2018 Panther Creek Pinot Noir De Ponte Vineyard Dundee Hills

2018 Panther Creek Pinot Noir De Ponte Vineyard Dundee Hills

PANTHER CREEK

2018 PINOT NOIR
DE PONTE VINEYARD
DUNDEE HILLS 

2018 Panther Creek Pinot Noir De Ponte Vineyard Dundee Hills
Panther Creek crafts their Pinot Noir from the soil up, with the earth as the defining factor, drawing the blueprint for each of the wines they produce. Their Dundee Hills Pinot Noir arose from red clay-loam and volcanic soils that run from the ground straight through your glass, articulating its origin by balancing tart black cherry with lush raspberry, wild spices, and dried flowers. Once you see who’s making the wine and our price, the only question will be whether a single case will be enough. 
 
Tony Rynders, the winemaker at Panther Creek, has been immersed in Oregon Pinot Noir for two decades. He began his career under the tutelage of Ken Wright and later spent a decade at Domaine Serene, crafting their highly acclaimed Pinots. 
 
De Ponte Vineyard consists of South facing vines grown at 625 feet elevation centered in the Dundee Hills Appellation. Widely praised for their dense red fruits, intense floral aromas, and a hint of minerality, Pinot Noir from De Ponte is unmistakable. Panther’s Creek version expressively embodies the vineyard’s potential, and at $36, I couldn’t be any more enthusiastic about it.
 
PANTHER CREEK
2018 PINOT NOIR
DE PONTE VINEYARD
DUNDEE HILLS
Retails at: $45
 
Your Price: $36
 
 
“This supple, penetrating beauty begins with a nose with black cherries, white pepper, baking spices, and hints of vanilla. It is rich and concentrated with supple Mountain blackberries, pomegranate, cherry cola, and strawberries on the finish and is a silky, hedonistic pleasure to enjoy.”
93 Points
2018 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills

2018 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills

LINGUA FRANCA

2018 ESTATE PINOT NOIR
EOLA-AMITY HILLS

2018 Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir Eola-Amity Hills
Lingua Franca winery resulted from Master Sommelier Larry Stone’s vision to develop an exceptional vineyard, neighboring Argyle’s Lone Star, Domaine Serene’s Jerusalem Hill, and Evening Land’s Seven Springs in Oregon’s Eola-Amity Hills region. Combine that with Burgundy-icon Dominique Lafon’s vision to produce world-class wine to further strengthen the team. Their wines walk a tightrope having New World concentration and intensity that’s equally matched with pristine balance and a powerful sense of place reminiscent of great Burgundy. 
 
Larry and his team separated the vineyard into twenty-three blocks, planted to different rootstocks and budwood reflective of the varying soil conditions. They impeccably farm the vineyard under low-impact, Organic and Biodynamic principles, which include no-till farming and the use of pygmy goats, guided through each row of vines by a Llama.
 
Lafon protégé, and winemaker Thomas Savre crafts the wines, with consulting winemaker Dominique Lafon. Their team meticulously sorts the fruit in the vineyard and at the winery and ferments the berries 20% whole cluster for added depth and structure. They age the wine for 12 months, primarily in neutral barrels to preserve the fruit’s natural essence.
 
LINGUA FRANCA
2018 ESTATE PINOT NOIR
EOLA-AMITY HILLS
 
Your Price: $49.99
 
 
“Structured and refined, with sleek and steely raspberry and blueberry flavors laced with stony minerality and fresh violets. Builds tension toward medium-grained tannins. Drink now through 2028.”
92 Points
 
“This has a Syrah-like foundation of earthy herbs and chewy tannins. The fruit is pure Pinot—elegant and bright raspberry flavors rich enough to feel lightly jammy. It finishes with a kick of citrusy acidity…”
92 Points
 
“Sourced from our best-performing blocks of Pinot Noir, the Lingua Franca Estate Pinot Noir begins with a heady scent of roses and red fruits. On the palate, the wine is quite dense and rich, powerful in expression, with a perfect balance of red and black fruits, dark plum, pomegranate and raspberry, then the nuances of wet stone and savory herbs come through in the lifted lingering finish and velvety texture.”
2018 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Willamette Valley

2018 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Willamette Valley

ARCHERY SUMMIT

2018 PINOT NOIR
DUNDEE HILLS
WILLAMETTE VALLEY

2018 Archery Summit Pinot Noir Dundee Hills Willamette Valley
Pinot Noir is like a blank canvas, and more than any other grape I can think of, wherever it’s planted, it begins to reflect and channel the vineyard, land, and other environmental factors straight to the grapes, then to the glass. Pinot Noir from Oregon tends to have a distinct lushness of fruit and earthy characteristics that make it truly special. Archery Summit’s 2018 Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is a picture-perfect example, and it absolutely should be in the lineup for any Pinot lover. 
 
