I have afflicted myself by keeping mostly local Pinot Noir in the basement, which forces me to drink Oregon Pinot Noir the vast majority of the time. Such a bitter pil to swallow!

With the exception of a couple of interludes, one for a Glen Fiona Syrah and the other for a Frnaciscan Zinfandel, the last dozen or so have been OPN, from fair to fine.

Raptor Ridge 2000 Harbinger Vineyard - near impossible to get unless you're on the mailing list. In kind of a sleepy state right now - was huge, now a bit lighter. Lots of different spice notes on a red/black berry frame. Waiting a bit.

Patricia Green 2002 Balcombe - sampled a bit early, I think. Lovely on the nose but a bit soft and bodyless. I'll wait.

Raptor Ridge 2000 Meredith Mitchell. The powderkeg. Monstrous and fabulous at once. Purple, purple, purple, with spices lingering at the back of the nose. My favorite Pinot Noir to sip and sip and sip.

Raptor Ridge 2001 Stony Mountain - more Coast Range purple goodness, maybe a bit lighter than the last time I opened one. Less acidic and purple than the Meredith Mitchell, but with some of the same round dark fruit and a bit of chocolate.

Belle Pente 2000 Wahle Reserve - I've never been a big Wahle fan. This is attractive, very Belle Pente, but I don't resonate with the muted Wahle notes. Elegant, and likely very good for other tasters.

Domaine Serene 1999 Evenstad Reserve - Seemed a bit past its time, which is odd for a 1999. Low in fruit, not big on much else. Tasting a bit aged - which isn't a big plus for me.

J Albin 2001 Laurel Vineyard - If Raptor Ridge is the house winery, this is the house wine. Remarkably consistent chocolate and cinnamon notes on a full palate of dark red fruit. Rich, aromatic as all get-out, and inexpensive. Who could want more?

Belle Pente 1999 Murto Reserve - the Hoss. If I need to impress someone, out comes a bottle of this. The Murto Spice is abundant but not dominant. The wine is gaining body, losing nothing in the nose, and growing longer. No sign of aging. Lovely.

Torii Mor 2000 Seven Springs Vineyard - Really fine. Showing better at this point than the 2000 St. Innocent SSV. Vigorous red fruit, good bite, decent length, and a sense of style. Liked it more than I expected.

Raptor Ridge 2001 Meredith Mitchell Vineyard - Little brother to the 2000, with all the same sharp-edged purple flavor and cinnamon/nutmeg blackberry nose but less pow in the kisser and a bit less length. Great sipping wine. Give me more. Give me those 2002's!

Marc, I agree w/ you on the Patricia Green Balcombe. I opened one last night and tasted it over a 5 hour time frame. The nose once it opened up showed fruits and sweet oak. It didn't show much, however, on the palate - seemed hollow in the middle without much of a core. The wine seemed restained and tight. Overall, the wine showed too much oak for me and reminded me of a Cal PN. I'm hoping my experience can be attributed to the wine's youthfulness and perhaps travel shock. I won't be opening another for at least several months.