A couple years ago when the 2005 Oregon Pinots were being released, I have to say I was disappointed. I'd sip and it was as if someone poured orange juice into my glass of wine. Citrus. Acid. Not pleasant. So, of the ones I had bought, into the cryogenic chamber they went.

That was then, and this is now. I am really enjoying the 2005's now. Generally, they've really matured. That citrus is now gone, and you're left with a structured, spicy, and rich Pinot experience.

But this one was different -- and better. This was one of the better 2005 Pinots I've tasted. I was really impressed. We drank this next to a Ken Wright Shea 2006, and this was everyone's first choice. No offense to the Ken Wright, but this one was spicier, more balanced, and just more drinkable. Personally, I think most of the the 2006's I've tasted need a little more time.

The nose was strongly and hauntingly: cinnamon and earth. It smelled like a really great Burgundy, only more spicy. There was oak, but not in a sweet or over the top way -- just the right amount for my tastes. A little pepper and dust followed.

At first it had that "cold lake" thing we usually find in old Bordeaux's -- it's just super smooth. But immediately following that initial mouthfeel, it just grew spicy. That, mixed with black cherry and chocolate. It was dark, and incredibly yummy. Then that cinnamon returned in the finish, along with pepper that lingered. Every once and awhile, I'd get bits of cherry and maybe a really subtle (and not sour) cranberry.

I was just blown away by this bottle.

Cost:      ($35)

Rating:    9.5

I often troll the stores for Pinots I haven't tried, or perhaps vintages that I haven't sampled. One here, one there. And more often than not, I open a bottle months, sometimes years later, and find a gem here and there. "Darn!" I think, "why didn't I pick up a case of that back then?". Not this time. I cracked this one open early -- early enough to find a little more.

The thing about this was the body. There are a lot of really nice Pinots out now that are very reasonably priced. The recession is hitting everyone. But most of those Pinots are fairly light. Now, I like that, but it's not for everybody. I know lots of people that yearn for that big jammy bold Oregon Pinot -- the Ken Wright, the Penner Ash ... you know who you are. Which isn't to say that this bottle is that, exactly. No. But it's not a light one either. Most pronounced is the medium body, and the toasty and spicy taste.

The nose was sweet fruit and sweet wood. Cinnamon. It just smelled like it was rich and creamy. Maybe a little red cherry. No singed nose hairs; this was going to be good. The taste was a little toast and earth. Then fruit. lovely. It wasn't raspy at all. The finish was a really nice, clean red cherry.

It was that earth at the mid-palette that was really nice, and intriguing. It has a sort of hint of some old Burgundy. Really nice. And it was just incredibly rich for the cost. I asked Denise without telling her the cost: "so how much do you think this bottle cost". Her response: "it tastes like a $30 bottle of wine". Nope: I bought 6 at $13.50 per bottle at Fred's (10% off if you buy 6).

Run ... maybe there's some left (Hollywood Fred's).

Cost:     ($15)

Rating:    8.5

The only good thing I can say about the recession is the effect it's had on the price of Oregon Pinot Noir lately. It's true that growers and vintners need to be compensated and encouraged to do what they do (and to do is so well).

But still, I love Oregon Pinot and it's pretty easy to go broke drinking the stuff. That's why it's so exciting to find so many really good low-end Pinots these days. And by "low-end", I mean inexpensive. And by inexpensive, I mean between $14 and $20.

While I don't have individual reviews for them all, I recently tried the following:

• Grochau Cellars ("gc") Commuter Cuvee, 2008 ($16)
• Dollar Bills Only (Patrictia Green), 2008 ($17)
• McKinlay, 2007 ($15)
• Spinnaker, 2007 ($17)

These are very good and worth the money. I recommend them all. With the possible exception of the Dollar Bills Only, all of these are on the light-side of Oregon Pinot. In fact, if I drank them blind I probably would have thought most of them to be Burgundy. No, these are not jammy. Light and mainly cherry -- all with nuance. Yet each one had it's pluses and minuses. Regardless, all are worth every penny.



The Commuter Cuvee opened with a pronounced sharpness that was completely muted the next day -- it was really nice at that point. So decant this one if you're drinking it in 2009. I reviewed the 2007 vintage of this and loved it. I went back and bought all I could find. This one is equally striking for how good it is for the money.



The Dollar Bills Only had more body than the others. However, the downside of this one was a pronounced yeast smell. Denise was put off by it, while it bothered me a lot less. We tasted it the next day too. And by then, the yeast aroma was nearly entirely gone, and we were left with a really smooth and nice Pinot at a shocking price for the quality. So, decant this one. Or better yet, hold on to these bottles for a little while longer is my advice.



The Spinnaker was also really nice (see the review here). I really liked this one a lot. Cherry, cranberry, and a little earth. Light. Balanced. Really nice. For Denise, she gets tired of all the Pinot I get, so Pinots really have to be distinctive for her to take note (me, I'm a sucker for Pinot). But with this one, she perked up right away. I thought it might be too thin for her. But instead, she surprised me by comparing it to Beaux Freres!



