A new batch of Oregon 2008 Pinot noirs are out this week – here’s two standouts:

BEST BUY – Pappas Pinot noir 08 $13.99 any 12 – Yumm! Immediately appealing, a lively perfume of red raspberry and damson plum ushers in a silky textured Pinot. Delicate red fruit flavors – raspberry, red currant, and plum – mingle with sweet spice and creamy toast. Soft, unobtrusive tannins balance the fresh, bright, berry-fruit finish. – Jean

CLASSIC – Holloran Pinot noir Willamette Valley 08 $21.11 any 12 – Made by Jay Somers (J. Christopher Wines) for Bill Holloran. – The scent of blackberry jam and sweet spice is soft and inviting – an initial hit of blackberry, currant, and spice flavors deepens with the addition of black pepper, smoke, and smooth, moderate tannins. In the finish, there’s a hint of perfume and cedar. As the flavors taper off, the tannins become a bit grippy – this wine is well matched to casual barbecue and burgers, and will also pair well with fall  menus – roast lamb,  wild mushrooms, and such. – Jean

Of all the new wines coming through the store, here’s four that we keep taking home:

Smoking 08 Oregon Pinot:
Lemelsom Thea’s Selection Pinot noir 08
$25.16 in an order of any 12 bottles
http://www.northwest-wine.com/Lemelson-Pinot-noir-Theas-Selection.html
Great! An amazing core of cherry fruit and a super lush texture draws you in, while shadings of huckleberry and dark cocoa keep your buds popping. Thea’s positively sings on the finish. Outstanding Pinot.

Sipping poolside:
Ca del Baio Langhe Chardonnay “Luna d’Agosto” 09
$13.45 in an order of any 12 bottles
http://www.northwest-wine.com/Ca-del-Baio-Chardonnay-Luna-d-Agusto.html
Unoaked Chardonnay from Italy’s Piedmont – damn straight. One of the wines I look most forward to this time of year. We had a bottle last night with Albacore sashimi – wow. Clean, citrus flavors aren’t complex, they’re just perfect. Bring on the heat and humidity!

Fire up the grill:
Monchiero Barolo “Roere” 05
$26.95 in an order of any 12 bottles
http://www.northwest-wine.com/Monchiero-Barolo-Roere.html
A contender for the best value Barolo. Floral and mega-aromatic, the Roere treats you to the allure of Nebbiolo – it smells like no other grape varietal. Dried rose, licorice, truffle-mushroom, dark cherry, fall leaves, resin and more. The tannins cry out for protein (steaks are on the menu) and it’s best to let this breathe for 1-2 hours before digging in. I can’t wait to visit the winery in September…

A glass with anything:
Westrey Pinot noir Willamette Valley 09
$19.75 in an order of any 12 bottles
http://www.northwest-wine.com/Westrey-Pinot-noir.html
The most recent success from Westrey. Red fruit – mostly crushed raspberry and wild mountain strawberry – subtle smoke, and white flowers. The WV 09 melds forward fruit with a bright and lively character, making a great intro to Oregon’s 2009 vintage.

One of the most vibrant, enthusiastic people in the Washington wine world has passed away in an accident. Andy Perdue, in his excellent article about John, says that  John “…suffered a severe head injury during a July 18 tournament at Bellingham Golf & Country Club. A Bellingham radio station reports he tripped over a concrete edging while moving out of the way of a golf cart.”

I was lucky enough to join John in judging a Washington wine competition a few years ago. From his winery and wines’ names (Bad Bunny was his best known wine) to his popular, fun tasting room (great live music), he had a natural knack for creating delicious wines in an upbeat environment.

Life is precious, and John will be missed. A bright light gone.

Jean

I know it’s not nice to ask you to read between the lines on a Monday, but bear with me…it’ll be worth it. Forefront Pinot noir 08, for under $20, was made in tribute to Archery Summit’s founder, Gary Andrus. Archery Summit (now owned by Pine Ridge) is located in Oregon’s Dundee Hills. Forefront Pinot noir 08 contains a big chunk of Dundee Hills fruit. Are you reading what I’m saying?

