We know stuff.
1 Like
Two additional names to add are J.C. Somers (his J. Christopher wine is also very good) and Belle Pente. Of the big-time producers, I like Domaine Drouhin the best, but I prefer most of the artistic producers mentioned in this thread.
While I do think the producer is important in setting an overall aesthetic, I do not think about Oregon Pinot solely in terms of producers because the region’s vineyards are so young. In my exploration, vine age is a critical determinant in elevating a wine. I thank Jim Anderson for making both the Bishop block and Madrone blocks at Durant and his old vine and regular estate for driving this point home for me. I’ve bought some older Archery Summit Arcus wines based on the vineyard’s strength, not on the producer.
The next most important factor for me has been the length of time a producer has had a vineyard source. I get the distinct impression that quality improves with time spent using a site, e.g., Marcus with Whistling Ridge or PGC with Ridgecrest/Wind Ridge. I hesitate to purchase some of my favorite producers during their inaugural vintage (or 2) with a new vineyard site. Maybe I’m too cautious here.
TL:DR Is Cameron a top producer in Oregon? I’m not sure I care because Abbey Ridge is such a great pinot site.
3 Likes
If I understand you correctly, I find this statement rather shocking. No one makes wines that taste like Kelley Fox’s or Marcus Goodfellow’s and the touch of those winemakers is reflected across all the vineyards they work. Conversely (without naming names), I have had plenty of wines from excellent vineyards that were ruined by the winemaker. I could taste the great raw materials underneath, but the wine itself was awful stylistically. I believe that a great winemaker can make great wines with less than top tier/old vine vineyards. The opposite is absolutely not true.
4 Likes
And yes, you are being too cautious. Jim only started working with Ridgecrest and Wind Ridge in the last year or two. IMO, they are both as good as wines from vineyards that he has worked with for 20 years.
I see lots of lists but not much discussion of the style of these producers. My impression is that there’s a wide variation of approaches within most of these lists. I’d be curious to hear what people have to say about the styles.
3 Likes
Quick note on style for one producer: Goodfellow. I blinded a very experienced wine professional on a Goodfellow Pinot and a Jouan village wine. It was difficult for the professional to stylistically separate the two. Notes from that evening are up here somewhere…
@John_Morris see this link: TN: Blind Tasting Practice (Desire Lines, Weltner, Massican, Goodfellow, Jouan, Walter)
3 Likes
Odd I’ve never had Goodfellow’s Pinots, but I love their Chardonnays. I will have to rectify that.
Based on my cellar:
Patricia Green (I have a lot by far)
Purple Hands
Bethel Heights
Elk Cove
Brittan
Schone Tal
Lingua Franca
Ponzis
Perkins Harter
Eyrie
1 Like
This list might be more idiosyncratic.
Eyrie and Ponzi are two that I stumbled across at the same tasting at Solano Cellars back around 1989-ish. They both were so good that it made my eyes pop out!I was gobsmacked.
I admit to liking Beaux Frere.
Patricia Green and Goodfellow make my list.
I can’t recall seeing Big Table Farm mentioned here, but they are pretty darn good.
I don’t know if this is a cliche, but Domaine Serene is pretty good.
I am sure I am forgetting some!
In no particular order:
Antica Terra
Thomas
Soter
Violin
Native Flora
EIEIO
Audeant
Ayoub
Cameron
Kelley Fox
2 Likes
I’m not sure of the details specifically, but i know Jim has been getting the wind ridge for a couple years before he made the single vineyard in 21. I believe I read a comment saying as much, that he was surprised with how the vineyard fruit turned out and blended it away until he got a better sense of how to handle it.
1 Like
I was going to mention Mo’s wines. Great addition to this thread.
Started with both Risgecrest and Wind Ridge in 2018. Bottled 3 barrels of Ridgecrest in 2018. Didn’t receive Ridgecrest in 2019. 2020 was 2020. Bottled both Rodgecrst and Wind Ridge in 2021 and 2022.
I had certain preconceptions about Wind Ridge that tuned out to be incorrect and it took a couple vintages to both get past those and to figure out what was the correct course of action. Dialed in now.
2 Likes
No particular order. I like them all for different reasons:
Cristom
Thomas
Goodfellow
Vincent
Kelley fox
PGS
Bethel heights
Domaine drouhin (i actually don’t have any in the locker but have always enjoyed them and have a lot of sentimental attachment)
Brickhouse
Soter (but truth be told I drink their sparkling mostly)
1 Like
I have more Oregon Pinot in my cellar than anything else. I love the stuff. My favorite producers, in no particular order would be:
Goodfellow
Kelley Fox
Cameron
Eyrie
Patty Green
Walter Scott
I’m no expert here, but what I’ve found time and again in most of the bottles from these producers I so enjoy are levels of complexity (certainly age dependent), bright red berry fruit and floral aromatics, but with a mineral backbone, refreshing acidity, and versatility (most are quite good young in my experience, but have lots of gas in the tank - although some of Goodfellows and Walter Scotts I’ve had young are more unruly in their youth). On the age point, I’ve had some absolutely fantastic experiences with Patty Green’s in the 10-15 year old range (05, 07 and 09 come to mind, consumed in the early 2020s). I would venture to say that stylistically this group of my favorites is more of what I associate with Burgundian or Old World, than New.
Beyond those, I’ve tended to enjoy the bottles I’ve had of producers including Cristom and Beaux Freres. From memory, I find their styles to generally be a bit bigger, perhaps more extracted, and I can also find more black fruit notes.
Despite all the Oregon pinot I drink I don’t really yet have a great sense for delineating the unique profiles of the AVAs or vineyards, but I’m working on it. Further research needed!
6 Likes
So, 2021 was the second year of Ridgecrest and it is better than Etzel IMO. Weren’t you also thrilled with the inaugural 2021 Shafer?
Ha! Goodfellow is the only one whose style I have a good handle on. And, of course, since our palates align most of the time, I quite like them!
This is an example of why I think it’s important to say something about the style. The Beaux Freres, in my experience, are generally concentrated, low acid, pretty ripe wines. I’ve been served a number of Dom. Serenes over the years and I always feel like there is probably some nice fruit there but the oak overlay completely dominates. (I’ve had some with age with the same experience.)
Marcus Goodfellow’s wines, by contrast, are much more restrained, with good acid and the oak complements the wines. I can imagine that some people might not find them satisfying – not fruity enough or with too firm a structure – but they’re right up my alley.
Obviously, preferences can vary, but since the OP was trying to educate himself (as am I by reading this thread), it would really be helpful if people describe the house styles.
3 Likes
Vincent, which I also like very much, is more concentrated than say Goodfellow, but not in any way dense. Also very low on the oak scale. I find the wines to provide more immediate pleasure while still being reflective of their origins. V & G are the two producers who cemented my love of Pinot Noir from the Ribbon Ridge AVA.
3 Likes
De La Boue is my top
2 Likes
Who?
Seriously - never even seen that name anywhere before.