Like the post which preceded this, I ask, "Where's the beef?"

Unfiltered, purplish red, from the Willamette Valley in a year of propitious elements, this wine was basic pinot noir and not much more. Its label boasts of earthy scents and dark aromas which I find barely discernible. There is a definite pinot flavor with some dark fruits including black currant and cherry, but its low acidity and barely detectable tannin structure do not speak well for its longevity, and the "long refined finish" is a figment of the vintner's imagination. Rather, it has a somewhat pleasant, short finish and makes me wonder what the non "reserve" product must be like. At $26 I do not recommend. 85. There are better wines from this region for both more and less, but one has to try them all.


Dick