TN: 2006 Thomas Dundee Hills Pinot Noir

WINE TALK
1

You’d never know that this wine was from a vintage much maligned for its lack of freshness and balancing acidity. Both of these qualities this bottle had in droves. Though it was admittedly served a touch cold (drank with a friend of mine around a fireplace in an unheated sunroom), the bottle drank beautifully. Color was bright, and maybe a touch below garnet. Bright red flavors of strawberries and tart cherries, with a nose that could also be described as “pretty” (floral and red fruit tones…none of the funk previous posters have described. Though it didn’t blow me away as other bottles of Thomas have, it was undoubtedly a well-made wine that would have made any great dinner better…91 points

2

IMHO, this is one of the better '06 Oregon Pinots. Your notes and score mirror my experience from late October.

3

Chris,

Have had great luck with John’s wines from ‘maligned’ vintages. An ITB friend brought a '97 to dinner at Thistle in McMinnville a couple of years ago. The wine was ethereal, and one of those “Ah Ha!” wine moments… Who knew that a 13 year old bottle (at that time) from a difficult vintage could be so good.

4

2006 John Thomas Pinot Noir, Oregon
Lighter red color than expected with some light pervasive bricking. Woodsy aromas, mild smoked meats, grilled mushrooms, baking spice and ripe supportive Pinot fruit. The attack is smooth and completely integrated with slightly red leaning mature fruit Good balancing acidity. Gentle extraction. Fine length. Silty soft tannins. Not overly complex but the flavors are layered and engaging. No heat (13.7% abv). Drinking at peak and a very fine showing, probably ranks in the top half of Thomas’s I’ve tasted. Don’t wait too much longer if you’re holding on to these.

As Greg noted 8 years ago, it’s one of the better 06s IMHO.

RT

5

A little bit of cherry cola and pure red fruit emerged on day 2, inoffensive in its aged leathery way. I’m not sure the wine gained that much complexity with age, but it smoothed all the edges. Quaffing a cellared OR Pinot is counterintuitive…but this went down easy.

RT