TN: 2018 Franny Beck Pinot Noir En noir et blanc - UNCANNY VALLEY!

Adam_Frisch · February 9, 2021, 2:20am

2018 Franny Beck Pinot Noir En noir et blanc - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (2/8/2021)
Uncanny valley!

I’ve never in my life had a wine that’s like a complete doppelgänger of something, despite being from a completely different grape, different region. But here it is - a dead ringer for my own Mission. Light in color, even the color is identical. Same strawberry juice notes on nose and palate, slight perception of sweetness on attack, quickly followed by those same voluptuous middle tannins that belie all that fruit. Eminently crushable, elegant and “feminine”, as someone described mine, applies here. And then those peppery, spicy notes just like Mission.

Never seen anything like it. But I have had people in blinds say the Mission is like a fresh Pinot. I never saw it fully, but now I understand. Here it is. (92 pts.)

PS. I hope I’m not dragging them down to the lowest of low by comparing the wine to such an ignoble as the Mission grape, but I hope you can see it is meant as a compliment!

Posted from CellarTracker

Brent_S · February 9, 2021, 4:41am

Adam, this is quite interesting. Thanks for sharing

Michael_Sterling · February 10, 2021, 5:02am

Well, heck, with a note like that I guess I need to order some of your Mission to see what all the fuss is about! Glad you enjoyed the wine, Adam.

Anthony_C · February 10, 2021, 2:49pm

I think I have both of these wines coming soon from BD so I guess I’ll have to have a blind tasting and see for myself!

Luca_Giupponi · February 10, 2021, 3:44pm

I loved the Mission so now I’m very excited I got some of this on BD!

Adam_Frisch · February 10, 2021, 4:20pm

Michael - I’ll send you one! PM me your address.

cepotts · February 10, 2021, 5:54pm

Well, heck, with a note like that I guess I need to order some of your Mission to see what all the fuss is about!

Adam, I have PM’d you my address also.

Corey_N · February 10, 2021, 6:02pm

FWIW, I had a bottle of your 2018 Mission last night and was thinking that, if blinded, I would say it was a PN. I noticed less spice and more structure than in the previous bottle.

Michael_Sterling · February 11, 2021, 3:30am

Hey Adam, just FYI, this wine is a blend of 100% whole cluster late-ish pick Ribbon Ridge fruit (Armstrong Pommard) and white Pinot noir aged 16 months sur lees from high elevation Eola amity hills (La Chenaie vineyard, clone 115). I’m pretty heavy in the oxidative camp with my whites and that shows in this wine. The combination of the white Pinot with the really fruit forward Armstrong fruit just really clicked at the blending table. Crushable is the absolute right description for this wine but I challenge you to pour a glass on day one and watch the remaining bottle evolve over a few days. It’s sneaky complex. All the things I love about Pinot. Helps that both vineyards are straight ballers

Adam_Frisch · February 11, 2021, 4:06am

I thought that was the case with the Nor et Blanc name! I think it’s probably the oxidative white that must be giving those tannins a boost. Very nice! Which would explain why I haven’t really tasted a PN quite like it!

Brian_Curtis · February 21, 2021, 1:38pm

We opened a bottle of this last night and really enjoyed it. I can absolutely see the Mission comparison. The sneaky complexity that Michael mentioned was there, too. Sneaky is a good word as it really did quietly sneak in as the evening wore on. I’m looking forward to tasting the rest of the bottle tonight.

Anthony_C · March 14, 2021, 7:29pm

We just opened the 2018 La Malinche and Coravin’d a taste of the Franny Beck. They are remarkably similar and more importantly my wife likes both

G_D_y_e_r · June 12, 2022, 4:16pm

I just tried a bottle of this from my BD order. The profile makes so much more sense in the context of being a blend of red and white base wines! This wine actually reminded me most of Alto Piedmont or Valtellina Nebbiolo on the nose.