So, we had this tasting a year ago in September and @AskoKassinen already wrote some of his thoughts on these wines right after the tasting.
Me? I still have a ton of backlog to comb through - I just got to these wines! Anyways, here we go.
My main observations:
I expected Lucien Le Moine wines to be considerably more oaky, seeing how they are aged exclusively in new oak. Lo and behold, they were not! Some oak, yes - but way less than I thought. Especially that Charmes-Chambertin was a very impressive effort indeed; perhaps my WotN.
I’ve liked Arterberry Maresh wines before. However, these wines were just good. I was even somewhat disappointed how the 2016 Dundee Hills performed this time, because it was so darn terrific a few years earlier.
I really like the overall style of PGC. The 2014 vintages were a bit too ripe and sweetly-fruited for my preference, but apart from those, these were superb Oregon Pinots. To me, that 2010 Estate Old Vine Pinot Noir was qualitatively on par with the LLM GC CC (don’t you just love these Burgundy abbreviations?)!
- 2013 Lucien Le Moine Charmes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir made with purchased wine from Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin and Mazoyères-Chambertin. Aged on the lees in new Jupilles oak barrels for 18 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with a tiny addition of SO2. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, youthful and deep yet moderately translucent ruby-red color. The seductive nose feels remarkably open and expressive with intense aromas of fresh cherries and ripe sour cherries, some crunchy cranberry tones, a little bit of earth, light gravelly mineral tones, bretty hints of rustic funk and Campari character, a touch of spicy Pinosity and a lifted whiff of sweet VA. The wine feels quite youthful and surprisingly firm - even tightly-knit - on the palate with a medium body and intense flavors of sweet black cherries, some allspice, light floral notes of violets, a little bit of toasty oak spice, crunchy hints of cranberries and fresh black raspberries and a faint lifted touch of VA. The combination of high acidity and surprisingly assertive, grippy medium tannins make the wine feel very stern and structure-driven. The finish is long, dry and grippy with an intense aftertaste of ripe redcurrants and juicy black raspberries, some gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of toasty oak spice, light ferrous notes of blood, a hint of earthy Pinosity and a subtly sauvage touch of volatile lift.
The wine was a tad bit more oaky than I care for, but nevertheless showed considerably less oak influence one might expect from a Pinot Noir aged exclusively in new oak barrels. Despite the somewhat noticeable oak impact, I enjoyed the wine quite a bit, all thanks to the nuanced and quite intense fruit flavors that were backed up by wonderfully fresh acidity and a firm backbone of still surprisingly stern tannins. The wine was very impressive and also enjoyable already now, but I can imagine it can still get even better with additional aging, as the tannins begin to resolve and the woody nuances integrate further with the savory and earthy fruit flavors; expect the score to creep up with age. However, despite being an impressive Grand Cru, I still think 270€ for a wine like this is crazy.
(95 points) - 2013 Lucien Le Moine Clos de la Roche - France, Burgundy, CĂ´te de Nuits, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir made with purchased wine from Grand Cru Clos de la Roche. Aged on the lees in new Jupilles oak barrels for 18 months. Bottled unfined, unfiltered and with a tiny addition of SO2. 13,5% alcohol.
Deep, somewhat dark-toned and slightly evolved pomegranate color with a faint maroon hue. The nose feels a bit reticent and quite fine-tuned with aromas of dark forest fruits and ripe raspberries, some gravelly mineral tones, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, light fragrant stemmy notes, a hint of pomegranate, a touch of of sweet black cherry and a toasty whiff of sweet oak spice. The wine feels juicy, supple and silky on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of ripe black raspberries and ferrous blood, some earthy tones, a little bit of game and meaty umami, light evolved notes of dried dark berries, a hint of pomegranate and a touch of saline minerality. The overall feel is balanced and quite open-knit with the moderately high acidity and ample yet ripe and soft medium-plus tannins that contribute more to the texture of the wine rather than to its structure. The finish is long, juicy and gently grippy with a layered aftertaste of ripe raspberries and earthy spice, some evolved gamey tones, a little bit of pomegranate, light sweeter notes of dried red fruits, a ferrous hint of blood and a dark-toned touch of toasty oak spice.
