Dewey Kelly, Ribbon Ridge Vineyard, Pinot Noir, 2006
I bought this wine because it was $21, and from Ribbon Ridge. I'd never seen such a thing before. For those not familiar with Ribbon Ridge, it's its own sub-AVA now (part of Yamhill and Willamette AVAs too), running about 3.5 miles along the Chehalem mountains -- between Newberg and Gaston, Oregon. Patricia Green and Beaux Freres -- two more famous vineyards sourcing from Ribbon Ridge -- will set you back well more than $21 a bottle. Like more than double, and often quadruple that cost. So this bottle was too intriguing not to buy!
The nose was musty -- sort of a river rock smell -- along with cedar and cherry. The taste was lightly floral (rose), red cherry and raspberry. The taste very much reminded me of other wines from Ribbon Ridge. The finish was spicy -- with cayenne late on the finish. A bit later on, the taste and mouth-feel was very plumy.
And while the taste reminded me of Beaux Freres and others from the ridge, this bottle had nothing of the finesse of such bottles. It was a bit sour, though not so much so that it was bad; it just wasn't great like a Beaux Freres. Denise had a sip early on and got that "vanilla cream" hit -- the heavy vanilla and a bitter finish for her were too much for Denise; she didn't like it very much. Whereas, I liked the wine -- especially considering the price. If there was another bottle at the place I bought it, I would buy it again (if Denise would let me).
Cost:
Rating:
7.5