My Website's Three Top Picks For 2/24/23
Along with these wines, I'll profile a hidden gem of an estate winery in the Dundee Hills
Wine of Week
Domaine Drouhin Oregon 2021 Arthur Chardonnay
It's hard to imagine a more reliably brilliant Oregon Chardonnay vintage after vintage than DDO's Arthur. Its textbook structure, compelling style and exceptional balance place this at the top of the state's offerings. The fruit is picked at perfect ripeness, the acids provide a refreshing lift and the use of DDO's proprietary barrels gives the wine a lush but never intrusive toastiness.
3030 cases; 13.9%; $42 (Dundee Hills) 96/100
https://domainedrouhin.com/product/2021-chardonnay-arthur/
Outstanding Value
Parabellum 2020 Coulée
The new vintage of Coulée is a true GSM – 58% Syrah, 21% Grenache and 21% Mourvèdre sourced from estate vineyards on Red Mountain and in the Walla Walla Valley. Fermented in concrete and aged 18 months in one fifth new French oak, this more than meets the objectives stated above. It's seamless, sexy and svelte, a lush mix of berries, plums and black fruits. The tannins are polished and fused into the fruit perfectly, with a side order of savory herbs, umami, olives and espresso. 600 cases; 15%; $45 (Columbia Valley) 96/100
For the Cellar
Domaine Drouhin Oregon 2021 Pinot Noir
The subtle elegance of the three 2021 DDO releases profiled here puts an unmistakable winemaker fingerprint on all of them. Even after 35 years the impact of more than a century of Drouhin family winemaking skills honed in Burgundy can still be startling to see in Oregon. Brambly berries, slightly stiff acids, firm and just-ripe tannins, all with a minerally bottom note keep this young wine fascinating. Will it age well? Undoubtedly. The ability to make a wine that is immediately delicious and yet structured for the cellar is what elevates DDO and winemaker Véronique Drouhin to the very top. Not yet posted online but the 2021 Roserock bottling is up and is a very good option.
17170 cases; 14.1%; $48 (Dundee Hills) 95/100