June 2019
Magic in the Willamette Valley
New Reviews from Josh Raynolds of Vinous!
“Two thousand sixteen is yet another link in an unprecedented chain of outstanding vintages in the Willamette Valley that began in 2014 and has now extended to 2018. Compared to the ‘14s and ‘15s, the ‘16s, while on the rich side for Pinot Noir, show more freshness than wines of the previous years at a similar stage.” – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Josh Raynolds at Vinous just handed out some very high scores that come as almost no surprise to anyone paying attention to Willamette wine for the last several years. We’ve been beating the drum that our local region makes Pinot Noir that is as good or better than anywhere else in the world, especially for the prices asked—and these new reviews just support that argument.
Top Reviewed Willamette Valley Wines In Stock Now:
Sequitur Pinot Noir (Totality), Ribbon Ridge 2017 750ML ($119.95) $79 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94-95 points “Lurid red. Spice-tinged blackberry and cherry aromas are complicated by suggestions of cola, incense and smoky minerals. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated dark berry and spicecake flavors and suggestions of rose pastille and mocha that build with air. Concentrated but also vibrant and precise in style, delivering superb finishing cut, well-knit tannins and impressive, fruit-driven persistence. (30% new French oak).”
Sequitur Pinot Noir (The Union), Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($119.95) $79 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 96 points “Glimmering red. A hugely aromatic bouquet evokes fresh red fruits, Asian spices and potpourri, along with a bright mineral overtone and a touch of smokiness. Juicy, seamless and precise on the palate, offering potent, mineral-laced raspberry preserve, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out steadily on the back half. Delivers a compelling blend of power and finesse and finishes with silky tannins, outstanding clarity and floral- and mineral-driven persistence.”
Goodfellow Family Cellars Heritage No. 7 Pinot Noir Whistling Ridge Vineyard, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Translucent red. A highly complex bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-accented red fruit, five-spice powder and incense, with a zesty mineral note that gains strength as the wine opens up. Gently sweet, seamless and lively on the palate, offering densely packed raspberry, cherry liqueur, spicecake and rose pastille flavors that are supported by a core of juicy acidity. Delivers a suave blend of power and delicacy. Finishes extremely long and spicy, with polished tannins framing lingering red fruit preserve and floral notes. (75% whole clusters and raised in neutral French oak puncheons).”
Goodfellow Family Cellars Durant Vineyard Pinot Noir, Dundee Hills 2016 750ML ($47.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Shimmering red. An assertively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red fruits, potpourri, incense and Asian spices, and a vibrant mineral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Juicy, penetrating and focused in style, offering palate-staining raspberry, bitter cherry and rose pastille flavors that are energized by blood orange and white pepper notes. Shows superb clarity on a long, spice-laced finish shaped by smooth, harmonious tannins.”
Goodfellow Family Cellars Pinot Noir Whistling Ridge Vineyard, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($49.95) $39 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 94 points “Light vivid red. An incisive, mineral- and spice-accented bouquet displays an array of fresh red fruit and floral qualities, along with suggestions of fresh bay, blood orange and musky earth. Sappy and sharply delineated in the mouth, offering bitter cherry, raspberry, rose pastille and spicecake flavors that deepen and spread out as the wine opens up. Shows excellent depth while coming off graceful, with no rough edges. Fine-grained tannins lend support to an impressively long, floral-dri.”
Cristom Eileen Vineyard Pinot Noir, Eola-Amity Hills 2016 750ML ($69.95) $59 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Shimmering ruby-red. Expansive dark berry, potpourri and baking spice aromas show excellent clarity and pick up smoky mineral and musky earth nuances with air. Combines power and finesse with a deft hand, offering palate-staining black raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that deepen steadily on the back half. Shows sharp delineation and a suave violet pastille quality on the strikingly persistent finish, which features fine-grained tannins and a sappy, resonating dark berry liqueur note.”
Beaux Freres The Beaux Freres Vineyard Pinot Noir, Ribbon Ridge 2016 750ML ($109.95) $99 special
Josh Raynolds-Vinous 95 points “Brilliant magenta. Mineral-accented red berries, incense and candied flowers on the expansive, seductively perfumed nose, with a spicy accent adding vivacity. Sappy, alluringly sweet and sharply delineated on the palate, offering juicy cherry, raspberry preserve and lavender pastille flavors that are sharpened by a zesty Asian spice nuance. Fine-grained and seamless in texture, finishing extremely long and precise, with resonating spiciness and smooth, well-knit tannins.”
See our complete selection of Willamette Valley Pinots in stock now!