An attractively silky and nuanced Grand Cru, but very much overshadowed by the more expressive and considerably more structure-driven 2013 Charmes-Chambertin that we tasted at the same time. This wine showed more development and resolution, but at the same time came across as somewhat less expressive - the more evolved complexity couldn't really make up for the lack of aromatic intensity and restraint in taste. Although the wine will probably continue to evolve and improve for some years, the wine doesn't feel as long-lived as the Charmes-Chambertin. On the other hand, the wine is perfectly enjoyable already now, and - unlike the Charmes-Chambertin - doesn't necessarily need to be paired something hearty. While it is a fine Burgundy in every respect, I find it silly one should pay 250€ for just one bottle. Burgundy pricing is just completely absurd to me.
(93 points) - 2016 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
The entry-level Pinot Noir of Arterberry Maresh, made with fruit sourced from all their vineyards in Dundee Hills. 12,8% alcohol. Total production 550 cases.
Pale, luminous raspberry-red color with a slightly evolved brick-orange rim. The nose feels nuanced and attractive, but also quite understated with rather light aromas of ripe raspberries, some sweet black cherries, light wild strawberry notes, a little bit of sour cherry, a fragrant hint of violets and a touch of earthy spice. The wine feels juicy, fresh and silky on the palate with a medium body and lively flavors of fresh cherries and wild strawberries, some ripe black raspberries, a little bit of gravelly minerality, light earthy tones, a savory hint of meaty umami and a touch of cranberry sauce. The structure relies more on the quite high acidity than on the supple, mellow medium-minus tannins that contribute mainly to the silky texture, not that much to the structure. The finish is juicy, rather long and gently grippy with a harmonious aftertaste of wild strawberries, some cherries, light gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of cranberry sauce, a developed, savory hint of meaty umami and a sweeter touch of ripe black raspberry.
A tasty, clean and harmonious but also a bit underwhelming Pinot Noir. The bottle we had three years ago was somewhat more reductive and closed upon opening, but at least it slowly opened up into a lovely Oregon Pinot, whereas this wine seemed to be as open as it was going to be right after opening - it didn't show any reduction, but neither did it open much even after some aeration. While still a very pleasant and enjoyable effort, I felt the wine showed better three years ago than today. Priced according to its quality at 31,50€.
(90 points) - 2014 Arterberry Maresh Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from ungrafted vines planted in 1970, 1972 and 1983. Fruit harvested in mid-October, fully destemmed. Fermented spontaneously. Aged in old oak barrels for an extended period of time. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent and still quite youthful ruby-red color. The quite seductive nose feels youthful and expressive with vibrant aromas of juicy black raspberries, some ripe cherry tones, a little bit of spicy Pinosity, light crunchy notes of redcurrants, a hint of earth and a lifted touch of sweet, balsamic VA. The wine feels juicy and still pretty youthful on the palate with flavors of sweet cherries and juicy black raspberries, some strawberry tones, a little bit of oak spice, light balsamic notes of VA, a hint of allspice and a touch of ripe red plums. The overall feel is pretty firm and textural but also quite supple and open-knit with the medium-plus acidity and ample yet ripe and soft medium-plus tannins. The finish is juicy, richly-fruited and gently grippy with a succulent aftertaste of ripe black cherries and strawberries, some allspice, light sweet notes of black raspberries, a little bit of oaky spice, a hint of Bassett's black wine gums and a nicely lifting touch of sweet, balsamic VA.
