Last year, I really enjoyed Doug Tunnell's 2007 Gamay Noir, and ended up buying half a case of this Biodynamic certified wine. Therefore, it was with much anticipation that I tried the Brick House 2008 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge (13.5%), a natural wine that while different in some ways from the '07, it is one I will definitely stock up on. The '08 Brick House Gamay Noir ($24) was a clear, garnet red in the glass, offering perfumed notes of strawberry and cherry fruit, dusty spice, and earth. In the mouth, this Oregon gamay delivered a nice silky texture, with...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In the glass, the Brick House 2007 Chardonnay Ribbon Ridge (13.5%) was a clear, light golden yellow color with creamy notes of yeast and minerals. Even though the fruit flavors were a bit muted for my taste, this Oregon chardonnay offered nice acidity, good balance, and a delicious finish. While not captivating, it did complement our coq a vin. Overall, I was a bit conflicted with this wine, for I wasn't blown away neither was I turned off. Even at its $29 price point, I would be willing to give this Brick House chardonnay another try. Related Links Katherine...

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Posted by Thad W. at 09:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Plain and simple, the Brick House 2007 Cuvée du Tonnelier Pinot Noir Ribbon Ridge (13.4%) is a terrific wine. In the glass, this Oregon pinot noir was a light, cloudy ruby red offering spice, then strawberry and raspberry, followed by wet earth on the nose. In the mouth, the Brick House Cuvée du Tonnelier delivered terrific red berry fruit flavors, great acidity, and a long delicious finish. A myriad of flavors continued to be discovered as this wonderful wine evolved in the glass. We paired it with two hearty soups, a white bean chicken and a black bean chili. This...

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Posted by Thad W. at 08:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of my new favorites from Oregon, the Brick House 2007 Gamay Noir Ribbon Ridge ($24) is a terrific wine. In the glass, this clear, garnet-colored Oregon gamay delivered an intriguing spectrum of scents including fresh strawberry and raspberry fruit, slightly perfumed floral notes, and hints of earth, all integrated together in a captivating way that kept my nose coming back for more. I became smitten with this wine just smelling it - seriously, it was that mesmerizing. In the mouth, the Brick House gamay noir (13.4%) was a fresh, bright beautiful wine, offering flavors of red berry fruit...

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Posted by Thad W. at 12:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

A wonderful, unadulterated expression of Oregon pinot noir, that we enjoyed with dinner one night and then even more a day later with another meal. The Brick House 2007 Pinot Noir Select Ribbon Ridge (13.4%) was a very light, cloudy ruby color in the glass, offering scents of fresh strawberry fruit, a bit of dusty eucalyptus, and understated floral notes. Red berry fruit flavors predominated this biodynamic/organic pinot, going from strawberry to cherry, with balanced acidity and smooth texture leading to a long, delicious finish, without any hint of oak along the way. We paired the Brick House with...

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Posted by Thad W. at 10:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)