The 2018 Dundee Hills bottling is a compilation of fruit from Red Hills, Arcus, Summit View, Renegade Ridge, and Archer’s Edge Vineyard that offers a unique glimpse into Dundee Hills terroir, as well as the dynamic 2018 vintage. The winery was the brainchild of veteran winemaker Gary Andrus, who founded Pine Ridge in 1978.
 
The winemaking team fermented the 2018 vintage in a combination of oak barrels, concrete, and stainless steel open-top tanks, which contributed to the layered mouthfeel. On the palate, this release is rich with ripe red fruits, plum, and chocolate. Bullseye.
 
ARCHERY SUMMIT
2018 PINOT NOIR
DUNDEE HILLS
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Retails at: $65
 
Your Price: $48
 
“This cuvée is the first to be released from each new vintage, and the most widely available. The 2018 marks the debut (from harvest to bottling) of winemaker Ian Burch, and it’s a promising one. Full bodied and open, this mixes ripe red and purple fruits, especially plums and cherries, with a touch of lightly minty chocolate. Delicious and ready for near-term enjoyment.” 91 Points
 
“Aromatically, the wine is boisterous and full of harmony, drawing on every fetching fragrance from the volcanic Red Hills. Equal parts rhubarb, clove, graham cracker, bay leaf, rose water, and carnation sync to provide a layered nose. On the palate, the wine shows fine, cocoa-like tannins with deep, marinated black currant flavors and a savory, dramatic finish. Flexing robust flavor while still offering restraint, this wine is a telling glimpse of a remarkable 2018 vintage.”
2016 State of Mind Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

2016 State of Mind Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

STATE of MIND

2016 PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY

2016 State of Mind Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Great values in Pinot Noir can often come from the small and undiscovered producers that execute a steadfast goal of producing wines with sense of place, vibrancy and life, and that tell a story of their origins.  In many cases despite their small production, their passion for making the best wine possible is immeasurably large, and State of Mind’s 2016 Pinot Noir is a perfect example.
 
State of Mind’s 2016 Pinot Noir arose from a single vineyard planted by veteran Willamette winemakers, and located in heart of the Dundee Hills appellation.  
 
The wine was thoughtfully created by Michael Kennedy who’s an award-winning sommelier and vintner who was previously the Sommelier for Ritz-Carlton, before embarking on his own wine company in Napa Valley that’s been featured in Forbes, Bloomberg, Food & Wine Magazine and Barron’s.  
 
This wine has all the makings for greatness, but has a production level so low that many will never find out about it… It also comes from one of the greatest vintages in Willamette Valley history, rivaled only by 2012. The Wine Spectator rated the overall vintage 97 Points, highlighting balance and elegance. 
 
 
STATE of MIND
2016 PINOT NOIR
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price:  Insider Club Members Only
 
Tasting Notes:A finessed, sleek and elegant Pinot Noir from the WV, showing vibrant red & blue fruits on the nose, with rosemary, hazelnut, thyme, basil and rich earth.  The palate is fresh and offers juicy plum acidity at first, but as it opens, denser more rich flavors develop.   The wine evolves wonderfully with air and benefits from being paid against lighter meat dishes, and seafood accented with spices.  Drink this over the next 30 years.” 
2015 Angela Abbott Clark Vineyard Pinot Noir

2015 Angela Abbott Claim Vineyard Pinot Noir

ANGELA  2015 Angela Abbott Clark Vineyard Pinot Noir

2015 ESTATE PINOT NOIR
ABBOTT CLAIM VINEYARD

 
When a winemaker works closely with the same vineyard for more than a decade, and has the ability to farm it however they want, the best will guide the grapes into producing truly world-class fruit.  A perfect example is the Abbott Claim Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton, which Iconic Oregon winemaker Ken Wright purchased in the late 1990’s and planted to Pinot Noir in 2001.  Ken’s first Pinot Noir bearing the Abbott Claim moniker was in 2004 and by the 2012 vintage, it ranked #1 in the World on the Wine Enthusiast Top 100. As a winemaker, he has more accolades that we can list, and he was also the founding winemaker at Domaine Serene.  He was also the first Oregon winemaker to be featured on the cover of the Wine Spectator where he was named a Master of Oregon pinot Noir.
 
