My second of three bottles purchased upon release, better than the bottle opened last year.
Mature and in the phase between secondary and tertiary, my favorite zone. A slight bottle chill helps to enhance the remaining fruit.
Fragrant with mid nose aromas of cedar, red cherry, leafy forest and some celery that comes and goes.
Soft and silky in texture with light to medium body, the flavors of leafy earth and tea are balanced by ample acidity and soft tannin on the moderate finish.
Similar to 2004 Anden, it is too bad Mark is unable to source any more fruit from this excellent vineyard.
Thoroughly enjoyed this wine at last years Post-IPNC 2004 tasting. Among my favs of the vintage. In general, St. I can be a little extracted but this one was delicious and aged beautifully.
Thanks for the note. I need to dig through and find a bottle of this since it has been 7 years since my last bottle. That seems crazy. Sounds like it is hitting the zone.
Opened my last bottle tonight. Initial funk and heavy wood came into balance after 1.5 hours and then behaved like the last bottle. A wonderful wine and 93 points.
I had a bottle of that back in April last year, and posted this CT note:
Garnet with orange rim. Lovely nose of mushroom, brown leaves, vanilla, wood, and red cherry. A bit of mineral underneath moderately dense and energetic red fruit, mushroom, and blood orange makes up the palate. Long finish showing plenty of intensity with minimal weight. Really lovely stuff, and a great argument in favor of aging a new-world pinot. I think this will hold for another 5 years.
Noticing my lousy syntax now… Anyhow, I loved that bottle. Beautiful stuff.
My first Oregon epiphany was the 97 from this vineyard when I was in Princeton. So good. Mark is coming to town next week for a couple of events, and one of the dinners I’m involved in will have (I think and hope) the 98 and 00 Seven Springs.
Very nice Jim, I really liked the 2000 Seven Springs a few years ago. The day I worked with Mark in around 2004 was my favorite ever work with. I do not recall if you were in the store that day, but it resulted in a great order.
The Seven Springs transition has been rough for savvy OR Pinot-philes. Case in point! Not to say EL hasn’t turned out some fine wines, but the combination of OR’s best winemakers and its top level vineyard has not been replaced.
Hah. The '97 Seven Springs was my first SI wine. When I first tasted with Mark, at the old winery, in 1999 I mentioned that wine, to which he just said, “I hate that wine”. I think he has since change his thoughts on it.
Hope you get a shot at the 98 and 00. I have one 98 left. We had the 00 a while back at a wine dinner and it was amazing. One person at the table thought it was a 2010. So fresh.