I still like Oregon…

This past weekend I was home in Michigan visiting my family again. A last-minute trip led to an amazing opportunity - the chance to watch the Michigan Wolverines play the Oregon Ducks live in the second game of this new college football season. Even more exciting was the location of my seat…well, I guess technically I didn’t have a seat because I was on the Michigan sideline for the whole game with an all-access field pass (thanks Dave!). Regardless of how bad Michigan played, this will go down as one of the most memorable sporting events in my lifetime.  (for a great Michigan Football website see my friends website: UMTailgate.com - he’s been to 95 straight Michigan games both home and away!).

The game itself was rather boring from a Wolverine point-of-view. We took an early lead, but ended up taking the worst loss in Michigan football in 40+ years. Our defense was pathetic and after the first half, our “Heisman-candidate” quarterback Chade Henne did not return from the locker-room. After the game I spoke with some Oregon fans about their team and somehow the conversation shift to Oregon wines.

Do I really hate Oregon? Not a chance. The fans were some of the nicest and classiest I’ve met and it was a pleasure talking with them all. I may not be happy that their football team just handed Michigan the most embarrassing loss of my lifetime, but I still respect their program and more importantly, the wines from the state of Oregon. With over 350 wineries in the state, Oregon produces some of the best wines in the US and some of the best Pinot Noir in the world.

The University of Oregon is situated in the city of Eugene, two hours south of Portland. The Willamette Valley, one of Oregon’s many impressive wine-growing regions begins just south of Portland and spans just beyond the city of Eugene. The Willamette valley is well known for the high quality Pinot Noir being produced in recent years. The wines resemble those of Burgundy - a tribute to the outstanding terroir (mild winters, warm summers, little rain during the growing season, ideal soil conditions) in the Valley regions (Dundee Hills, McMinnville, Ribbon Ridge, and the Yamhill-Carlton District.)

Pinot Noir from Oregon has been popular in recent years which has had an effect on the prices. Although many great Pinot’s can be found for less than $20, many quality wines are $30 or more. I’ve put together a list of some wines that I feel exemplify the style and class of what Oregon Pinot Noir is known for.

• Panther Creek Pinot Noir Shea Valley (2005)
  
• Lemelson Pinot Noir, 2005, Williamette Valley
• Alloro Pinot Noir “Fattoria” (2006) - $19
• Boedecker Cellars Pappas Wine Company Pinot Noir (2005) - $18 - Lively, eccentric…well defined dark fruits with subtle spice and oak notes. Great value wine. My rating - 89 pts.
• Patton Valley Pinot Noir (2005) - This well priced Pinot ($25) is full of vibrant fruits and subtle spice. Very well balanced wine. A great buy. My Rating - 90 pts
• Dusky Goose Pinot Noir (2005) - Dark fruits, cherry, spice, hint of toast and vanilla with a buttered oak finish. Great now will only get better in the cellar. My rating - 90 pts
• Sineann Pinot Noir Resonance Reserve (2006) - This first attempt at a reserve is simply stunning. Nose is blackberry and dark sour cherry with floral notes. The oak is subtle, buttery and amazing. Wound up a bit, but in 3-5 years may be exceptional. Pricey at around $70, but worth a try. My rating - 92 pts

Despite the big loss for us Michigan fans, here are 7 great reasons to still like Oregon.

Bin 604 Pinot Noir Tasting Recap - August 23, 2007

This week’s tasting titled “Perfectly Pinot Noir” offered a wide variety of Pinot’s from around the world. The selection was quite diverse, with a few very good bottles at good prices. Below are a list of the wines we tasted, with notes and retail pricing.