The best value “bigger-style” Oregon 2008 Pinot I’ve tasted, with all of the exquisite balance of 2008. This stuff rocks for its explosive aromas and lush palate of Marionberries and black cherries, wrapped up with a bow of licorice and complementary oak. Put more plainly, this drinks like a $40+ Pinot. Forefront makes a huge impression on you, much like Gary Andrus did with his wines.

Forefront Pinot noir 08 $19.94
$17.95 any 12 or more bottles
http://www.northwest-wine.com/Forefront-Pinot-noir.html

We sent out an email about Canadian Ice Wines today. I tend to take them for granted – they are pretty easy to get here in the Pacific Northwest. But I gather from our customers that they’re hard to get just about everywhere else.

“True” Icewines are really hard to make. You have to allow the grapes to freeze and thaw several times on the vine before picking them. Harvest happens in the middle of the night, while the grapes are fully frozen. The weather has to behave perfectly. And then you get one tiny, super concentrated drop of juice from each grape.

I’ve been fortunate to be able to try quite a number of ice wines over the years.  Many of them were cloyingly sweet. But the best were sheer ambrosia, balancing sweetness with acidity.

One of my favorites of the “true” Canadian Icewines is the Inniskillin Sparkling Ice Wine.  We wrote about it a few years ago on the website  – Sublime aromatics of fresh lime, apricot, grapefruit and peach blossoms with a slight mineral edge. A racy interplay of sweet and tart offer up echoing flavors of lemon, lime and candied apricot. Truly a vibrant and refreshing experience!

The Inniskillin Sparkling Ice Wine is outrageously expensive ($62.95 for a bottle that serves 6-8 people in small glasses) but if you don’t turn up your nose at sweet wines, it’s pretty dang amazing. I like to give this wine at birthdays and weddings – it gets raves at the reception. Let’s face it, a lot of people like sweet wine, and if that’s their thing, why not give the best.

If you want to spend less for very similar wines, try the Icewines from Washington State and Idaho. Two of the best are the Covey Run Reserve Semillon Ice Wine 06 $20.66;  and the Saint Chapelle Riesling Ice Wine $18.86.

LongShadows Wineries is a group of nine famous winemakers from around the world making seven highly rated wines from Washington State fruit.

The “Nine Hats” winemakers include California winemakers Randy Dunn (Feather) and Agustin Huneeus (Pirouette), Bordeaux chateau owner Michel Rolland (Pedestal), the proprietor of Chateau Le Bon-Pasteur in Pomerol, Australian John Duval (Sequel), Ambrogio and Giovanni Folonari (Saggi), and German Riesling producer Armin Diel (Poet’s Leap). In addition, resident winemaker Giles Nicault makes a seventh wine under the Chester Kidder label.

“Nine Hats” Red Wine is a blend of the extra barrels of LongShadows’ 2007 vintage red wines – Sequel, Pirouette, Feather, Saggi, Chester Kidder, and Pedestal.  It’s the same juice as goes into the signature wines of each “Hat” – the excess that was left over.

LongShadows didn’t make much of this wine. With 94+ scores for most of their wines from Wine Spectator and such, they don’t have to. I’m assuming they needed to get rid of the extra juice. Whatever the reason, this is pretty dang good for the price.

It’s big and juicy, with lots of dark cherry and plum flavors, cedar, toast, saddle leather, cigar smoke, espresso. Classic Washington red. Although says it’s 60% Cab on the label, it drinks more like a big Walla Walla Syrah. Great wine for the $$$.

From Longshadows Group: “Nine winemakers. Nine hats. The nine renowned winemakers of Long Shadow’s signature wines discover after each harvest that a percentage of their resulting barrels are more than they require to achieve that perfect balance in their final blends. These extra barrels now produce NINE HATS…wines of complexity and supple texture.”

In the early days of Oregon’s wine industry, people grew everything. From Auxerrois to Zinfandel, growers tried them all. Success varied from spectacular to not so much. At Woodhull Vineyard, a you-pick in the 1980’s that’s now an experimental vineyard owned by OSU, the doctor owner amused himself by growing over 30 different varietals. I lived down the road from that vineyard in the 1980’s and helped make wine from the Gamay vines, now long gone.

