What I Drank With Dinner (WIDWD)

Whenever I discover a standout wine with a meal, it's hard not to remember what I had to eat and what the evening was like for days, if not weeks afterward. However, the exact opposite occurs when the wine just doesn't meet the bar. It's almost as if the disappointment with the wine is what prompts me to forget the entire experience.

Such was the case with the 2005 Natalie's Estate Winery Elton Vineyards Pinot Noir (14% alcohol) we popped last week. I put off writing about this wine for almost a week, as it's always a struggle to write about something that comes up short. As a result, I have completely forgotten what we had for dinner when serving this wine. All I do remember is how disappointing this wine was, especially for a $28.99 Oregon pinot.

I learned from visiting their web site that Natalie's Estate is one of those anomolies in Willamette Valley, in that they produce more Bordeaux and Rhone style wines than pinot noir. Unfortunately, this focus on Washington state cabernet, merlot and syrah comes at some expense in their pinot noir winemaking.

As soon as the first glass was poured, I noticed how cloudy the '05 Estate Elton Vineyards Pinot Noir was. The back label describes "old world winemaking techniques", but no mention of "unfined and unfiltered", which would suggest a reason for the cloudiness. I even checked their web site with no luck. Therefore, I have to conclude that either their practice of old world techniques means cloudy wine or the last run of the bottling line ended up in my glass.

Moving past the unsightly appearance of this wine, the nose had a hard time picking up anything worth noting with much of the same on the palate. It had little, if anything, to show but for some expected acid and a bit of a hot finish due to the higher alcohol. When trying this wine with our dinner, I found it didn't improve. Nor did a taste the next day to see if it had opened up.

As a result, my one and only try with a Natalie's Estate pinot noir will be well, my one and only try. At that price point and below, there are far more worthy wines to serve at my table. If you've had a different experience with this wine, then please leave a comment. Maybe I did get a bad bottle, but seeing how their focus is on other varietals, I am led to believe this is just the way things are with their pinot noir.