Pinot Noir

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.  

Beautiful Pinot Noir.  Ruby with some purple swirls.  The nose is great with bright cherries contrasted by an earthy, damp forest floor note.  Also some spice.  On the palate, this is tight but quite good.  It needs at least five years or a long decant.  Cherries, macerated cherries, layered tightly with damp earth and spice.  Complex.  Good balance.  Long finish.  Went quite well with food.  

Light pink/orange in color.  The nose has some slight watermelon and a bit of grapefruits.  This is an easy, light rose on the palate.  Refreshing notes of cherries and some cinnamon.  Around $16, this is nice for a party.  

Kendall Jackson makes a lot of wine at all price levels.  One of the more remarkable things is how consistent they are on their value wines.  To make wine in that kind of quantity and be that consistent shows a great attention to detail.  This wine retails for around $16.  75% Pinot Noir, 23% Syrah, 2% Grenache.  Light salmon in color.  The nose is really nice.  Expressive and enjoyable notes of watermelon with slight strawberries.  With air a slight minty scent is there.  On the palate, this is more about cherries and "red berries".  Not as pronounced as the nose.  It does have good acidit

This is always a great value in wine.  Its basically, the ends of the myriad of bottlings that are produced here all blended into one wine.  It costs under $25 and every vintage, though a bit different is tasty.  It also lasts for at least five years probably at least ten.  This one is purple in color.  The nose has dark cherries, some chocolate, sour cherries and spice.  On the palate, this has a nice complexity.  Slight depth.  Slight tannins.  Juicy acidity.  Works well with food or on its own.  Long finish.  A crowd pleaser every time.  

This is actually one of the better values in Oregon Pinot Noir from year to year.  It is a blend of what is left over after the single vineyard bottlings.  It is a great way to check in on a vintage and the fact that it is available in a 375ml format makes it great from a lot of purposes.  Ruby/purple in color.  The nose has sour cherries with some black cherries.  Light tannins on the palate.  Juicy, black cherry fruit.  Finishes a bit sour.  These are on the larger size for Oregon Pinot but age quite well and after a decade drink much more mature.  

Ruby in color, some purple.  On the nose this has some cherry juice and also some celery.  On the palate, the green streak is a bit out of balance.  There is some cherry fruit.  It seems a bit disjointed at present.  Perhaps it comes around with time.  I am told this sells for around $60.  Certainly worth drinking but not a great value for my tastes.  

This was consumed with a couple of my neighbors outside by the fire on a late Spring Day.  It was quite well received.  It is a blend of  Grenache, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, and Sangiovese.  First, the bottle is very pretty with a silk screened label.  The wine itself is likewise pretty with an almost iridescent salmon orange color to it.  The nose is large with burnt oranges, some strawberries and slight cherries.  There is some alcohol on the nose too.  On the palate, this has a very nice texture.  Big fruit, mostly tart cherries.  Enough acidity to work with food but made just fine sip

Screw capped.  Ruby in color, clear and bright.  In Pinot Noir, color often means little but this does have a very pretty lighter color.  The nose has cherries, slight smoke, rhubarb and slight celery notes.  It has a very soft, feminine texture.  On the palate, tart cherries with a slight bitter/herbal note on the finish.  12.5% alcohol on the label.   If you are looking for a bit, fruity wine, this is not that.  This is a lower alcohol wine that works well with food and is better situated to the dinner table than being drunk as a cocktail.  Not for everyone, but for those who are searchin