Greatest Vintage of Oregon Pinot

[rfelthoven]

@Todd F r e n c h

I thought '07 had LONG been established as the GOAV for Oregon Pinot Noir, by one Bob Wood…

That’s not what he said…

[John_Osburn]

@jcoley3

Not to be a PITA, but this is one of the most producer-driven regions for me. When I buy, I’m usually buying the long-term house style instead of the one-off vintage weather.

Maybe even more than I do in Burgundy.

Cue

Agreed, but vintage makes a big difference for people in what to look for in spot-shopping, and in how deep to go in from year to year.

[Brandon_J]

Well, I’ve only been a consumer of Oregon pinot for 10 years but have been very fortunate and able to try many many vintages.

If we are talking “top tier” producers here (subjective I know) I think the vintages that are most interesting are '94, '96, '01, '07, '10 and '11 and even '13.

If you’re talking averages, 2002, 2008 and 2012 are “good” but I personally think they’re not as interesting. Bigger fruit, slightly higher alcohol and just more primary. They’re great growing years but predictable for me honestly. The cooler vintages are way more exciting and unpredictable and require significantly more patience.

[Jim_Anderson]

@A.J. O'Connor

Jim, when do you think is the optimal time to open some of your 2012’s? I have a little over a case of your 2012’s and so far have resisted opening any.

Thanks
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Ana (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills) 11.8% Bottles (2)
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Block 1B Balcombe Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills) 17.6% Bottles (3)
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Dijon 115 Freedom Hill Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley) 5.9% Bottles (1)
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Notorious (USA, Oregon, Yamhill County) 11.8% Bottles (2)
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Olenik Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains) 11.8% Bottles (2)
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Pommard Clone Freedom Hill Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley) 5.9% Bottles (1)
2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir The Anklebreaker Block Olenik Vineyard (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains) 17.6% Bottles (3)

PM’d

[Michae1_P0wers]

I agree with Jim on '12. In my limited experience it seems like a Goldilocks vintage. The lighter vintages I think are far more uneven than people like to admit around here. With '12 I think you could grab most any bottle and it was good. OTOH I’ve had bad examples from '07 and '11. With that in mind I stuck to a few producers in '13. Did the same in '14 for the opposite reason, fearing the warmer vintage, which is why I’ve bought zero '15s. So now I’m really hoping for a '16 that resembles '12 more than it does any of the vintages in-between.

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

@dsGriswold

For me I thought the '10s were some of the nicest for my palate, crisp bright red berry. Drank them all a while back. I recently bought some '10 Grochau Bjornson that I liked less well and giving some more age to see where it goes. Bjornson is one of my favorite vineyards, but the '10s may differ from the northern valley wines.

Dennis, I just had the '10 Grochau Willamette Valley a day or two ago and it was really lovely(IMO).

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

@P Intag

How are the 2010s doing now? I just picked up a bottle of the 2010 Westrey Justice bottling and unsure of what to expect as I’ve not had many 2010s at all.

IMO-most 2010s are just beginning to unravel and show the depths they can achieve. I also recommend some air-decant and check in over a few hours on the first few bottles you try(and you should try them).

I would put 2010, 2005, and 1989 at the top of Oregon’s vintages, and debate Jim on whether 2012 makes the top 5 or not. 2001 is one of the most under rated Oregon vintages in our history. I rarely hear it talked about but I drank a lot of it at the 6-9 year mark and had very few wines that didn’t ring my Burgundy lovin’ bell.

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

To be fair…we should clarify whether a GOAT vintage is based upon an across the board quality(everyone made good to great wine) which usually means fruit dense a la 2005 Burgundy(not my fave)…

Or is the GOAT the vintage where a significant number of the better producers made extraordinary wines? More my preference, this weeds out needing the fruit to be of the kind of harvest that anybody can hit out of the park(which seems more like T-ball than baseball.)

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

@Michae1 P0wers

I agree with Jim on '12. In my limited experience it seems like a Goldilocks vintage. The lighter vintages I think are far more uneven than people like to admit around here. With '12 I think you could grab most any bottle and it was good. OTOH I’ve had bad examples from '07 and '11. With that in mind I stuck to a few producers in '13. Did the same in '14 for the opposite reason, fearing the warmer vintage, which is why I’ve bought zero '15s. So now I’m really hoping for a '16 that resembles '12 more than it does any of the vintages in-between.

