TN: 1974 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley)

1974 The Eyrie Vineyards Pinot Noir - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (11/8/2021)
Ex-cellar Joseph Phelps, via the January 2021 HDH auction. A bottle in fantastic shape. Initially before any air, this was mostly just sour, but an hour or so in, this definitely bloomed into a very beautiful bottle of pinot. Obviously not Burgundy, this still had a beautiful lightly fruited profile that showed some strawberries. Some sous-bois as well, but very clean and no dirty elements at all. The palate has definitely thinned out and there isn’t as much weight as there could be, but this was brilliantly fresh and enjoyable. A true piece of American wine history.

"The Willamette Valley of Oregon is a new viticultural region in America, and the wines of The Eyrie Vineyards are the first to come from this previously untried area. One idea guided the planting of our vineyard: a wine can be no better than the grapes from which it is made. Here, in the Red Hills of Dundee, carefully selected vinifera varieties produce fruit of a quality which we require for our wines.

"The climate of this region is a demanding one, for the grapes must struggle to mature in the short, cool growing season… but the fruit retains those nuances and complexities of flavor which are irretrievably lost when these varieties are grown in the too-warm, too-easy climates of the established viticultural regions.

“The quality of these grapes demands great care in winemaking; thus we have deliberately limited the size and production of The Eyrie Vineyards. In this way, the winemaker himself guides the wine, from the first pruning of the vines to the final corking of each bottle. The result is a rare, handcrafted wine.”

–David R. Lett (93 pts.)

Oregon unicorn.

As you say, a fantastic piece of American wine history.

Very cool. I have been fortunate to taste early renditions of Santa Barbara Co. Pinot with Michael Benedict, so I get the delight and unique experience of tasting these wines.

Wow. What an experience! As a huge Eyrie fan, I am jealous. I am not at all surprised that it was still giving pleasure, as the 85 South Blocks that I’ve tasted over the last few years have all been great.

Very cool. Thanks for sharing! Curious to know the ABV?

12.5% on the label.

What a great note for a great wine!

I had the privilege of sitting in on the vertical tasting of all the South Block Reserve wine about 6-7 years ago. Many of the older bottles were showing very well. My favorites were 1977, 1982, 1983, 1985, and 1993. The 1983 (tasted 4 times with consistent results) is the best Pinot Noir I’ve ever tasted.

I ended up doing something less important that day Rick. I blew a tremendous opportunity.

Nice.

Excellent. Thanks for posting.

Cheers,
Doug