Six years ago I wrote this essay on changes in Oregon Pinot Noirs for Wine Enthusiast magazine:
Back in the ‘90s, the race was on the make the biggest, ripest, oakiest wines possible, often chasing high scores from a particularly influential reviewer. Every trick in the book was done to concentrate flavors and pile on the new oak. This worked better in California Cab country than in Oregon, where Pinot Noir was the hero grape.
Pinot Noir is celebrated for its elegance, grace and transparency, but too many Oregon Pinots resembled Syrah, in both color and potency, with alcohol levels at 15% or even higher. A winery such as Eyrie, stubbornly dedicated to light, elegant, ageworthy wines, was completely out of step with the times, and founder David Lett rightfully railed at the influx of Willamette Valley Pinots that tasted, he once told me, “like vanilla and Coke”.
Times have changed. Advances in vineyard practices and winemaking adjustments have tempered and tamed those massive Pinots. Complexity rather than raw power is the goal. Today’s consumers value balanced, aromatic, ageworthy wines that put an emphasis on subtle details. My top-scoring Oregon Pinot from the past year [2019] – Ken Wright’s 2016 Shea Vineyard cuvée – is just under 13% alcohol.
As Ken explained in an email exchange “the movement toward high intensity/high alcohol wine was in part driven by the high scores certain critics were giving to wines of this style. In a large lineup of wine they do tend to stand out.”
The key to such wines was hyper-ripeness, which led vintners to drastically minimize crop levels. This approach proved to be problematic in hot vintages. “A small crop in a hot year ripens too quickly,” says Wright, “and more often than not the resulting wine is a bludgeoning, alcoholic, brutal wine without a hint of finesse. Better to extend the growing season by leaving as much fruit as possible. It’s about hang time and balance, which leads to lower alcohol levels that are supportive rather than dominant.”
Can you still find 15% abv Pinots? [I asked in conclusion] Of course, and some are quite good. But if you value more elegant wines, some producers to consider, along with Ken Wright, are Alexana, Domaine Divio, Evesham Wood, Haden Fig, Lavinea and Winderlea.”
As we round the corner into the second half of 2025 it’s clear that what was then the beginning of a trend has now become the standard for almost all the top wineries in the Willamette Valley. Consumer preferences are in part driving the change, but more important are advances in vineyard management and the effect of ongoing practices to revitalize soil health, reduce or eliminate herbicides and pesticides, and pick for factors beyond just high sugars.
The benefits are numerous: healthier vines, complex, aromatic wines that are true to the spirit of Pinot Noir and wines that not only show more texture and finesse when young but also have every possibility of aging beautifully over decades.
Evesham Wood and sister winery Haden Fig were among the wineries called out in that earlier essay, and I had the opportunity to taste their current releases over the past week. Although it has been six years since I last tasted these wines, it’s clear that under the guidance of current owner/winemaker Erin Nuccio both wineries have remained true to their guiding spirit, founder Russ Rainey. Rainey retired in 2010 and passed away on July 9. 2022. As Evesham Wood nears the 40th anniversary of its founding, the wines continue to offer exceptional quality, consistency and value.
Evesham Wood 2024 Blanc de Puits Sec – Though the name might suggest this is a sparkling wine, it’s not. A Pinot Gris with 15% Gewurztraminer co-fermented, it’s sourced from old vines in the estate vineyard, Le Puits Sec, which means “the dry well”. Just to confirm the point, the back label reads “fruit from non-irrigated vines”. Having once drilled a dry well myself I’m not sure if this is a boast or a shrug of the shoulders or perhaps a middle finger aimed at the water gods. But it’s a mighty fine wine, with fabulous texture, appealing minerality, a weave of citrus skin and juice, and highlights of honeysuckle and Key lime meringue. 400 cases; 12.5%; $20 (Eola-Amity Hills) 93/100
Evesham Wood 2022 Le Puits Sec Chardonnay – Scented with bee pollen and lemon rind, this elegant and densely woven wine offers complex, layered flavors of stone fruits, citrus and melon. The lovely texture and a lingering finish bring additional accents of fruit and rind, with an underpinning of wet stone. If this has become the ‘new’ style of Oregon Chardonnay, I’m 100% on board. 45 cases; 12.5%; $40 (Eola-Amity Hills) 94/100
