This is a terrific Oregon pinot noir for $18. In fact, considering its price-quality ratio, this is one of the best of the 2007 vintage I have tasted to date.

The Evesham Wood 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (13%) is a bit cloudy in the glass, giving off a bouquet of dusty earth and muted red berry fruit, with a modest floral perfume encapsulating these scents. Flavors of strawberry and cherry are evident with balanced acidity ending in a decent finish.

This is a wine that deserves time to open up and express itself. While serving this at dinner, most found it a bit tight at first and unimpressive, preferring another Oregon pinot noir we poured alongside. But about midway through the meal, the tide turned with the majority of folks finding the Evesham Wood a better wine.

We paired the '07 Evesham Wood with with a mushroom risotto accompanied by a Julienne apple and fennel salad dressed in oil and vinegar. This was the second time I had tried this wine, the first being about two months ago when it was first released. I liked it then, but not as much as I did the other night.

Time seems to favor this Evesham Wood pinot noir, both in terms of months in the bottle and minutes in the glass (it even tasted better the 2nd night). I am going to stock up on this wonderful wine, for at $18 a bottle, this is worth a half, if not full, case to enjoy in the years to come.

Related Links
The Wine Commentator's Review
Decanterberry Tales Review
Evesham Wood Vineyard Site