A rich, nuanced and attractive Pinot Noir. The overall feel is fruitier, more expressive and a bit more oaky than the 2016 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir we tasted at the same time, but also coming across as a bit softer, too with the somewhat lower acidity. The style here is pretty lovely, and the wine is remarkably youthful considering how the wine is clocking in at 10 years of age, but I would've loved the wine to show a bit more acidity - now it comes a bit too soft and gentle for my preference. A lovely wine in its own right, but I feel the wine is priced a bit steeply for the quality at 70€.
(91 points) - 2016 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Balcombe Vineyard Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from a vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 1990. Fermented with 20% whole clusters. Aged in 16 barrels of which 0 were new, 2 were once used and 14 were older. Total production 393 cases. 13,2% alcohol.
Dark and slightly translucent pomegranate color with a slightly evolved brick-orange hue. The nose feels beautifully expressive and fruit-forward with aromas of cherries and sweet black raspberries, some brambly blackberry tones, light reductive notes of smoke and rubber, a little bit of Bassett's black wine gums, a hint of bay leaves, a fragrant touch of cherry pits and an evolved whiff of meaty character. The wine feels juicy, vibrant and airy on the palate with a medium body and still wonderfully youthful flavors of ripe raspberries and fresh cherries, some brambly blackberry tones, a little bit of earth and gravelly minerality, light cherry pit notes, a hint of pomegranate juice and a savory touch of meaty umami. The wine is quite high in acidity with quite supple, gently grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy, long and slightly grippy with a bright aftertaste of black cherries and brambly blackberries, some cherry pit tones, a little bit of sweet black raspberry, light gravelly mineral notes, evolved hints of smoke and savory meaty character and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
This was a fantastic Oregon Pinot Noir when I tasted it three years ago, and it continues to be a beautifully harmonious, nuanced and textural wine. I think it might've evolved a little bit of since, but especially on the midpalate the wine doesn't really show much age, coming across as wonderfully youthful and vibrant despite its 8 years of age. Seeing how the wine seems to evolve very slowly, I can imagine there is still some room for additional development - perhaps even improvement - but as the wine is so accessible and tasty right now, it doesn't really call for any additional aging. A bargain at 34,50€.
(94 points) - 2014 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Balcombe Vineyard Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from a vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 1990. 13,2% alcohol.
Surprisingly deep and dark - even moderately opaque - pomegranate with an evolved brick-red rim. The nose feels a bit restrained but still moderately expressive and quite fruit-forward with aromas of black raspberries, some ripe black cherries, light evolved meaty tones, a little bit of earthy Pinosity, a hint of savory wood spice and a touch of cranberry. The wine feels ripe, juicy and quite airy on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and quite sunny flavors of ripe cherries and black raspberries, some woody tones, a little bit of sweet black cherry, light wild strawberry tones, a hint of cranberry sauce and a touch of spicy Pinosity. The overall feel is quite soft, lacking some firmness and sense of structure due to the medium-plus acidity and mellow, light tannins. The finish is juicy, round and barely grippy with a rather long and somewhat sunny aftertaste of black raspberries, some sweet black cherry tones, a little bit of cranberry sauce, light earthy notes, a developed, savory hint of minty umami and a touch of wild strawberri.
A tasty and harmonious but also quite ripe and round vintage of Balcombe that is more about fruit and structure. Tasting the wine next to the 2016 vintage, this vintage seemed more solar and darker-toned in nature with a sweeter, less red-fruited flavor profile and a quite noticeably softer structure - the tannins seemed both lighter and less grippy, and the acidity seemed lower, less zippy here. I guess the fruit profile might continue to age, evolve and improve over the following decade, as the wine is still somewhat youthful in nature - but with this soft and round overall feel, I'd say the wine doesn't call for any additional aging and is perfectly ready right now.
(90 points) - 2013 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Balcombe Vineyard Dundee Hills - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
100% organically farmed Pinot Noir from a vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 1990. 12,5% alcohol.