Evesham Wood 2023 Pinot Noir – Among the seven vineyards contributing to this cuvée are such standouts as Sojeau, Koosah and Cortell Rose. Firm and trending dark, with well-integrated flavors of black cherry annotated with notes of bitter greens and clean earth, this exceptional value has the sturdy tannins to stand up to burgers or steak. It’s aromatically interesting, weaving berry/cherry fruit, graphite and coffee grounds. The finish ties it all together with trailing astringency. 6132 cases; 13%; $27 (Willamette Valley) 92/100
Evesham Wood 2023 Eola-Amity Hills Cuvée Pinot Noir – This six vineyard blend is a step up from the Willamette Valley cuvée, with (apparently) a little more new wood and the addition of some estate fruit. The well-rounded mid-palate is lush with strawberries, raspberries and lightly bitter phenolics that put a perfect frame around the finish. Beautifully balanced, textured and long, with finishing black tea tannins, it’s yet another sensational value from Evesham Wood. 925 cases; 13%; $34 (Eola-Amity Hills) 93/100
Evesham Wood 2023 La Grive Bleue Pinot Noir – Named for the Western Bluebird, this small estate vineyard is approaching 30 years of age. The weave of blue fruits, grasses and clean earth creates a wine of exceptional texture, underpinned with lightly salty acids. Decanting and/or more bottle age are highly recommended, to fully unwrap the rather delicate flavors. 50 cases; 13%; $40 (Eola-Amity Hills) 93/100
Evesham Wood 2022 Temperance Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir – The winery’s two acre block, now 40 years old, delivers a pure and elegant expression of this storied vineyard. It pulls together flavors of juniper berry, rhubarb, raspberry, sweet tomato and leaf, thistle and composted earth. As it glides into a silky, lightly toasty finish, it’s easy to see the aging potential, which could extend out for decades, rather along the lines of some of the Eyrie Pinots. 146 cases; 13%; $48 (Eola-Amity Hills) 93/100
Evesham Wood 2022 Mahonia Vineyard Pinot Noir – The winery now has exclusive access to this vineyard, which has been a portfolio staple for decades. Flavors are elegant, balanced and sharply defined, built upon cranberry and raspberry fruit framed with orange peel and citrusy acids. Firm and tannic, sturdy and lightly earthy, it is showing especially well in this vintage, with a core of fruit that resonates all the way through the finish. 200 cases; 13%; $48 (Willamette Valley) 93/100
Evesham Wood 2022 Sojeau Vineyard Pinot Noir – Garnering acclaim from a number of high profile producers, the Sojeau (formerly Sojourner) vineyard here puts the flash on bright, energetic raspberry fruit, orange-tinged acids, sandalwood, breakfast tea and a trailing finish with a touch of cranberry scones. Still quite young and already delicious, prime drinking for this wine would be the first half of the 2030s. 125 cases; 13%; $48 (Eola-Amity Hills) 94/100
Evesham Wood 2022 Le Puits Sec Vineyard Pinot Noir – I’ve missed a couple of recent vintages, but in my experience this is the best release from this estate vineyard to date. A generous mix of berries, cherries, dried herbs, peat, coffee grounds and a whiff of sea spray, the complexity belies the lightness and overall elegance. Being a bit of a fruit hound, I salute the core of lush fruit here, which is amplified and expanded with all the resonant highlights. Brilliant work. 418 cases; 13% $56 (Eola-Amity Hills) 96/100
Evesham Wood 2022 Cuvée J Pinot Noir – This is a barrel selection from the estate vineyard, made with a ‘proprietary’ yeast that the winery believes is best noted in the texture of the wine. No question that texture is a strong suit across the entire portfolio; here playing a significant role in the overall mouthfeel and palate impression. Texture and density go hand in hand, and this wine has them in spades. Blackberry and black cherry fruit, a strong wash of composted earth, coffee grounds, tar, black tea, tobacco… on and on. A fascinating, dark wine, which invites exploration. 148 cases; 13%; $64 (Eola-Amity Hills) 97/100
Haden Fig 2023 Juliette Chardonnay – Sourced from the Mahonia vineyard, this sassy Chardonnay is streaked with a spicy burst of white pepper around a solid core of jicama, lemon pulp and skin and fresh-squeezed oranges. Nicely balanced and of medium length, it finishes with a trailing impression of lightly chalky mineral. 75 cases; 13.5%; $40 (Willamette Valley) 93/100
Haden Fig 2024 Pinot Blanc – Rich and succulent, fruit-powered and forward, this appealing Pinot Blanc will do best when chilled and drunk during its youth. Lush with tangy citrus – lemon and pineapple and lime – it’s buoyed by generous acids and brings the focus that a single vineyard source can provide. At this price it’s a steal. 38 cases; 13%; $26 (Willamette Valley) 92/100
