Brick House 2008 Ribbon Ridge Boulder Block Pinot Noir
Doug Tunnell recently explained here that this bottling represents a volcanic sub-plot of the own-rooted Pommard clone vines planted in 1990 that would otherwise go into the Cuvee de Tonnelier bottling, vinified with 50% whole clusters. Certainly one of the most impressive and impactful Brick Houses I’ve had the pleasure to experience to date. It does need about twenty minutes in a decanter for some initially spritzy disjointed acidity to mellow out. After that you get a fairly Burgundian palate presence – though still large in scale, the flavor profile is crimson-complexioned vinous rather than fruity and there’s no sense of fatness. You don’t get the taste of stems at first but after maybe an hour or two of air the effect is unmistakeable and it adds a powerful snap of greenery and a flavor that’s vaguely olive-like. It could be polarizing, but to me it’s absolutely compelling and could be the seed of something profound.
Scott Paul 2008 Dundee Hills “Audrey” Pinot Noir
Like the Brick House, this is made from biodynamically farmed own-rooted Pommard clone vines (see here), specifically a plot of the Maresh Vineyard planted in 1970. But very different stylistically from the Brick House, a more vibrant, more luminous complexion and an emphasis on fruit purity rather than structure. It’s impressive right out of the gate for its delicate touch and near-seamless integration, though it also has a smear of slick, up-front sweetness that would give it away as New World. Fortunately I had the time to wait. It’s bottled under screwcap, and I’ve noticed the tendency in a lot of screwcapped New Zealand pinots to show excessive sweetness for an hour or so before composing themselves into a far more Burgundian package, and that’s essentially what happens here. In fact it definitely has a stylistic similarity to the N.Z. pinot style – some New World gloss over otherwise more-or-less Burgundian proportions. Given about three hours in a decanter, it becomes a real feminine beauty, with a pretty rosy, floral perfume and a calm, red-fruited physical presence as elegant and seamless as it was when it started out but now with the sweetness dialed back to where it should be.
I really appreciate your note on the Audrey, Keith. I haven’t opened an '08 yet myself, but the '07 is elegantly proportioned with a very clean-fruited personality that sounds quite similar. I would expect the '08 to show more structure, but it doesn’t sound from your note as if that were much the case. Anyway, I’m looking forward to checking in on a bottle soon.
I brought a bottle of the '08 BH BB to a party in May. A guy who owns a local wineshop tasted it and went on a five minute rant about his hatred for new oak and his absolute inability to tolerate the Brick House due to the obvious new oak. I found this very amusing since he brought a bottle of recent vintage Pegau and was raving about his love for Pegau. The guy never did seem to know who’s on first (base). I discerned some oak, but found everything to be elegant and in balance.
I have consumed four of the '08 Boulder Block in the last six months thanks to my first shipment arriving with obvious signs of heat damage including pushed up corks. Doug Tunnel could not have been more sympathetic and quick to send out a new shipment. So I’ve been drinking up the heat damaged ones and I can tell that some mighty fine wine met an early demise.
Nice notes Keith. Enjoyed the 08 Audrey at a Scott Paul dinner a few months ago. Some riper leanings than the 07 but it maintains great finesse with lovely red fruit, especially compared to other Willamette PNs. It showed well among a group of several Burgs (darn tough competition).
After tasting several dozen 08s, it seems that most could really use more time to simmer down. Very few were fat, unlike 06.
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