Beyond the Bottle : June 2009 Archives

« May 2009 | Main | July 2009 »

June 29, 2009

Milbrandt Vineyards 2007 Traditions Riesling

The 2007 vintage is an improvement on the Milbrandt Vineyards Traditions Riesling Columbia Valley, having not especially liked their 2006 bottling. Milbrandt's 2007 riesling (12.5%) is a light, golden yellow in the glass, offering tropical fruit notes with a hint of minerality. This Washington riesling provided good fruit and a touch of sweetness balanced with crisp acidity. We paired this wine with spicy Thai beef stir fried with shallots, peanuts, and chilis, served on a bed of green leaf lettuce, carrots, and cucumbers. The Milbrandt riesling (12.5%) was made for spicy food, as the off-dry style combined with the bright...

Posted by Thad W. at 09:37 PM | Permalink

Grochau Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

The GC 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (13.5%) was a garnett. slightly cloudy, red in the glass, offering perfumed notes of strawberry and cherry fruit. This was a very bright, very fruity Oregon pinot noir, with bold cherry flaovrs but not much in the finish. The Grochau Cellars pinot was paired with grilled pork loin, fresh Washington asparagus, and a rice pilaf. At $20, it was a decent Oregon pinot, one that didn't blow me away, but didn't turn me off either. As such, I would buy another bottle for another go - it would be interesting to see...

Posted by Thad W. at 09:29 PM | Permalink

June 22, 2009

Oregon pinot noir at $25 and under

Over the last few months, I have had a number of friends ask me about a decent, food-friendly wine priced at or below $25. When faced with this question, it is hard not to suggest an Oregon pinot noir from the 2007 vintage. As evidenced by the coverage here at BeyondtheBottle.com, I am finding the 2007 pinot noirs from Oregon to be very drinkable and incredibly enjoyable with any meal. Best of all, there are some really good wines being produced at $25 or less. Here are the wines I recommend in this price range: Arcane Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir...

Posted by Thad W. at 08:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

H Wines 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

A clear ruby red in the glass, the Hamacher "H" 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (13.5%) offered notes of strawberries, cherries, and raspberries fresh picked in the fields with hints of earth and soil. This Oregon pinot noir delivered fresh fruit flavors with good acidity and a lasting cherry finish. It paired well with Mesquite grilled organic whole chicken, fresh Washington asparagus, and a Caprese salad. At $25, this wine offers a decent quality-price ratio, which would compel me to buy another bottle or two for later in the year. Related Links Hamacher Wine Notes Dr. Vino's Review...

Posted by Thad W. at 07:47 PM | Permalink

June 21, 2009

Domaine Serene 2004 Yamhill Cuvee Pinot Noir

The Domaine Serene 2004 Yamhill Cuvee Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (14.1%) was a slightly cloudy, garnet red in the glass, delivering notes of strawberry, cherry, and raspberry fruit, followed by earth and cola. Wonderful fruit and acidity combined in a pleasant mouth feel from the smooth tannins leading to a long delicious finish. We paired this $35 Oregon pinot noir with grilled King salmon seasoned with olive oil, Kosher salt, and ground pepper served on a bed of lentils alongside a salad of tomoatoes, feta cheese and olives. A Greek yogurt sauce with cucumbers, fresh dill, and peppers made...

Posted by Thad W. at 07:55 PM | Permalink

June 16, 2009

Domaine Drouhin 2007 Arthur Chardonnay Dundee Hills

Ah, what a terrific wine the Domaine Drouhin 2007 Arthur Chardonnay Dundee Hills (13.9%) is to the eyes, nose, and mouth. It's not often that I would spend $30 on a bottle of white wine, but this Oregon chardonnay is well worth every penny. A light, golden straw color in the glass, the Arthur was a very aromatic, floral wine, delivering notes of pear, honeysuckle, and pineapple. These scents repeated themselves as flavors, with a fullness to the wine that was not cloying, offering a long, lasting finish. The acidity was very well balanced, making this a delicious food-friendly...

Posted by Thad W. at 08:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

J. Scott Cellars 2007 Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley

The J. Scott Cellars 2007 Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley (13.5%) was a greenish, gold straw color in the glass, offering some volatile aromas of tropical fruit. Flavors of ripe melon, pineapple, and apple were present along with balanced acidity and residual sugar. We paired this $15 Oregon pinot blanc with chicken enchiladas in a tomatilla and chili sauce with a green leaf lettuce and sliced avocado salad on the side. Overall, it was okay, but not a wine that would compel me to buy another bottle. Related Links J. Scott Wine Notes...

