Full Disclosure: This wine was provided as a free sample from the producer.

In the glass, the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2007 Pinot Noir Elton Vineyard was a clear, ruby red color delivering floral notes of red and black fruit along with cedar and wood. In the mouth, this Oregon pinot noir was well balanced, with good texture and bright acidity. Tannins were present as was a predominant flavor of oak, even though 20% new French oak was used.

We paired the WWV Elton Vineyard with grilled beef tenderloin and sauteed cremini mushrooms served on a bed of egg noodles with parsley and butter. A sauce of shallots, butter and this wine was added as well. The WWV pinot noir offered a nice accompaniment to our meal, but there remained more wood than fruit on the palate.

With age, I wonder if this wine's oakiness will be tempered or reveal itself more. I am intrigued to try another bottle down the road to see what the result is here. Also, there was a bit of confusion on the alcohol level with this wine, as the bottle stated 13%, while the tasting notes suggested 13.6%. The producer confirmed that the correct level is 13.6%.

Unfortunately, I was not provided with nor was I able to locate the retail price for this wine.

Related Links
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Willamette Valley Vineyards Web Site