Haden Fig 2023 Pinot Noir – A blend of the four single vineyard wines, this high value offering, the winery notes, “is our looking glass to figure out what is yet to come from all of the other Haden Fig and Evesham Wood wines that are still in barrel.” A fine looking glass it is, with a spine of peppery herb and a core of rhubarb and brambly red berries. The tannins are chewy and show a stiff, earthy foundation. Another excellent value. 1025 cases; 13.5%; $26 (Willamette Valley) 91/100
Haden Fig 2023 Cancilla Vineyard Pinot Noir – Boom! Right out of the chute, this takes off with a toasty flair. Scents of toast and roses, flavors of raspberries and cherries, firm and ripe tannins, all in proportion. Winemaker Erin Nuccio calls it “extroverted” which is totally spot on. That opening ‘yeah’ is followed with a deeper dive into the black fruits, coffee grounds and clean soil flavors that add density and interest. 125 cases; 13.5%; $40 (Tualatin Hills) 93/100
Haden Fig 2023 Croft Vineyard Pinot Noir – The Croft vineyard, next to the better known Freedom Hill, is famous for its Sauvignon Blanc, arguably the best in Oregon. But this Pinot Noir is no slacker – full-bodied, earthy, spiked with peppery herbs, more broad than deep, yet layered with many interesting highlights – blood orange, tangerine, cherries and a subtle hint of chocolate. Delicious immediately, with good drinking over the next decade at least. 125 cases; 13.5%; $40 (Mt. Pisgah) 93/100
Haden Fig 2023 Cortell Rose Vineyard Pinot Noir – Aromatically dense with plush scents of blackberries and sassafras, the flavors bomb the palate with more of the same and black plum (skin and flesh), mocha and clean earth. A cascade of layered and balanced highlights, instantly appealing yet structured to age. Jessica Cortell is a much-admired vineyard manager and this fruit is from her own vineyard. 45 cases; 13.5%; $40 (Eola-Amity Hills) 94/100
Haden Fig 2023 Freedom Hill Vineyard Pinot Noir – A very fine Freedom Hill, loaded with bright cherry fruit, backed with clean earth and ripe tannins. Rich and perfectly structured, this is a terrific complement to the Croft bottling from a nearby-vineyard. The Mount Pisgah AVA is new and may be unfamiliar, but these vineyards, in a southwest corner of the Willamette valley, have long and esteemed histories. This is forward and fruit-driven, fresh and balanced, with enough depth to cellar well for a decade or more. 125 cases; 13.5%; $40 (Mt. Pisgah) 94/100
Maysara
The Momtazi vineyard is one of the most extensive biodynamic vineyards in Oregon, if not the entire country. Painstakingly farmed by Mo Momtazi and a dedicated crew, its grapes are sought after by over a dozen well-regarded wineries around the state. I toured it this past spring with Mo Momtazi, and this month had the chance to taste some of the current releases.
Maysara 2024 Owl White Wine – Mostly Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, with Muscat and Riesling in supporting roles. The principal grapes bring a luscious mix of citrus and tree fruits, sweet/tart lemon candy with a trickle of honey, and the lasting, textured finish that biodynamic grapes can provide. 96 cases; 12.5% (McMinnville) 91/100
Maysara 2024 Arsheen Pinot Gris – A solid effort, with textured, fleshy pear fruit anchoring the core. It’s all Pinot Gris, estate grown and biodynamic, native yeast fermentation, all in stainless steel. Cascading flavors pile up gradually, with lemon rind, citrus oil, lemon verbena, crisp apples and more coming into focus. When you’re looking through a microscope at a leaf or flower petal, as you adjust the lens you find different layers appearing. This wine is like that. 2666 cases; 12.3%; $18 (McMinnville) 93/100
Maysara 2017 Jamsheed Pinot Noir – Firmly anchored in earthy, herbal, savory flavors, with a tight vein of red currant fruit. This is a compact, well-balanced wine. As a comparison the winery provided bottles of the 2010 and 2011 Jamsheed; both in fine, mature condition and displaying an elegance not immediately apparent in the younger wine. 4637 cases; 12.7%; $30 (McMinnville) 91/100
Maysara 2017 Cyrus Pinot Noir – Pretty cherry fruit, cloaked in fresh green herbs, opens quickly in an inviting wine ready for drinking. The acids have a touch of juicy blood orange, melon and papaya… a lingering, fresh and lovely wine. 1099 cases; 12.7%; $45 (McMinnville) 92/100
Tasted with owner/winemaker Scott Greer, and revisited repeatedly over the following days. These are big, dark and flavorful wines that are among the very best produced in the northern (Rattlesnake Hills) slice of the Yakima Valley AVA.