1. Domaine de Regusse Pinot Noir, Provence, France, 2006 ($9.99) This Pinot comes to us from Southern France. It was very light, with raspberry and cherry notes, as well as some strawberry that came out on the finish. Not much structure or body, but drinkable. - My rating: 83 pts

2. The Jibe Pinot Noir, Marlborough, New Zealand, 2006 ($15.99). Marlborough is well known for quality Sauvignon Blanc and is recently making a statement in the pinot noir production. This 2006 pinot has nice acidity and some interesting fruit notes consisting of cherry, strawberry, and a hint of vanilla. The pepper and earth tones were nice, but not well integrated with the rest of the wine. Overall, I thought it was OK, but Kim really enjoyed this one. -My rating: 85 pts

3. Capitain Gagnerot Ladoix, Burgundy, 2005 ($25.99) - The only pinot on our list from Burgundy, this 2005 was very good. The fruits were distinguished and complex, with a light mineral undertone and mild acidity. The finish was very elegant and memorable. An excellent value of a great vintage Burgundy! My rating: 92 pts.

4. J. Hoffstatter “Meczan” Pinot Nero, Alto Adige, Italy, 2005 ($21.99) . A very good example of the pinot noir grape with good berry and cherry fruits and a fine texture. Complex and elegant, fresh, intense and quite satisfying - all from a region better known for it’s white wines! My rating: 91 pts.

5. Lemelson Pinot Noir, 2005 ($35.99) - From the well-known Willamette Valley in Oregon, this pinot provides a good example of a well integrated and structured wine. Mild oak, crisp, mild acidity paired with cherry, plum and vanilla notes. Spices appear on the finish that outline the earthieness and texture quite nicely. Maybe overpriced, but it’s very good. -My rating: 89 pts.

6. Cambria Pinot Noir “Julia’s Vineyard”, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2005 ($21.99) - I didn’t have much written down about this basic pinot from the Santa Maria Valley. There was some nice spice notes, with strawberry and cherry, but it was rather unremarkable. My rating: 84 pts.

7. William James “Gary Ranch Vineyard” Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2005 ($35.99). In the glass the William James Pinot is very pleasant with outstanding color and a very impressive bouquet of pomegranate and cherry, as well as floral notes. Smoky and expressive, the velvety texture leads into layers of herbs, cherry and pomegranate. The alcohol content is perfectly matched with the acidity and the tannins, leading to an outstanding finish. The wine took some time to open up and will definitely only get better in the bottle for a few years. - My Rating: 90 pts

8. Dierberg Pinot Noir, Santa Maria Valley, California, 2005 ($44.99). Our third wine in a row from the Santa Maria Valley, this 2005 Dierberg was a bit bigger than the others. The dark cherry and raspberry nose showed hints of lavender. Good acidity with silky and complex tannins, the wine took some time to open and may do well in the bottle for another couple years. -My rating: 89 pts

Panther Creek Cellars 2002 Pinot Shea Valley - $40

Thank you Dr. Karson! And by that I am referring to Dr. Martha Karson, the mother of our very own Dr. Miranda Karson. I know it’s confusing, what isn’t confusing though is the quality of the wines that Martha (seen outlined below!) has introduced Miranda and (vicariously) me to. Martha, a clinical psychologist by training, works in the tasting room at Panther Creek vineyards. She often visits Baltimore and with her visits come many bottles of Panther Creek wines.

Recently, Dr. Karson (Miranda) brought over a bottle of the 2002 Panther Creek Pinot Noir Shea Valley, and it was quite a treat. For specific tasting notes, I offer the details from the website: “Panther Creek is able to choose some of the best vineyard sites in the Willamette Valley, contracting certain blocks, which yield the highest quality grapes. Shea Vineyard is such a site, superbly suited for Pinot Noir. The wines are floral, very fruit forward Pinot, offering early accessibility for a single vineyard wine, yet with significant aging capability. The grapes are typically thinned at veraison to nearly half the normal yield, in order to produce the most concentrated flavors in the fruit.”

This 2002 was very good.  Floral notes in the bouquet with dark cherry notes and a touch of lavender.  Great structure through the finish with good acidity and moderate tannins.  Overall well done.

If you have a chance to get a hold of a Panther Creek wine, then I suggest by all means you do! They are a real treat, and at a very reasonable price! For more info, just head to McMinnville, Oregon, and ask for Dr. Karson! (http://www.panthercreekcellars.com)