Luminous, very dark but also quite translucent black cherry color. The nose feels a bit restrained with somewhat savory and earthy aromas of forest floor and licorice root, some crunchy redcurrants, light woody notes of savory oak spice, a little bit of sweet raspberry marmalade, a fragrant hint of orange rind and a touch of spicy Pinosity. The wine feels juicy, vibrant and somewhat brooding on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and somewhat developed flavors of ripe cherries, some savory notes of meaty umami, light licorice tones, a little bit of forest floor, juicy hints of blackberries and raspberry marmalade and a touch of dried flowers. The structure relies mostly on the pretty high acidity, although the ripe medium tannins do slowly turn a bit more grippy, making the overall feel nicely firm. The finish is juicy, somewhat evolved and gently grippy with a long, nuanced aftertaste of sweet black raspberries and ripe cherries, some forest floor, light savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of licorice root, a hint of tart lingonberry and a woody touch of savory oak spice.
A somewhat ripe and a bit mellow but also enjoyably firm vintage of Balcombe Pinot Noir that is starting to slowly show its age - unlike the more youthful 2014 and 2016 vintages we tasted at the same time. Very balanced and harmonious, but maybe lacking that sense of freshness and intensity the 2016 vintage showed. I guess the wine will still keep for many more years - maybe even evolve a little bit more - but I doubt the wine is going to get noticeably better from here. Drink now or keep for a bit more. Nice and enjoyable stuff.
(92 points) - 2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Ana - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from a parcel in Weber Vineyard planted in 1983. 12,5% alcohol.
Dark, luminous and moderately translucent with a somewhat evolved maroon hue. The nose feels evolved, autumnal and savory with aromas of loose tobacco and forest floor, some wizened cherry and dried strawberry tones, a little bit of smoky phenolic character, light peppery nuances, a hint of licorice root and a faint touch of something animale. The wine feels evolved and silky on the palate with a medium body and layered flavors of tobacco and wizened red plums, some autumnal notes of forest floor, a little bit of ripe black raspberry, light smoky phenolic notes, savory hints of salinity and meaty umami and a sweeter touch of raspberry marmalade. The wine is quite high in acidity with firm, balanced medium tannins. The finish is ripe, silky and somewhat grippy with a juicy, long aftertaste of ripe raspberries, some wild strawberries, light evolved meaty tones, a little bit of licorice, sweeter hints of wizened red plums and blackberries and a developed touch of game.
A firm and rather meaty Pinot Noir that showed a bit more age than most of the PGC wines we tasted today. Good sense of harmony, firmness and evolved complexity - and maybe a tiny phenolic undertone of brett? All in all, this wine is combining ripe-fruited vibrancy, savory elegance and sufficient sense of freshness quite effortlessly. I'm not sure if the wine is going to evolve much from here, but as the wine is drinking really well right now, I don't think it really calls for any additional aging. A lovely wine. Drink now or within the next handful of years.
(93 points) - 2016 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Old Vine Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from the five oldest blocks in the PGC Estate vineyard planted to Pommard clone in between 1984 and 1997 (the remaining thirteen blocks that are planted after 1997 go to the non-Old Vine bottling). The grapes were anything from fully destemmed to 50% whole bunches, depending on the block. 14,1% alcohol. Total production 851 cases.
Youthful, luminous and moderately translucent black cherry color with a still slightly blueish hue. The nose feels fragrant, ripe and moderately dark-toned with quite intense aromas of ripe dark forest fruits, some smoky tones, a little bit of fresh blueberry, light savory notes of licorice root and leather, a hint of sour cherry and a floral touch of violets. The wine feels ripe, a bit concentrated and somewhat sweetly-fruited with a medium-to-moderately full-body and intense flavors of sweet blackberries and juicy black cherries, some licorice tones, a little bit of fresh blueberry, light spicy notes of earthy Pinosity, a hint of pipe tobacco and a touch of sweet red berries. The overall feel is pretty firm and even somewhat muscular with the rather high acidity and medium tannins. The finish is long, juicy and somewhat grippy with a rather intense aftertaste of ripe black cherries and dark forest fruits, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of fresh cherry, light floral notes of violets, a hint of crunchy bilberry and a touch of licorice root.
