2005 Cristom Sommers Reserve Pinot Noir, Oregon
Been cellaring this for a decade+ so figured it was time. Very mild gold tint to the dark red coloring. The nose starts with a faint whiff of reduction and immediately plunges in to a deep pool of woodsy darker Pinot fruit. Black cherry with some strawberry preserve, baking spice and a trace of cocoa completely intertwined with the Fir underbrush. A mild suggestion of caramel. There’s a pleasing jammy quality to the midpalate that bathes the palate. Cooperative tannins that tingle on the back of the tongue. Kind of wish it was a touch brighter…but the nose alone is worth the entry fee. Happy to catch it at its peak. This is not a cross-over Pinot for a Burghead but an eye opener if you’re not familiar with OR Pinot with some age. Hard to keep my sniffer out of the glass…even when it’s empty.
RT