Finally there's the McKinlay (see review here). This was very light, cherry and really well balanced. This was Denise's favorite. Before I told Denise anything about it, I asked her how much she thought this bottle cost. She said $25. Nope: just $14.99. Crazy.

But do be warned about this round-up: if you like big jammy Oregon Pinots (Ken Wright for example), then these wines may not be your cup of tea. But I found them to be really fabulous.

My goodness, this is a bonafide eighth wonder of the world: cheap and good Oregon Pinot. This was only 14.99 (or $13.50 if you buy 6) at Freddie's. So this is seriously a steal -- just to get that out of the way. However, if you are a big, jammy Oregon Pinot fan, this one may disappoint. It's definitely on the light side of Pinot -- very light for the stereotypical Oregon Pinot. On the other hand, if you like Burgundy, then keep reading.

This one starts heavy with fruit, and then ends floral. Total cherry. And for $15, youd expect it to be a bit unbalanced, maybe a bit harsh or raspy. Nope, none of that. However, it is a very light bodied Pinot. Subtle. Feminine. Delicate. And yummy.

Toasty oak and dust in the smell. And later it had sort of an outside-skin-of-a-nectarine smell. Cinnamon. Satsuma. Dust. Yep, that's about right.

The taste was predominantly red cherry. A hint of earth of some kind (not sure). Then it into floral. Rose! Subtle, but definitely rose.

Denise really liked this one too. She's not usually for the over-oaked, overly rich Oregon Pinot. And she fell for this one similarly to how she loved the Spinnaker (see review here). Without showing her the bottle or telling her anything about this wine, I asked her: "so how much to you think this cost?" She said "$25". See, $15 (or maybe even $13.50), this is a serious bargain. Hint: Hollywood Freddie's is at about 28th and Broadway in NE Portland. Get in your car now!

Cost:   

Rating:    8.5

I picked up this gem of a wine at a gem of a store, Ross Island Grocery:



If you've never been you're missing something unique; Ross Island Grocery is a great little destination for those trapped between Barbur and I-5 in Lair Hill (that's just south of downtown Portland). There, you can pick up food for your cat. You can get a great sandwich -- made by a person with tattoos, purple hair, and a warm smile. And you can get wine -- by the glass for hanging out, or by the bottle to go. It was here that I found this phenomenal wine.

This wine was a light, feminine cherry that danced on your tongue. It was also very smooth, especially considering the price. Denise described it as "flirty". Then she said something surprising: "it's like a low grade Beaux Freres". Wow! Now that may sound like a put-down, but she meant the opposite. Beaux Freres is Denise's favorite. And it costs like 5 times as much, at least. So this was a pretty serious compliment.

The nose was a light dustiness. Later is had a very light floral element. Some sort of green flower; not pungent. Something like lettuce. And a touch of oak. The taste was mainly cherry and cranberry.

Denise said later, that this was a perfect "red wine for Easter bunch". I don't know what that means exactly, but we both really enjoyed this one.

Cost:   

Rating:    8.5

Perhaps you've already seen this; it's posted all over. But this is too good not to share if you haven't:

SUN. NOV. 1st - SOUTHERN OREGON GRAND TASTING

The Governor Hotel
614 SW 11th Ave.
Portland, OR
4 - 7 p.m.
Tickets: Only $35

Join us for Portland biggest wine events of the year! Last year over 400 enthusiasts experienced an exciting array of Southern Oregon wines which are now finally receiving national acclaim. While you may think Pinot Noir is Oregon wine, that will change after you experience this tasting! Southern Oregon is producing some outstanding wines and a wide range of varietals!

The wines and winemakers of Umpqua and Rogue River Valleys come to us in Portland, and you can save the gas money from driving down south and check put the best the area has to offer including: Albarino, Viognier, Pinot Gris, Roussanne, Syrah, Tempranillo, Zinfandel, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cab Franc and some eclectic red blends - all at The Governor Hotel in Portland. At only $35 it is a fantastic deal. Tickets include light appetizers by Jake's Grill and unlimited tastings of over 100 wines from 28 wineries. Bottle sales are also available at the event!

Get your tickets now before we sell out at www.sorwa.org

Participating wineries include:

Abacela
Palotai Vineyard
Agate Ridge Vineyard
Pebblestone Cellars
Brandborg Vineyard & Winery
Quady North Winery
Bridgeview Winery
Rocky Knoll Vineyard
Carpenter Hill Vineyard
Roxyann Winery
Cliff Creek Wines
Sarah Powell Wines
Del Rio Vineyards
Slagle Creek Vineyards
Devitt Winery
Spangler Vineyards
Folin Cellars
Trium Winery
Foris Vineyards
Troon Vineyard
Girardet Wine Cellars
Valley View Winery
Henry Estate Winery
Wild Rose Winery
Longsword Vineyard
Wooldridge Creek Winery
Misty Oaks Vineyards

Note: we are generally happy to post press releases for events that are local to Oregon and SW Washington. Please send us yours!