A quite impressive and still rather youthful Oregon Pinot that is surprisingly powerful, brooding and dark-toned compared to the usual PGC style. The wine shows quite a bit of promise - especially seeing how little age the wine shows at 8 years of age - but at the moment it is maybe still a bit too burly for my preference; I prefer a bit less punchy, more elegant expression. However, as the PGC wines tend to age quite gracefully, I'm sure the wine is evolving in the right direction and will pick up some finesse as it ages. This is obviously a wine for the long haul and I can imagine it will start showing its best at 12-15 years of age, or at an even older age. Fine stuff with lots of upside, recommended.
(92 points) - 2012 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Old Vine Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from the five oldest blocks in the PGC Estate vineyard planted to Pommard clone in between 1984 and 1997 (the remaining thirteen blocks that are planted after 1997 go to the non-Old Vine bottling). 13% alcohol.
Luminous, deep and somewhat translucent black cherry color with a slightly evolved maroon hue. The nose feels fragrant, characterful and slightly evolved with layered aromas of black raspberries and smoky spices, some tobacco, light sweeter notes of wizened dark berries, a little bit of juicy blueberry, a hint of gravelly minerality, a touch of forest floor and a whiff of dried medicinal herbs. The wine feels dry, crunchy and slightly evolved on the palate with a medium body and quite intense flavors of brambly raspberries and fresh cherries, some gravelly mineral tones, light dark-fruited notes of blueberries, a little bit of earthy and peppery spice, light savory nuances of salinity and meaty umami, a hint tobacco and a touch of ripe cranberry. The wine comes across as enjoyably firm and structure-driven with the high acidity and somewhat grippy medium tannins. The finish is juicy and somewhat grippy with a long and quite intense aftertaste of brambly raspberries and ripe cranberries, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of tobacco, light gravelly and earthy tones, a hint of dried medicinal herbs and a developed touch of smoky character.
A very lovely and harmonious Oregon Pinot that doesn't feel particularly young anymore, but despite the somewhat evolved qualities, the overall feel isn't that mature yet, either. I think the wine is starting to be smack in the middle of its drinking window, but I feel there is also some room for further development as well. A fine and eminently enjoyable Pinot Noir with good sense of firm structure, highly recommended.
(93 points) - 2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Old Vine Estate Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from the five oldest blocks in the PGC Estate vineyard planted to Pommard clone in between 1984 and 1997 (the remaining thirteen blocks that are planted after 1997 go to the non-Old Vine bottling). 12% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent and somewhat evolved maroon color. The nose feels open, expressive and quite unique with fragrant aromas of crunchy redcurrants and brambly raspberries, some cool minty tones, a little bit of fresh blackcurrant, light floral notes of elderflowers, an evolved hint of game and a touch of macerated medicinal herbs. Lots of things going on here! The wine feels quite airy and relatively lightweight on the palate, yet it is not lacking one bit in flavor intensity. The wine is medium in body with bright, slightly evolved flavors of crunchy cranberries and brambly raspberries, some sweeter notes of dried cherries, a little bit of forest floor, light fragrant nuances of elderflowers and minty herbal character, a crunchy hints of redcurrants and wild strawberries and an evolved touch of game. The structure relies more on the high acidity, but the medium tannins slowly pile up on the gums, contributing to the firmness to some degree. The finish is long, quite dry and gently grippy with a nuanced aftertaste of brambly raspberries and wild strawberries, some crunchy notes of cranberries, a little bit of developed gamey character, light minty nuances, a floral hint of elderflower and a touch of earthy Pinosity.
