Quick tasting notes on two wines from Oregon that impressed this jaded Burgophile recently.
2018 Cameron Blanc Clos Electrique
Clos Electrique is aptly named vineyard. Loved the band of acidity that crackled throughout this lively wine. Tremendous sustain. Somewhat kinky/exotic Chardonnay fruit but tight structure keeps it reined in. A full wine but not flamboyant at all. Drank like a love child of Dauvissat and PYCM.
2021 Antica Terra Botanica Pinot Noir
This is a flat-out gorgeous bottle of wine. Put aside the NYT “terroir is dead” hype and the somewhat self-important winemaking philosophies/pronouncements/guest experiences. It’s a goldilocks Oregon pinot for me – a bit more dialed back on extraction/sweetness. Lots of pine needles and orange peel – kinda like a slimmed down Hirsch Vineyard PN from W-S or Littorai. Beguiling nose and surprisingly smooth and resolved for such a young wine. One of those bottles that is almost impossible not to finish on a weekend by yourself when you are in the right mood. Intensity without weight. As sexy as a Liger Bel-Air village VR. Yes, it’s pricy but it’s oh-so-tasty!
Had the good fortune of a visit to Antica Terra this past summer. Glad to hear your review on the Botanica. Bought all three of the flagship Pinots. Been buying these for a while had a 2014 Antikythera a few months back just a great bottle. The visit was unique in the fact that the tasting included a few wines from unknown local winemakers and a couple of old world wines. I actually ended up buying some of the old world bottles. A wine from Sardinia which was pretty good and a 2011 Pommard which was also quite good. Thanks
Glad to hear about the Botanica. I’ve got one in the cellar and wasn’t sure if would be an earlier drinker or not.
I also visited over the summer and loved the experience. Had a taste of a 1961 LDH gran reserva that was absolutely stunning. Such a cool concept to weave in old world wines alongside Maggie’s wines. Unique, and puts her wines up on a metaphorical pedestal. The price is a bit hard to stomach, simply given how much value there is from the WV, and particularly the berserker board favorites.
I think everyone assumes a certain style given the history with SQN, but I found the AT, Glories, and Lilian wines all to be fairly restrained. All delicious.
@Matthew_King - thanks for the great note on the AT. Like @MitchC - I was fortunate to visit for what they call “a very nice lunch” this summer and was able to pick up some back vintages. I love all their wines and cannot wait to enjoy these over the years.
I didn’t do the lunch, but the good served as part of the regular tasting was phenomenal. There was a vegetable and cracker dip with several Japanese ingredients (two miso styles) that absolutely blew me away. The hospitality team reached out to me recently and shared the recipe. Thought that was an amazing gesture. Planning to make the recipe over the Christmas holiday.
@Bweiss - yep, we were lucky enough to have that dip as one of the gazillion starters to the lunch, and they are truly so kind. I joined The Collection as well as Antica Terra lists and was lucky enough to get to spend a few minutes with Maggie when going to do a pick-up. She is so down to earth and real, it was such a treat!