Posted by Thad W. at 08:05 PM | Permalink

June 08, 2009

Maysara 2007 Pinot Blanc McMinnville

What a terrific Oregon pinot blanc, reminding me once again how delicious this variety can be. The Maysara 2007 Pinot Blanc McMinnville (13%) is the first Demeter certified biodynamic wine in the Pacific Northwest, according to the Maysara web site, which makes drinking this that much more pleasant. In the glass, the Maysara pinot blanc is a clear, light golden straw color, offering these delightful floral aromas of honeysuckle combined with pineapple and melon. Flavors of pear and green apple predominate with a crisp acidity and enticing minerality. We paired this wine with teriyaki chicken thighs on steamed rice....

Posted by Thad W. at 07:43 PM | Permalink

June 07, 2009

Nicholas Cole 2005 Camille Columbia Valley

With a rib-eye grilling on a mesquite wood fire last night, I headed down to the cellar wanting something big and bold to pair with my Texas-style steak. Scanning the racks, I noticed the Nicholas Cole 2005 Camille Columbia Valley Red Wine (14.6%), a bottle I received free as part of a mixed case prize from Northwest Palate magazine. The Camille is a blend of merlot (45%), cabernet franc (28%), cabernet sauvignon (26%), and petit verdot (1%), with the merlot coming from Canoe Ridge and the rest from the Nicholas Cole estate vineyards in Walla Walla. In the glass,...

Posted by Thad W. at 06:43 PM | Permalink

June 06, 2009

Syncline 2007 Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge

The Syncline 2007 Pinot Noir Celilo Vineyard (13.8%) is a clear standout amongst the few producers who craft pinot noir from Washington grown fruit. I've sampled a variety of Washington pinot noirs these last few years and have found none that have met the quality bar, at least according to my subjective palate. However, this Columbia Gorge wine offers an intriguing taste profile due to its old vine fruit, sourced from the Celilo Vineyard, which was planted in 1972. The Syncline is a very drinkable wine. Even still, it might disappoint the diehard Oregon pinot noir drinker, as it...

Posted by Thad W. at 02:01 PM | Permalink

Raptor Ridge 2007 Pinot Noir WV

The Raptor Ridge 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (13.5%) was a clear garnet color in the glass delivering ripe cherry, dusty earth, toasted caramel, and jammy aromas to the nose. This Oregon pinot noir was a bit viscous in the mouth, being long on jammy fruit flavors and short on acidity, causing it to come off as flat. We paired the Raptor Ridge with grilled Copper River sockeye salmon, roasted Washington asparagus, and tomato orzo. It was a delicious Pacific Northwest dinner, however, the Raptor Ridge fell a bit short of our preference in Oregon pinot noir. At $33,...

Posted by Thad W. at 01:23 PM | Permalink

King Estate 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir

The King Estate 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir Signature Collection (13%) was a clear, ruby red in the glass, offering notes of dusty earth, slightly sour strawberry fruit, and hints of herbs. On the palate, this pinot delivered flavors of strawberry and cherry fruit with an earthiness that was pleasing along with its food-friendly acidity. All of this led to a nice, long finish, making it a delicious accompaniment to our Korean bbq hangar steak, sliced into strips and then placed into lettuce leaves along with chopped green onions, toasted sesame seeds, cilantro, rice and julienned carrots. At $27, the...

Posted by Thad W. at 12:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Home

About

Books

Connections

Perspectives

Tasting Notes

Wine Recos

Categories

June 29, 2009

Milbrandt Vineyards 2007 Traditions Riesling

Grochau Cellars 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

June 22, 2009

Oregon pinot noir at $25 and under

H Wines 2007 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

June 21, 2009

Domaine Serene 2004 Yamhill Cuvee Pinot Noir

June 16, 2009

Domaine Drouhin 2007 Arthur Chardonnay Dundee Hills

J. Scott Cellars 2007 Pinot Blanc Willamette Valley

June 08, 2009

Maysara 2007 Pinot Blanc McMinnville

June 07, 2009

Nicholas Cole 2005 Camille Columbia Valley

June 06, 2009

Syncline 2007 Pinot Noir Columbia Gorge

Raptor Ridge 2007 Pinot Noir WV

King Estate 2007 Oregon Pinot Noir

Recent Posts

Archives