Of the 30+ different grapes grown at Woodhull, the Gamay was one of the most successful experiments.  Oregon Gamay has an interestingly different combination of floral and flavor components from Pinot noir, and the few vines left, now 25+ years old, make richer versions of the wines we made in the ’80s.

Old vine Gamay noir vines yield a very small crop of grapes. Intense flavors include strawberry, raspberry, red plum, and pomegranate. The scent is distinct, with both earthy and floral notes. Fresh and bright, there’s usually a balance of red fruit, minerality, and dark earthy notes (sometimes a hint of curry). It’s a bit different than anything else from Oregon.

Gamay noir has not fared well here. It grows well, but in the 1980’s,  when Oregon wine was completely unknown outside the state, winemakers focused on the more popular and profitable Pinot noir. Most of Oregon’s Gamay vines were pulled out by the end of the 1990’s. Today, a few Oregon wineries grow and make highly regarded Gamay noir from several small blocks of grapes.

A few blocks of  Oregon Gamay noir, planted in the early 1080’s, still exist. The oldest block of Gamay noir is located at Seven Springs Vineyard. Evening Land, the new owners of the vineyard, have improved its health and produced two fascinating and delicious Gamay based wines:

Evening Land Vineyards’s Celebration Gamay noir 09 $17.95 (any 12)
Great weight. Fresh, crushed raspberries are shaded with dark cherries and cracked pepper in a juicy wine with great weight. 100% whole clusters, handled traditionally. – Marcus

From the Oldest Gamay noir vines in the Willamette Valley, planted in 1983. Evening Land’s Gamay is inspired by the great Crus of Beaujolais like Morgon and Mouline-a-Vent. Only 300 cases produced.

-
Evening Land Vineyards Celebration Les Gamines 09 $22.45 (any 12)
Raspberry cream and flowers open to darker, broader palate and finish, still showcasing the peppery nature of the Gamay and the silkiness of the Pinot. You could drink this for breakfast. – Marcus

60% Gamay noir and 40% Pinot noir (Pommard clone). Only 118 cases produced.

Here’s an update to our continuing coverage of the purchase of Evesham Wood by Erin and Jordan Nuccio of Haden Fig. (Don’t I sound a bit like Dan Rather in that sentence…very official.)

Erin sent me this a few minutes ago:

As many of you know, Haden Fig has been produced at Evesham Wood since its inception.  But many of you probably don’t know how that came to be.  Through a very bizarre and serendipitous series of events I found myself driving up the long gravel road to Evesham Wood about three years ago.  What was meant to be a quick winery and vineyard tour turned into the beginning of a meaningful friendship and an indispensable mentorship. Russ and Mary Raney built Evesham Wood from the ground up and spent nearly 25 years honing their craft.  I have learned a lot from them and they have welcomed Jordan, Haden, and me into their family over the last three years while we worked side by side creating something we believe in.

Russ and Mary have decided to move on to the next chapter of their lives and have asked Jordan and me to carry on what they have worked so hard to create.  While it wasn’t what I envisioned three years ago, or even more recently, it is an incredible honor and opportunity to carry this legacy forward and I take the responsibility extremely seriously.  Russ and Mary will stay close by, living just down the street, and their influence and input will be invaluable as we make this transition of ownership.

Now what does this mean for Haden Fig?  Haden Fig will continue down the path started three years ago with even more opportunity for experimentation and allowing me to really push the envelope in working towards creating wine that truly embraces the philosophies of sustainable viticulture and natural winemaking.  Jordan and I are thankful to Russ and Mary for making this possible and we are thankful to you for helping us grow.  This is exciting news for Haden Fig and good things are to come!

We’ll have more in an article on Avalon Wine in the next few days.

Matt Kramer, who writes for Wine Spectator and The Oregonian, just published a very complimentary story about Westrey Wines and a glowing review of the Westrey Oracle Pinot noir 08.

He describes Westrey’s wines, saying:  “They are the real things, wines that make you sit up, reach for another sip and even remind you that life is very much worth living. That’s no small achievement for what is, after all, just wine.”

