Not making this another rant about shipping laws, the three-tier system, and this provincial Commonwealth…
I was just delighted to stop into one of my favorite merchants (Bauer’s on Newbury) to look for a potable pinot from a domestic producer and to find a biodynamic offering from Oregon. It was the 2008 Montinore Estate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir.
I drank the bottle over a couple of days. At first opening, it wasn’t as integrated as I would have liked. The alcohol is a little hot and it’s a bit rustic around the edges. But there is delicious fruit there that isn’t overly jammy -it’s got classic black pepper earthiness tinged with cherries. Velvety tannins hold it all together with nice aromas. On the second and third days, the heat of alcohol on the nose and palate had tamed a bit and it continued to be delicious. Overall, I was blown away by the quality of this wine at this price ($16).