If you like 2012s and you pass on my 2015s, you are pretty much poking yourself in the eye. (To be fair, my 14s often get called mid-weight or light bodied). It’s a great vintage for me in that it has the acidity and structure I like, but the fruit weight to be less esoteric, and it is essentially a better version of 2012 in my cellar.

[Marcus_Goodfellow]

@Brandon J.

Well, I’ve only been a consumer of Oregon pinot for 10 years but have been very fortunate and able to try many many vintages.

If we are talking “top tier” producers here (subjective I know) I think the vintages that are most interesting are '94, '96, '01, '07, '10 and '11 and even '13.

If you’re talking averages, 2002, 2008 and 2012 are “good” but I personally think they’re not as interesting. Bigger fruit, slightly higher alcohol and just more primary. They’re great growing years but predictable for me honestly. The cooler vintages are way more exciting and unpredictable and require significantly more patience.

+1

(Sorry for so many sequential posts, but new baby and a huge bottling around the corner means this is basically one of the few free moments I have in a sea of sleep deprivation).

[P_Intag]

@Marcus Goodfellow

@P Intag

How are the 2010s doing now? I just picked up a bottle of the 2010 Westrey Justice bottling and unsure of what to expect as I’ve not had many 2010s at all.

IMO-most 2010s are just beginning to unravel and show the depths they can achieve. I also recommend some air-decant and check in over a few hours on the first few bottles you try(and you should try them).

I would put 2010, 2005, and 1989 at the top of Oregon’s vintages, and debate Jim on whether 2012 makes the top 5 or not. 2001 is one of the most under rated Oregon vintages in our history. I rarely hear it talked about but I drank a lot of it at the 6-9 year mark and had very few wines that didn’t ring my Burgundy lovin’ bell.

I just finished that 2010 Westrey Justice that I mentioned in my previous post and my experience is consistent with your assessment of where the vintage is right now. I’ll post a note on the other thread with the 2010 evaluation.

[P_Intag]

@P. Willenberg

@P Intag

How are the 2010s doing now? I just picked up a bottle of the 2010 Westrey Justice bottling and unsure of what to expect as I’ve not had many 2010s at all.

Here are some thoughts

http://www.wineberserkers.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=2071160#p2071160

Thanks - I somehow missed this

[Steve_Eisenhauer]

@Thomas Keim

1983. The first monumental vintage for Oregon, and the vintage that put them on the map.

Eyrie, Ponzie, Adelsheim, Yamhill Valley Vineyards, Rex Hill, Amity, Sokol Blosser all produced superb wines (not that there were a lot of wineries back then).

Amazing! I was just getting ready to post 1983. Couldn’t agree more.

[dsGriswold]

I got into beer in the '90s and when I got back into wine, OMG where to start.

[Jason_Hagen]

@Jim Anderson

and if 1999 had happened 10 years later it would also be in the mix.

From my very limited perspective, I feel this way about a number of vintages. Onward and upward.

Jason

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

@Marcus Goodfellow

IMO-most 2010s are just beginning to unravel and show the depths they can achieve.

Absolutely true. 05s have blossomed but 2010s are still about potential, as was noted at the Post IPNC Berserker tasting…and there’s plenty.

RT

[Peter_Simpson]

I have a bunch of 2008s. Did the critics blow it on this vintage or do they just need more time?

[G_Bienstock]

I am bullish on 08.

[Richard_T_r_i_m_p_i]

@G. Bienstock

I am bullish on 08.

I’m less so. There’re damn good wines but less across the board than expected IMHO. So structured that they needed time, yet simultaneously ripe. Will the fruit emerge when the structure mellows or will they come come across overly ripe, jammy and/or tired? Case by case situation, perhaps bottle by bottle. Don’t think there’s ever been a vintage like it.

RT

[M_Passo]

Both 1985 and 1994 were very well reviewed and worthy, but to me 1983 and 1993 were the more elegant/balanced and overshadowed by the greater fruit with 85/94. Drank my last 1993 Adelsheim Elizabeth’s Reserve at IPNC last year. Still have 85 and 94 in cellar, which does speak somewhat to the desirability. Agree 2008 may be asleep and hopefully the beauty will awake eventually.