Oregon

• Columbia Gorge
• Dundee Hills
• McMinnville
• Willamette

To my knowledge, no one uses this vineyard any longer which is a shame as it produced some outstanding Pinots.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has cherries, black cherries, macerated cherries with a nice funky earthiness.  Gorgeous texture.  Deep and complex but still youthful.  Ripe cherry and black cherry fruit with slight tannins.  Long finish.  Just a gorgeous Pinot that at age 10 still has some upside.  Drink now with air or hold for at least a decade.  Worked well with pizza!

Purple/ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries with slight sour cherries and sandalwood.  On the palate, this is a big Pinot on Oregon standards.  Sour cherries, some underlying char.  Full bodied.  Slight tannins.  This should work well with medium bodied and heavier foods.  Think Salmon, game, etc.  Screw capped.  It is still young and should improve a bit.  Drink over the next ten years.  

Light golden in color.  The nose is mild with pears and melons.  On the palate, there is a slight diesel note but also some slight fruit.  It has a round texture, but lacks much acidity or intensity.  It is enjoyable, but leaves one wanting for a bit more.  Some of that is the varietal but still.  $19 retail.  A very solid wine.  Drink now this may have been better a year ago.  

Very pale pink in color.  The nose is clean but lacking much fruit.  Very light cherries on the palate.  Light bodied.  This is probably well past its time as the fruit seems to have dropped out.  It would be good to try the 2017 for a comparison.  

Deep ruby in color.  The nose has nice sour cherries, some spice.  The palate matches the nose.  This is drinking well if not yet at maturity.  There is some complexity here as it opens in the glass.  Good with a wide variety of foods.  Not sure if it will improve but should continue to mature for at least another decade.  

This is a blend of a whole bunch of leftover grapes.  At $20, this is always a great value but especially so in the better vintages like 2015.  Purple in color.  The nose has black cherries, cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  Good acidity.  Easy drinking with some depth and varietal complexity.  Good finish.  Very food friendly.  It now comes as a screw cap which is nice.  

A very interesting wine for a couple of reasons.  First, the Columbia Gorge AVA is the only AVA that spans across two states (Oregon and Washington).  Second, drinking a Pinot Gris at five years from vintage is really pushing it, but this was screw capped which gave it a fighting chance. This is a wine that was drinking great in 2014 with plenty of fruit but its now 2018.   Light silvery gold in color.  The nose has a nice fresh minerality to it but little fruit.  On the palate, this has a nice texture.  13% Alc.  There is some minerality and a hint of citrus though there really isn't much

Jon Thomas is one of those winemakers that every region seems to have.  Idiosyncratic but making some of the best wines in the region.  This is ruby in color.  The nose is nice with slightly sour cherries.  With air, cherries emerge as well.  On the palate, this is complex with layers of cherries and spice.  Long finish.  Thomas wines are made for the long haul and this is no exception.  Drinking great with air, its best days are still ahead.  This will improve.  Works well with a large variety of foods.  This is an Oregon wine, it is not "Burgundian" or Californian.  And, it competes and e

Ruby in color.  The nose has nice cherries, slight sour note and some spice.  On the palate, this is easy drinking.  Not a lot of depth.  Lighter in style.  Not a lot of acidity.  OK finish.  A very solid wine.  

This is a nice, easy Pinot Gris.  $20 is a fair price.  Consumed over three nights, it was pretty much the same each night.  Screw capped.  Light golden/green in color.  The nose has slight peach but mostly minerals.  On the palate, there is a nice backbone of acidity.  Slightly oily texture.  minerals.  Slight peach.  Food friendly or on its own.