A very impressive, nuanced and characterful Oregon Pinot that is starting to show some developed qualities, yet it is to feel old or tertiary in any way. Of the three Old Vine Estate Vineyard vintages we tasted, this not only showed the best sense of freshness and harmony, but also its aromatics were quite distinct from the other two with the floral and minty undertones. A terrific Pinot Noir that is drinking really well right now, but also might continue to age and evolve for some years more. Delicious, classically styled stuff, very highly recommended.
(95 points) - 2014 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Bishop Block Durant Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from a block planted in 1973 in the Durant vineyard, making the vines some of the oldest in Oregon. 14,4% alcohol.
Quite deep, dark and only slightly translucent black cherry color with a subtly evolved plummy hue. The nose feels big, ripe and a bit autumnal with aromas of tobacco and damp forest, some sweet notes of ripe black raspberries and black cherries, a little bit of alcohol, light meaty tones, a hint of licorice root, a touch of juicy strawberry and a whiff of peppery spice. The wine feels rich, quite intensely flavored and slightly warm on the palate with a rather full body and a bit evolved flavors of dark plummy fruit, some savory notes of meaty umami, light autumnal notes of earth and forest floor, a little bit of licorice root, a hint of juicy black cherry and a touch of strawberry. The structure relies on both the rather high acidity and moderately grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is rich, juicy and moderately grippy with a long, aftertaste of dark plums and strawberry tones, a little bit of licorice root, light meaty tones, a hint of peppery spice and a touch of sweet black cherries. The somewhat high alcohol makes the wine finish on a slightly warming note.
A quite noticeably big, ripe and somewhat extracted Oregon Pinot. Sure, the wine isn't as massive, ripe and chewy as some fruit bomb Cali Pinots from warmer climates, but in a long lineup of PGC Pinots, the style here is markedly different compared to the other wines. I like how the wine is surprisingly structure-driven despite its ripeness, which makes the wine feel very balanced for the size - a bigger Pinot like this really does call for some structure to back up the juicy fruit and the relatively big body. While a harmonious and vibrant wine in its own right, I don't think these 2014 Pinots can really attain the same kind of freshness and nuance as the cooler vintages. I doubt the wine is going to fall apart anytime soon, as it is pretty firmly-structured and it doesn't really show much age; however, I'm not sure if the wine is going to benefit much from further aging, either. Drink or hold.
(90 points) - 2014 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Pommard Clone Freedom Hill Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley (11.9.2024)
From a vineyard planted to Pommard clone in 2001. 14,7% alcohol.
Luminous, deep and slightly translucent pomegranate color. The nose feels ripe, open and juicy with fruit-driven aromas of cherries and blueberries, some blueberry tones, a little bit of alcohol, light plummy notes, a hint of strawberry, a touch of raspberry jam and a whiff of forest floor. The wine feels ripe and sweetly-fruited but also surprisingly firm and concentrated on the palate with a rather full body and intense flavors of dark plummy fruit and elderberry juice, some savory notes of meaty umami, a little bit of peppery game, light sweet raspberry jam tones, a hint of wild strawberry and a touch of earth. The wine is surprisingly muscular and tightly-knit for such a big and ripe Pinot with its high acidity and quite assertive and rather grippy medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, savory and moderately grippy with a quite intense aftertaste of blueberries and elderberries, some meaty umami, light dark plummy tones, a little bit of wild strawberry, an evolved hint of game and a sweet touch of raspberry jam.
A surprisingly big-boned, sunny and sweetly-fruited Oregon Pinot with quite a bit of heft and richness - but also enough structure to make things feel remarkably balanced. The wine doesn't really represent my favorite style of Pinot Noir - it feels more Californian with its elevated alcohol and sweet edge - but I do enjoy the purity and vibrancy of the fruit, not matter how ripe it may be, and the impressive sense of structure the wine exhibits. I doubt the wine will ever gain the level of finesse a typical PGC Pinot from a cooler vintage exhibits, but from the (considerably ripe) 2014 PGC Pinots we went through in this tasting, this was probably my favorite. It might be quite big, ripe and a bit clumsy, but it is also surprisingly stern and dead-serious in overall style. A big boi with a lot of depth and oomph.
