Friday Sips

Matello owner/winemaker Marcus Goodfellow always strives to make stylish Pinot Noirs that maintain detail and nuance. 2012 is no exception and having been working with his wines since their inception in vintage 2002, I thoroughly believe this wine is some of his finest work. The 2012 Hommage is one of the great values in Oregon Pinot Noir and there is an immense amount of dimension and class here for the price.

From 4 excellent vineyard sources (Durant, Whistling Ridge, Bishop Creek & Hoffarth), this 2012 totally follows the patterns of the vintage's generosity and totally delivers the goods. Sensuous, refined aromas of blackberry and strawberry, soft, slightly elusive herbs and spices and an underlay of earth and red-hot candy pepper tones build and build as the wine unfolds in the glass. Texturally, it's silky and seductive with clarity and exquisite finesse along with ultra-fine depth and tannins. All of the spices that are on the nose are very present on the drawn-out finish. This wine can be accessed now and will develop nicely through 2022.

"What can we do to get you into this bottle of Pinot Noir?" With the 2012 Oregon Pinot Noir vintage, persuasion and gimmicks really haven't been needed. Combine quality and a miniscule crop, the results are wines are being snapped up quickly. Jay Somers is one of Oregon's finest producers of pinot noir with impeccable purity. Bryan and Karen have known he and Ronda for so long now that it is hard to believe that they've been producing wine since 1996. Originally sourcing from Charlie's Vineyard located next to Cameron's Clos Electrique vineyard which is where Jay cut his teeth, 14 years on Jay has become a star in his own right, carving out a path which reveals his influences but also revealing wines that are all his own and wonderfully express their specific sites.

J. Christopher's 2012 Willamette Valley Pinot is a stunner and is blended from excellent vineyards located in the Dundee Hills, Chehalem Mountain, Yamhill-Carlton and Eola-Amity appellations. More akin to a Bolshoi ballerina than a wrestler, this pinot is sleek, stylish and possesses plenty of depth and expansion. Youthfully attractive and exuberant it manages to captivate you on the nose with scents of deep raspberry along with an undertow of red cherry, cedar, anise, and red earth. There is no shortage of showy fruit on the palate - notes of red fruits play off of the detailed earth and an ever-so-tender touch of oak and ride shotgun with the solid core of the wine. A Pinot Noir for Pinot-philes, not Pinot for Cabernet lovers and as is the case with many 2012s, this wine has immediate appeal and will have no problem aging for 7-9 more years as well.

Last call on a 2012 from one of our favorite Oregon Pinot producers!! The 2012 Ayres Perspective Pinot Noir is now the 3rd version of this particular wine and it is exactly what the name implies, perspective on what a blend from the Ribbon Ridge appellation is all about.

Combining fruit from Ayres along with neighboring Ribbon Ridge Vineyards, Armstrong and Saikkonen, this wine is the great middle ground between the Willamette Valley version and the more upscale offerings below. Knockout nose that comes in waves as the wine is swirled in the glass. Sensuous floral tones, a combination of red and black fruits, herbs and transparent red earth tones reveal themselves nicely, but there is a bunch more just waiting to come out with a little time. In the mouth, the wine is somewhat like an Italian plum, exploding with ripe dark fruit and then gaining structure and grip on the brilliantly focused and extending finish. Drink through 2020+.

Last year when I visited and barrel-tasted wines with Seven of Hearts winemaker Byron Dooley, it was immediate that he was proud of what he accomplished in 2012. $20 versions of 2012 Pinots are now dwindling in supply but Byron's lead-off hitter in his line-up is now upon us and most importantly, it is a knockout for a Jackson note.

Enticing from the first moment it's poured, this Pinot presents cinnamon/clove spice scents beneath prominent violet and red berry that are very prominent on the rather sultry and graceful nose. Nice movement and polish in the mouth while being quite airy. Gains depth, substance and especially fresh vibrancy; spreads out very well indeed on the finish with touches of ripe fruit, dusty herbs and an underlay of detailed earth. Fine material which lingers on well after the wine is swallowed, this 2012 drinks well early-on but will easily age for 3-4 more years, too.