Archives: Wine Reviews

Bethel Heights Estate Pinot Noir 2012

91
Bethel Heights Estate
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Eola-Amity Hills
Retail Price: $31.99

Tasting Notes: Bethel Heights blends this cuvee from all over its 100-acre estate. Soft and appealing, this medium-bodied pinot features aromas of black cherries leading to gentle flavors of blackberries and plums. Aged 10 months in French oak, you can expect lovely polished tannins.
Bethel Heights Estate Pinot Noir 2012

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Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling 2014

92
Willamette Valley Vineyards
Varietal: Riesling
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $15

Tasting Notes: Oregon is not where you would typically expect to find Riesling of this outstanding quality. The aromas of sweet, ripe nectarine, Anjou pears, wild flowers and honeysuckle lead you to believe this will be a sweet wine. But as the wine dances across the palate, the complex flavors and the focused acidity takes over. Completing the experience is the long, lingering finish.
Willamette Valley Vineyards Riesling 2014

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Soter North Valley Chardonnay 2012

93
Soter North Valley
Fanciful Name: Reserve
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $30

Tasting Notes: This is not an oak bomb. Balanced fruit and acidity, with floral aromas, toffee and apple on the palate — all deliver a rich, long finish that is a treat.
Soter North Valley Chardonnay 2012

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Kudos Pinot Noir 2014

92
Kudos
Fanciful Name: Reserve
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Yamhill Carlton District
Retail Price: $25

Tasting Notes: A complex pinot noir that manages to combine both elegance and power in its savory flavors of raspberry, dark fruit, cola and earth; finely grained tannins and a balancing core of acidity provide a well-structured finish.
Kudos Pinot Noir 2014

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Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir 2014

94
Ken Wright Cellars
Fanciful Name: Shea Vineyard
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Yamhill Carlton District
Retail Price: $64.99

Tasting Notes: Top-shelf, elegant Pinot Noir, medium-bodied with complex berry and spice notes, followed by a long, lush finish.
Ken Wright Cellars Pinot Noir 2014

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Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

98
Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard
Fanciful Name: Summum
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2013
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $89.99

Tasting Notes: As far as I am concerned, this is the best white wine made in America. Their efforts to create a Grand Cru the likes of white Burgundy have been realized. The most precise American Chardonnay I have ever tasted, this wine dances on the palate on the way to a long, satisfying finish. The epitome of balance and elegance, no Chardonnay you try will be able to match.
Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

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Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

94
Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard
Varietal: Chardonnay
Vintage: 2013
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $45.99

Tasting Notes: A more affordable offering from one of the U.S’s best producers. Eleven months of French Oak-aging is hard to comprehend when tasting how balanced this wine is. Classic fruit flavors of apple, pear and tropical fruits highlight this Burgundian style. The only way to top this is to jump up to their highest end offering of the single block “Summum” Chardonnay. This wine is much more readily available and will turn into the everyday Chardonnay of whoever takes the leap.
Evening Land Seven Springs Vineyard Chardonnay 2013

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Chehalem Three Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012

95
Chehalem Three Vineyard
Varietal: Pinot Noir
Vintage: 2012
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $33.99

Tasting Notes: Reminiscent of a good Bourgogne Rouge, this wine has a bright ruby color. A bouquet of sweet cherry, wild flower and lightly charred oak leads to flavors of red currant, raspberry and clove, with a light, pleasant toasty nuance. The finish is lengthy with hints of chalk and flint. The acidity is racy and crisp. Pair this gem with poached salmon, roast duck with a fruit glaze, Cornish Hen, or roasted pork loin.
Chehalem Three Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012

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Alexana Riesling 2011

94
Alexana
Varietal: Riesling
Vintage: 2011
Country of Origin: Oregon
Appellation: Willamette Valley
Retail Price: $28.99

Tasting Notes: Riesling is becoming more and more of a hot-button grape in the state of Oregon. Alexana is producing the style that has people talking. Made in an Alsatian style, and closer to dry than off-dry, this Riesling can convert any white wine fan to a Riesling fan. Heck, any wine drinker in general. You won’t find a richer, more expansive palate on a Riesling from this area of the country. Team it with your next Thai dish or a hot summer day.
Alexana Riesling 2011

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Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014

91
Spy Valley
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Appellation: Marlborough
Retail Price: $30

Tasting Notes: Classic New Zealand sauvignon blanc. Gooseberries and red grapefruit dominate the nose. Full bodied and smooth. Good acidity and balance. Rich, viscous mouthfeel.
Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2014

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Silver Beach Sauvignon Blanc 2013

91
Silver Beach
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2013
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Appellation: Marlborough
Retail Price: $15

Tasting Notes: Aromas of passion fruit and grapefruit with plenty of citrus and melon flavors shining throughout. Crisp and concentrated. Works well with Asian cuisine.
Silver Beach Sauvignon Blanc 2013

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Mudhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2014

91
Mudhouse
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage: 2014
Country of Origin: New Zealand
Appellation: Marlborough
Retail Price: $13

Tasting Notes: Grapefruit, mineral and grass. Lip-smacking thirst quencher. Great with goat cheese appetizers.
Mudhouse Sauvignon Blanc 2014

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