In 2017 the Beck Family who own Angela Winery purchased the vineyard from Wright, and they hired Ken as their winemaker.  They have Mark Gould who originally planted the vineyard, managing it now and the results simply need to be tasted.  If you’d like to try a Ken Wright made single-vineyard Pinot Noir from Abbott Claim at a price that’s too good to pass up, here’s your chance.
 
ANGELA
2015 ESTATE PINOT NOIR
ABBOTT CLAIM VINEYARD
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 

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From James Suckling: “This has a sense of complexity and some restrained and composed fruit. Aromas of strawberries and ripe cherries lead to a juicy and serene palate with attractively fleshy presence at the finish. Very silky. Drink or hold.” 93 Points
 
Customers who enjoy Angela Abbott Claim Pinot Noir may also enjoy these two stunning Pinots…
2015 Trombetta Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2016 Alexana Terroir Series Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
TROMBETTA
2015 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
From Wine Enthusiast: This is a juicy exploration of the coast-a well-made effort that showcases notes of forest floor, black tea and savory pine. The black cherry and currant fruit leans dark and brooding, with an impressively balanced, medium-bodied hold on the palate.”  90 Points
ALEXANA
2016 PINOT NOIR
TERROIR SERIES
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
 
Your Price: $36/btl

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From The Wine Spectator: “Precise and harmonious, offering layered raspberry and cherry flavors laced with smoky anise and spice notes, building richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025.” 94 Points, Highly Recommended

2016 Alexana Terroir Series Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

2016 Alexana Terroir Series Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

ALEXANA2016 Alexana Terroir Series Willamette Valley Pinot Noir

2016 PINOT NOIR
TERROIR SERIES
WILLAMETTE VALLEY

 
It’s not easy making a killer 94 Point Pinot that’s not only a great value, but one that is also complex, balanced and jam-packed with character.  Alexana’s Terroir Series Pinot was created from a diverse clonal selection, and encompasses fruit from five of Willamette Valley’s top AVA’s which lend volume to the wines complexity.  At the winery, the fruit is triple-hand-sorted allowing only the best berries through.  The wine was crafted by Bryan Weil who previously worked at Domaine Serene. On the palate the wine is exceedingly sensual and satiny-smooth, and at under forty per bottle, this Pinot has everything I look for in top-quality Oregon Pinot.  But with the recent 94 Point score, I wouldn’t wait to secure yours.
 
As the sister winery to Revana in St. Helena, Alexana is quickly building it’s own stellar reputation of excellence… In 2013 their Dundee Hills Pinot earned the #17 spot on the Wine Spectator Top 100 list. I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised to see their 2016 Terroir Series make the list this year too. It glides seamlessly across your palate leaving impressions of Morello cherries, pressed boysenberries, violets and dark chocolates. This absolutely brilliant interpretation of Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is simply one of my favorite Pinots that I’ve tasted this year, in this wonderfully realistic price range.
 
ALEXANA
2016 PINOT NOIR
TERROIR SERIES
WILLAMETTE VALLEY
 
Your Price: $36/btl

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From The Wine Spectator:Precise and harmonious, offering layered raspberry and cherry flavors laced with smoky anise and spice notes, building richness toward polished tannins. Drink now through 2025.” 94 Points, Highly Recommended
 
 
Customers who enjoy Alexana Terroir Series Pinot Noir may also enjoy these two stunning Pinots…
 
2013 Fort Ross FRV Pinot Noir
ELOUAN 
RESERVE PINOT NOIR
KLAMATH’S KETTLE
2016 OREGON
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

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From Wine Enthusiast:One of a pair of reserves from Joe Wagner’s new Oregon project, this full-bodied wine carries a liquorous, bourbon-like scent. Its rich and soft berry and cherry flavors show a streak of licorice and a light touch of toast. Big, round and almost voluptuous, it’s ready to drink now and into the early 2020s.90 Points
FORT ROSS
2013 PINOT NOIR
FRV, SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $52.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 

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From Jeb Dunnuck:The  2013 Pinot Noir FRV Fort Ross  Vineyard sports a ruby color as well as an open knit, ready-to-go bouquet of dried cherries, tobacco, menthol, and dried herbs. It’s pretty, medium-bodied, rounded, and supple, with an evolved style ideal for drinking over the coming 4-5 years.” 90 Points
2014 Iris Oregon Pinot Noir

2014 Iris Oregon Pinot Noir

IRIS

2014 Iris Oregon Pinot NoirPINOT NOIR
2014 OREGON

 
What does it mean when a wine that we can offer at $17 earns Double Gold in the $24-$27.99 Pinot Noir Category at The San Francisco Chronicle Competition, which is the largest competition of American wines in the world?  In short, it means make some room in the cellar, because a Double Gold is equivalent to a unanimous rating by all of the judges.  All wines at the SF Chronicle competition are tasted blind, and wines that earn a gold medal are then tasted again the next day. A wine that receives a gold medal from EVERY judge is awarded a Double Gold… When a $17 bottle defeats all of the other wines in a category filled with Pinots in the mid twenties, it gets my attention.  When our panel tasted the 2014 Iris Pinot Noir we unanimously agreed that it was special and we couldn’t wait to share it with you.   
 
