From this thread in Event Planner - The 10th Post-IPNC Bob Wood Memorial Throwdown features the 2015 Oregon Pinot Noir Vintage, Cristom Vineyards, Aug 1st - Event Planner - Online or Offline - WineBerserkers - I wanted to share my highlights, while I know others will share all/some of their notes as well. All 2015 Vintage Pinot Noir
Oh man, that was a marathon! 30+ wines blind in 3 hours, 8 flights! I learned so much, and it was a treat for me (who started buying Oregon wine far too recently, thanks to BerserkerDay) to experience what a bit of age can do to these beautiful wines and skilled winemakers.
Notes were short and sweet, stream of consciousness type of stuff as we had limited time, but I found some that are definitely now on my radar for future purchase. They include the following: (they have an asterisk as that’s how I indicated they were highlighted for me)
From Flight 2:
2. Earthy, ripe strawberry nose, bit of whole cluster on the nose, very nice ripe strawberry, more whole cluster on the palate, bright and lively, excellent (Anvil Estate Abbot Claim) *
3. Spring water, perfume, red berries, forest floor, ripe red berries, great acidity, good finish, very long, excellent * (Dennison Cellars Johnson Ridge Vineyard Tim Wilson )
From Flight 4: (All Temperance Hill, this was one of my two favorite flights - definitely will be seeking out Temperance Hill fruit from my favorite Oregon producers now - all three in the flight were highlighted!)
- Pretty ripe nose, pine, baking spice, great acidity, bright red fruit, not silky but has some weight, long finish, well integrated* 2 (Vincent Fritzsche )
- Bright fruit profile, touch of slate/rocks, pit fruits on the nose, big fruit profile, nicely ripe but the ‘big’ is more in presentation, gorgeous mouthfeel, builds to the finish* 3 (St Innocent)
- Red fruit, cinnamon, dried leaves on the nose, maybe some pepper, red cherry, nice weight and softness, but bright as well, very nice* 1 (Walter Scott Erica Landon )
(I was fascinated how each of these had a unique quality that we hadn’t experienced yet on any other wines, the baking spice/cinnamon quality - there definitely was a vineyard fruit profile that stood out)
From Flight 6:
2. There’s a unique freshness, plum and pitted fruit, aromatic flowers on the nose, nice weight and beautiful, expressive fruit, tannins integrated and carrying the fruit with it, beautiful * (Art + Science, Armstrong Vineyard - Dan Rinke )
3. Similar to 1 without the savory, shy nose but has a regal quality, yet nowhere close to prime drinking/sniffing window, round palate, great acid, sweet fruit emerges late on the palate and pulls hard through the finish, beautiful * (Vincent Fritzsche - Armstrong Vineyard)
The last was from Flight 7 and it absolutely floored me, I swore someone threw a Grand Cru Burg in there to throw people off:
2. Black cherry, complex, perfumed, beautiful nose, this is like Burgundy, gorgeous palate and fruit, wow, tremendous, everything is just spot on - anise, red and black cherry, seamless, interesting ** (Cameron Abbey Ridge)
There is no doubt I will be seeking out this wine, and the others mentioned above. Love that most of those I outlined above are BerserkerDay producers/sellers! WOOT!!!
Steven, thank you for your organization before, during, and likely after. Wonderful event, extremely educational for me. Was tremendous to have the opportunity to meet more Berserkers in person, which I always treasure. Unique among this event/group is that we, as consumers, had the opportunity to taste among the winemakers, almost half-half in attendance, and that is always a thrill for me, personally.