For the holiday weekend, I picked up several Oregon Pinot Noirs, rolled
out the grill, and enjoyed the moment. I wanted to share these notes
with you.

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1. 2003 Stevenson-Barrie Pinot Noir

Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Alcohol: 14%
Bottling Notes: Unfined

Color and Appearance: Clear, vibrant ruby red. Insanely viscous --
long, drawn-out legs continued for a full six minutes after tasting(!).

Aroma: Cherry, strawberry, leather, oak, smoke, and clove. Presented
lovely bouquet upon opening, and became much more complex with
breathing.

Taste and Finish: Fruit-forward berry. Soft, succulent, silky on the
palate. Balanced acids. Smooth, gracefully waning finish. The tiniest
zest of pepper at the very end.

Pairing Suggestions: Grilled lamb stuffed with rosemary sprigs and
garlic. Cedar plank BBQ'd salmon. Simple greens with oil and vinegar.

Overall Opinion: This is from a recently-new producer, and the first
wine of their label that I've ever tried. What a fantastic wine.
Despite its initially robust, oaky character, it opened up and showed a
lovely feminine quality you'd typically expect from a Pinot Noir. It's
nice to find a "gentle" Oregon Pinot Noir given the "cherry bomb"
trends exhibited by some local wineries.

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2. 2001 Iris Hill Pinot Noir

Appellation: Oregon
Alcohol: 11.9%

Color and Appearance: Light ruby red, very clear.

Aroma: Bright cherry and wild berry.

Taste and Finish: Brief fruitiness was overpowered by a tart, acidic
finish. Additional breathing only accentuated these characteristics.

Pairing Suggestions: Tums chewable antacids.

Overall Opinion: Disappointing. Many Oregon Pinots that need mellowing
do so after four years in the bottle. This one, however, already seems
well past its prime, and I couldn't help but think it was this way to
begin with. 11.9% is quite low alcohol content for such a P.N. -- which
leads me to wonder if the vintner didn't try diluting it down to cut
the acidity.

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3. Cardwell Hill Cellars Pinot Noir

Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Alcohol: 13.1%

Color and Appearance: Deep red. Moderate legs.

Aroma: Oak and berry, but a distinct sweat/musty/geranium odor soon
came to the forefront.

Taste and Finish: Surprisingly soft and supple. Nice cherry notes and a
touch of spice.

Pairing Suggestions: None.

Overall Opinion: This is a recently-new producer. Unfortunately, I
would not recommend it. The geranium odors are indicative of oxidation
from not enough Sulphur and/or unsanitary conditions during
fermentation. 90 minutes of breathing helped a bit, but this wine's
fate was sealed prior to bottling.

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4. 2003 Stag Hollow Pinot Noir

Appellation: Yamhill-Carlton (Willamette Valley), Oregon
Alcohol: 14.9%
Bottling Notes:

Color and Appearance: Brilliant red-maroon. Ample viscosity with long
legs and sheets.

Aroma: Quite complex, a nasal treat that continued to surprise for well
over an hour as it began to breathe. Initial waves of cherry, smoke,
and earth eventually gave way to richer, spicier plum, vanilla, and
leather.

Taste and Finish: Rich and smooth at each tasting interval. Medium
length finish, smooth the entire time. Well-balanced acids.

Pairing Suggestions: BBQ grilled chicken with pan-seared mushrooms.
Zucchini grilled in olive oil with fresh margarom, parsley, and
oregano. Italian paysan loaf spread with brie.

Overall Opinion: A wine like this demands its own timeline and space in
which to open up. Uncork, decant, and watch patiently from a distance.
Sample, and wait. Repeat multiple times over 90 minutes, and serve.

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5. 2005 Evasham Wood Pinot Noir

Appellation: Willamette Valley, Oregon
Alcohol: 13%
Price: $15

Color and Appearance: A dark, ruby red. Thick in appearance. Long legs
quickly dissipated. A bit of sediment along the inner edge of the
glass, but hardly enough to bother over.

Aroma: Earthy, mineral, plum and oak.

Taste and Finish: Jammy, with a lengthy, moderately spicey finish.

Pairing Suggestions: Grilled lamb or chicken. This one has enough zest
to be compatible with traditional Shiraz pairings -- peppery, grilled,
heavier/richer red meats and dishes, etc.

Overall Opinion: A lovely wine, especially given the price. I noted the
sediment, and simply reverted to the Stevenson-Barrie -- in that the
vintner perhaps chose to leave "all the good things" in the wine and
forego fining.

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Whether this weekend is a three-day holiday for you or not (Labor Day
here in the States), I hope you will all take a moment to relax and
enjoy your favorite wine.

Cheers,

David Anderson
OregonWines.com