Emerging from one of Oregon’s greatest vintages, rivaling the historic 2008 and 2012 vintages, the 2014’s offer the best of both years.  The 2014 Iris Pinot Noir is brimming with concentrated red berries, liquid floral, sassafras and wild plum.  This Pinot was brought to life by talented Pinot artist Aaron Lieberman-who has over a decade of experience in Oregon winemaking at notables such as Owen Roe and Isabelle Dutartre.  At $17/btl, this wine will make any Pinot lover smile. 
 
IRIS
PINOT NOIR
2014 OREGON
Retails at:  $24/btl
 
Your Price: $17/btl
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Winery Notes: “Showcasing aromas of raspberry, cranberry, salmonberry and wet stone; this refreshing wine offers a perky acidity, crisp tannins, and a smooth finish.”
 
Customers that enjoy Iris Willamette Valley Pinot Noir may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
2017 Black Pines Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
BLACK PINE
2017 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST
Retails at:  $30/btl
 
Your Price: $23/btl 

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Brought to life by Drew Huffine, whose experience includes working with many elite Pinot Noir producers including Kosta Browne, DuMOL, Auteur, Copain and Donum, the 2017 was conceived from carefully chosen vineyards located in the Petaluma Gap, Russian River and Sonoma Coast.  If you’ve tasted any of the earlier vintages of Black Pine, you already know what to expect… 
JOSEPH JEWELL
2014 PINOT NOIR
RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY
Retails at:  $38/btl
 
 
The 2014 Joseph Jewell Russian River Valley Pinot Noir combines fruit from Hallberg, Floodgate and Bucher Vineyards… Williams Selyem and Gary Farrell fans likely recognize these sites.  The 2014 washes over your palate with stunning balance, detail and length, and it perfectly portrays everything that I look for in cool climate California Pinot Noir. 
2014 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir

2014 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir

DOMAINE SERENE

2014 PINOT NOIR
EVENSTAD RESERVE

2014 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir
I’m often asked about wineries to visit in Willamette Valley, and for as long as I can remember Domaine Serene has topped my list.  It’s simply my favorite producer of classic, profound and hedonistic Oregon Pinot Noir.  When the winery went up against Domaine de la Romanée-Conti (one of the most expensive Pinot Noirs in the world) in a blind tasting of 3 wines from each producer in vintages 1998,  1999, and 2000, Domaine Serene placed first, second and third with the 1998 and 1999 vintages and first and second with their 2000…  Domaine Serene’s Evanstad Reserve is an undeniable reference standard for Oregon Pinot Noir and with the 94 and 95 point scores, it simply won’t be available for long…
 
One of the keys to the wineries success is the diversity of soils, clones and microclimates found on their 240 acres of dry farmed, Estate Vineyards.  The diversity in their vineyards allow them to create the best representation of the vintage, every year… With accolades like #1 Pinot in the world on the Wine Spectator top 100 for 2013, this is one you don’t want to miss. 
 
DOMAINE SERENE
2014 PINOT NOIR
EVENSTAD RESERVE 
Retails at:  $75.00/btl
 
Your Price: $64.99/btl 
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A soft and silky pinot with beautiful dried strawberries, blueberries and hints of vanilla to close. Medium to full body, ultra-fine tannins and a fruity finish. This is all about subtlety and freshness.”  95 Points
There is a darker fruit spectrum evident in the reserve, with notes of coffee, smoke, black fruits, a touch of charred wood all worked through, and without damping the core fruit flavors. Those bright flavors spotlight raspberry, plum and black cherry...”  94 Points, Editors’ Choice

 

Customers who would enjoy Domaine Serene’s Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, may also enjoy these two terrific Pinots…
 
2013 Williams Selyem Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2015 Three Sticks PFV Estate Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir
WILLIAMS SELYEM
2013 PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COUNTY
 
Your Price: $64.99/btl 

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THREE STICKS
2015 “PFV” PINOT NOIR
SONOMA COAST, ESTATE
Retails at:  $64.99/btl
 
Your Price: $54.99/btl 

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