would be I get more of a mineralality on the finish. A beautiful wine.
Thanks, Diane, for your kind words. I’m glad to learn that the Balcombe also showed well for you.
Enjoy!
Josh
I’ve got a 2009 Balcombe and a 2009 Ribbon Ridge 3L that are laying in wait.
Hopefully I can talk Jim about them if we see him Monday morning.
Plus a bunch of 2015 and 2016s in various formats that have a ways to go.
Josh, based on the vertical of the Etzel Block we did in June this year, I’d strongly encourage you to save the Etzel Block. They really shine with age and I would assume even in a 375ml that the wine will be long lived. If it were me and I only had one…I’d probably aim to open it in 2-4 more years.
Thanks, Kirk, I have a couple, but I am definitely intending to hold them–seems like they need a good ten years at least.
Opened a 2014 PGC Freedom Hill/Coury tonight and it really shone. In a great place, wide open, showing tons of red fruit on the nose and palate, but also revealing depths of spices on the nose and palate with a superb, long, crunchy spicy finish. Tons of intensity but also balanced, yummy, deep. A beautiful Oregon Pinot.
You guya are newbs-I have B!B back to '02. Once you get experienced, all PG roads end at Etzel. Just my humble op. But even in most difficult years, Etzel always makes me smile.
Josh, I really love the 2005’s right now, I’m aging my 2008’s in 750ml still and expect my magnum of 2005 will show its best in another 2-3 years. If you’re close to Boston then maybe you can join us when we have our next gathering?