He goes on to describe the Oracle Pinot noir:

“Westrey Pinot Noir “Oracle Vineyard” Dundee Hills 2008 ($22.45 any 12) is an exemplar of Oregon’s exceptional 2008 vintage. In Westrey “Oracle Vineyard” 2008 you find the alliance of the tight, dense core of berryish fruit characteristic of the 2008 vintage allied to a bright, precise flavor definition made more apparent by a good, but not excessive, acidity.”

“Everything in this wine is just so: its garnet hue is bright and deep but “natural” … oak is restrained, indeed barely discernible, which allows the fruit purity to shine. The fruit intensity is substantial yet with a delicacy that reminds you why pinot noir is unique among red grapes.”

Back in January, Avalon Wine  selected Westrey as our Winery of the Year. Months after that designation, Westrey released the best wine they’ve ever made – 2008 Abbey Ridge Vineyard Pinot noir. Abbey Ridge is one of the Willamette Valley’s oldest and most prestigious vineyards.

The Westrey Abbey Ridge Pinot noir 08 ($32.36 any 12) is drop dead sexy. Like Pavlov’s dog, the bell rings, the wine is poured, we salivate. Raspberry pie from the oven, fresh cherries from the market. A magical sweet earth note. This is gorgeous stuff. According to winemaker David Autrey, this is the best wine that Westrey’s made. We agree.

Magnums of the Westrey wines are rarely available. We lucked into a few magnums of the Oracle 08, Abbey Ridge 08, and a very few Reserve Chardonnay 08 (not yet released). They’re on our Westrey page, or give us a call for more information. 541-752-7418.

Read more about David and Amy’s Westrey Wines on our website.

Erin Nuccio (Haden Fig) has purchased Evesham Wood Winery. The purchase includes the winery, house, vineyard, and inventory.

Russ writes about the decision: “After 24 years of a mixture of euphoria and despair (only a little bit of the latter) – Mary & I had a golden opportunity to retire early, when we had the great fortune of meeting and working with Erin Nuccio and his wife, Jordan (Haden Fig Wines).”

At right, Russ and Mary in the cellar

“The end result is that we were blessed with the perfect candidates to continue the Evesham Wood Vineyard & Winery legacy (whatever it is?) Apart from our presence here, virtually nothing will change in the vineyard & cellar. Erin & my wine making & vine-tending philosophies are pretty much identical (i.e. organic).

Mary, Aidan, and I will remain in West Salem and will be consulting for the new owners for the next 2 years – and hopefully spending 1-2 months per year at a “maison de village” we purchased near Narbonne, France.

I guess this means I’ll have to change my profile pic (on facebook) – I’m entertaining any ideas for a new one…..maybe in a rocking chair w/ a glass of geritol (er, wine). It’s been a fun ride – thanks to all who helped us make it that way!

Russ commented to me this morning:  “I’ll be helping Erin & Jordan out for the next 2 years (+?) but that will be the extent of my “wine making activity”….certainly won’t be giving up its consumption though! Hearing Erin say that “nothing will change at Evesham Wood” was music to my ears. Our philosophies on wine making and vyd. management are virtually identical.”

At right, the Nuccio family

Read more about Evesham Wood and Russ Raney

Have I been living under a bucket or is this new news to some of us? Dick Erath, who sold his eponymous Erath Vineyards to Chateau Ste. Michelle in 2005, has a new vineyard and winery in Arizona.

Hey, the guy retired there – he’s 74, loaded with $$s, and could do anything he wants with his time. Just goes to show that you can’t take the wine out of the winemaker – or is that the winemaker out of the man?

The vineyard is Cimarron Vineyard, and the first wine is the 2008 Cimarron Monsoon Red.  It’s a blend of Barbera, Sangiovese, Zinfandel and Primitivo.I’m trying to hunt down a source in Oregon so we can sell it. Anyone out there know who?

Some links:

Article on Erath’s launch.

Very Comprehensive article on the whole
Arizona wine scene with emphasis on Dick.

