Tag Archives: belle pente

Wine of the Day: Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay 2010 9-13-16

Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton District 2010 750ML ($29.95) Buy Now: $26.60 special

Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay 2010

Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay 2010

As Oregon transitions from summer to fall, sunny days contrast with cool nights, colors enchant the eye, and a cornucopia of food presents itself on the table. This unique time of year finds its match in the 2010 Belle Pente Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay. Richly flavored with notes of apple and spice, white flowers, pear and a little butter (but very little new oak), this wine blends warm aromas and texture with refreshing acidity. At six years old, this Oregon Chardonnay is drinking at its prime. Consider having it alongside the last of the zucchini, the just-harvested corn, or the upcoming squash and pumpkins. Try it with poultry, pork, or, best, Fall Chinook. Or maybe drink it with nothing more than fresh bread and sheep cheese from the Valley, while savoring the panorama of harmless clouds, changing leaves, and geese on their way south.

For a riper parallel, try the 2012:

Belle Pente Vineyard Chardonnay, Yamhill-Carlton District 2012 750ML ($34.95) Buy Now: $29 special

Wine of the Day: Belle Pente Cuvee Contraire Rose, Willamette Valley 2014 6-12-16

bellepentecontraireBelle Pente Cuvee Contraire Rose, Willamette Valley 2014 750ML ($19.95) Buy Now: $16 special

You might be led to believe that Cameron corners the market on local deep-hued and delicious roses. Au contraire! Brian & Company over at Belle Pente craft this beautiful, layered ruby beauty from 90% Pinot and 10% Gamay and my-oh-my, is it a perfect hundred-degree-weather-wine!?! The wine tastes like freshly-cut strawberries with a flirtatious little cranberry underbelly. Summer heat seems less frightening with a great bottle of pink like this one. Enjoy it! – Tyler

Wine of the Day: Belle Pente Gamay Noir 2014 6-5-16

Belle Pente Gamay Noir, Belle Pente Vineyard, Yamhill Carloton 2014 750ML ($27.95) Buy Now: $24 special

belle pente gamayThose who watch these pages closely know of affinity for Gamay. I love it all – from the ten Crus of Beaujolais and the Loire to the Valle d’Aoste, Upstate New York and – of course! – our home terrain of Oregon’s Willamette Valley. In turn, I nearly leapt for joy when Brian from Belle Pente swung by to taste the new releases and a Gamay came out of the bag.

Floral aromas and red-violet fruits leapt from the glass; the wine registers as a little on the light-to-medium side of the spectrum. Think of the structure of a Moulin-a-Vent with the fruit n’ flower attributes of Juliénas – broad on the palate, with ample spice, wild flowers, and red fruit on offer. A nice acid kick on the finish – all in great harmony. I’d take three bottles – one for right this very instant, one to have on hand just in case, and one for the cellar. Well done, Brian! -Tyler