(91 points) - 2013 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Olenik Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Chehalem Mountains (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from Olenik Vineyard. To my understanding, PGC buys fruit from two blocks in Olenik Vineyard - one planted to Wadensvil Clone, another planted to Pommard clone (Anklebreaker Block). IIRC, PGC didn't get any fruit from the Anklebreaker in 2013, so that probably means this is 100% Wadensvil clone? 12,5% alcohol.
Luminous, quite translucent and somewhat evolved cranberry-red color with a faint pomegranate hue and a thin, almost colorless rim. The nose feels dry, yet wonderfully fragrant and complex with red-toned aromas of raspberries and dried cranberries, some sweet cherry tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light floral notes of violets, a hint of forest floor, a tertiary touch of earthy spice and a whiff of pomegranate juice. The wine feels juicy, dry and silky on the palate with a medium body and moderately dry flavors of ripe black raspberries, some dark plummy tones, a little bit of fresh bilberry, light tart notes of pomegranate and crunchy cranberry, a hint of forest floor and a touch of stony minerality. The overall feel is fresh and sophisticated yet enjoyably structured with the high acidity and firm medium-plus tannins. The finish is long, rich and somewhat grippy with an intense, slightly sweet-toned aftertaste of dark forest fruits, some dark plums, light fresh bilberry tones, a little bit of ripe cranberry, a hint of forest floor and a touch of stony minerality.
A rather ripe but also remarkably fresh, firm and serious Pinot with wonderful sense of nuance and finesse. The nose feels very red-toned and even somewhat Burgundian, but on the palate the wine seems to show more darker-toned fruit flavors and a bit more ripeness. However, the overall feel remains enjoyably savory and serious with good sense of focus and intensity of flavor. Although not young anymore, I'm pretty sure the wine will continue to age - and hopefully improve - for a good handful of years more. Among my favorite PGC Pinot Noirs so far.
(94 points) - 2010 Patricia Green Cellars Pinot Noir Whistling Ridge Vineyard - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Ribbon Ridge (11.9.2024)
100% Pinot Noir from Whistling Ridge Vineyard. The last bottled vintage of this vineyard at PGC. 13% alcohol.
Luminous, somewhat evolved black cherry color with a slightly aged maroon hue and a pale, almost colorless brick-orange rim. The nose feels quite old, pungent and smoky with rather tertiary aromas of dried cherries, some soy sauce, light notes of tobacco, a little bit of animale and farmhouse funk, red-toned hints of lingonberries and wizened cranberries and a touch of bouillon cube. The wine feels evolved, savory and pretty sinewy on the palate with a medium body and pretty intense but also moderately tertiary flavors of soy sauce and salty beef jerky tones, some sweeter dried fruit notes, a little bit of elderberry juice, light meaty nuances, bright red-toned hints of raspberries and wild strawberries and a touch of wizened cherries. Although the fruit department is starting to get pretty tired, the high acidity and still rather grippy tannins make the wine feel still quite firm and structured. The finish is long, quite tertiary and moderately grippy with a dry aftertaste of crunchy cranberries and brambly raspberries, some savory notes of soy sauce and meaty umami, a little bit of stony minerality, light earthy tones, a sweeter hint of dried fruits and a touch of farmhouse funk.
Structurally this was a wonderfully fresh and still pretty tightly-knit effort, but there's no denying that the fruit department was getting pretty tired and tertiary. I guess this might've been a rather impressive and structure-driven effort some 4-6 years ago, but at the moment the evolved, oxidative nuances have begun to dominate and the wine is now in a decline. It is still enjoyable, but it is better to drink sooner rather than later. Priced somewhat according to its quality at 36€.
(89 points)
Posted from CellarTracker
, so just holler if and when you do ever manage to head my way!!! I’m just 90 miles north of Denver, of course. 