Evening Land Vineyards Summum Chardonnay 07 $89.06 in any 12 bottle order – If you follow this wine, you know how good it is and this is a heads up – last call. Wine Spectator 94 points.

Rumbles are that it’s about to get yet another rave review.

It’s already gotten a lot of buzz in the press.

Here’s what Harvey Steiman wrote about the ELV Chards in June:

“The first vintage, 2007, produced a stunning pair of Chardonnays, which I rated 94 and 93 points. Their balance, power and distinct minerality mark them as turning points for Oregon, great wines and influential over other producers of Chardonnay.”

“…In a way, it’s not surprising that Chardonnay did so well. Lafon is famous for his white Burgundies, and his touch is palpable in the Oregon wines. In particular, I was taken with how transparently they expressed the stony terroir.”

Here is his comment on the 2008 ELV Chards: “If anything the Chardonnays are a step up from 2007, which seemed to expand on the previous vintage with more depth and, at the same, more transparency.”

The Evening Land Summum (and the ELV La Source Chard as well) is one of the breakthrough Oregon Chardonnays (along with Arterberry Maresh, Black Cap, Crowley, a few others) that are becoming a hot story in the wine press:

Who would’a thunk – Oregon Chardonnay is sort of like really good white Burgundy!  Let’s blog!

We have a contest on our facebook page starting today. A bottle of Owen Roe Chapel Block Syrah 08 (97 pts Wine Spectator) for the winner.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Oregon-Wine-from-Avalon/376611265751

Bruno Pinot noir 09 is made by Russ Raney (Evesham Wood) for his Oregon distributor, Don Oman (at right). It’s an outstanding value that blends freshness, bright acidity, and pure fruit. And it’s only sold in Oregon.

Try Bruno on a summer evening, sitting outside watching the sunset – chilled just a bit. Serve carnitas tacos, grilled artichokes and drawn butter, piles of blackberries with homemade ice cream or strawberry sorbet. Bruno is refreshing and just crisp enough to balance the rich pork, dance with the hot salsa, complement the artichoke, and bring out the flavor in the berries.

You’ve probably not heard of Bruno. It was originally intended for restaurants in Portland, so the distributor could blow the sommeliers’ heads off with such a great price for a killer Oregon Pinot.  We said to our rep – No way! We want some! So now you can buy the Pinot that sells as a “house wine” at Portland restaurants (for a lot less $ a glass).

Wine writer Matt Kramer (Wine Spectator & Oregonian columnist), writing last year about Evesham Wood and the 2008 Bruno: “Let’s put the most important information about this terrific deal in Oregon pinot noir right up front: Bruno Pinot Noir 2008 is made by Russ Raney, the owner-winemaker of Evesham Wood Vineyard. …Why is this so important? Raney is consistently one of Oregon’s finest winemakers. The pinot noirs he crafts under his own label are invariably some of Oregon’s most detailed, restrained and age-worthy wines. ….Where once I was able to write about Evesham Wood wines with pleasurable frequency, their near-cult status today makes that now a disservice to readers, as the wines are so quickly gone from the shelves.”

Order it here: http://www.northwest-wine.com/eveshamwoodwinery.html

Our first facebook special!

We’re on Facebook, and we’ll be posting regular Facebook specials and tweeting them as well. Here’s a real deal of a deal to get started.

25% off Mark Ryan Wild Eyed Syrah 07
plus 10% case discount.

Regular retail $47.95, this weekend $36.00
AND additional case discount of 10% applies to make it $32.40 in a case.

You save $15.60 a bottle in case orders.

Go to our Facebook Page to get the coupon.

Mark Ryan is known for HUGE, burly red wines from Washington State. Mark McNeely’s Wild Eyed Syrah is a monster.

Here’s Marcus’s tasting note: Rich, densely layered sweet blackberries, black cherries, and black raspberries are both wild and refined. When the Wild Eyed isn’t busy catapulting intense fruit, it’s sneaking in with espresso, anise, licorice, bacon, purple flowers and vanilla. Polished and supple, this is pop-and-pour good right now, with balance to last a decade.

Sale ends Sunday midnight Pacific time.