Sheridan 2022 Mystique Red – A blend of 50% Merlot and 25% each Cab Franc and Cab Sauv. It opens with lush aromatics, sending pretty scents of mixed berries into suggestions of darker fruits, accents of coffee grounds, and ultimately ripe but chewy tannins. Further trailing notes of black olive, tarragon and white pepper make this a richly interesting and quite well-priced red blend. 2500 cases; 14.2%; $30 (Yakima Valley) 92/100
Sheridan 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon – The blend includes 10% Cab Franc and 5% Merlot. On first taste it’s a firm, supple, classy wine, structured upon a frame of black fruits and accents of coffee, char and smoke. The overall balance is excellent, and all of Scott Greer’s wines are strikingly aromatic and inviting, with the structure to age. As an added bonus this is priced well below many Washington Cabs of comparable quality. It trails out with lovely baking spices and may be enjoyed immediately and through the rest of this decade. 2300 cases; 14.1%; $30 (Yakima Valley) 93/100
Sheridan 2022 Boss Block Cabernet Franc – This pure varietal wine was sourced from the winery’s first planting, now 25-year-old vines. Red and purple fruits are in play, giving a clean and fresh expression of the grape. In comparison with the Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux blends, this is a bit more compact and vertical. Mulberry and blueberry fruit accompanies a foundation of clean earth, with accents of graphite, dried herbs and sandalwood. With ample aeration it smooths out and rolls into a good long finish. 750 cases; 14.3%; $50 (Yakima Valley) 94/100
Sheridan 2022 L’Orage Cabernet Sauvignon – These are 25-26-year-old vines, with the same 80/20 Cab Sauv/Cab Franc L’Orage blend as in previous vintages. In this 2022 the tannins immediately have a large impact, grainy, ripe and textural. With aeration the blackberry fruit pops out, annotated with espresso grounds, tobacco leaf and a hint of charred wood. This is a standout steak wine with decent aging potential. 1500 cases; 14.3%; $60 (Yakima Valley) 94/100
Sheridan 2022 Block One Cabernet Sauvignon – As only estate-centered wineries can do almost effortlessly, all the Sheridan reds show focused stylistic consistency across the portfolio. Their reserve Cabernet is dense, deep and dark, with ripe and grainy tannins. Think Red Mountain meets Stags Leap. This outstanding wine can serve as a model for the often overlooked excellence of the Rattlesnake Hills AVA reds. The balance of acid, tannin and fruit is impressive, all without excessively high alcohol. These wines need extra aeration – maybe decanting, or just extra swirling in the wine glass. 300 cases; 14.4%; $125 (Yakima Valley) 95/100
Sheridan 2022 Singularity Syrah – This 100% Phelps clone Syrah is from the estate vineyard, located just a few miles west of Boushey, another superb source of Syrah. The palate is streaked with an interesting vein of mint and lemon rind, dense with cassis and blackberry fruit. Beautifully set against toasty new barrel accents, this is made in a strong, forceful style, loaded with bright fruit flavors accented with those darker, charred highlights. Exceptional length keeps the flavors rolling. Syrah can shine from the Rogue Valley in Oregon all the way up to Rocky Reach, and as shown here can express itself in unique flavor expressions all along the way. 150 cases; 14.5%; $90 (Yakima Valley) 95/100
Sidereus 2024 Estate Riesling – The clear glass bottle nicely shows the greenish yellow hue of the wine, but makes it more susceptible to damage from direct sunlight. This just-released vintage has a pleasing sweet/tart juicy mouthfeel from the combination of high acids and some residual sugar. It’s a successful balance, coming off dry on the palate, with citrus, orange, apple and pear fruit. Breakfast tea highlights come in as it fades. 152 cases; 12.5%; $25 (Laurelwood District) 92/100
Sidereus 2024 Estate Pinot Gris – Classic pear fruit with added notes of honeysuckle, green apple and breakfast tea amplify enjoyment. The firm finish is framed with well-managed (very light) skin tannins, adding notes of mineral and rock candy. 385 cases; 13.5%; $25 (Laurelwood District) 92/100
Sidereus 2024 Estate Rosé of Pinot Noir – The palest possible copper color, yet deceptively lush, this splendid rosé uses estate-grown fruit ripened to a brix level seen more often for regular Pinot Noir. Rich strawberry and peach fruit flavors abound, buttressed by tangy citrus and rounded off with a light hint of residual sugar. Lovely bottle start to finish. 328 cases; 13.2%; $25 (Laurelwood District) 93/100
From The Cellar
Patricia Green Cellars 2017 Balcombe Vineyard Block 1B Pinot Noir
There are many things that are special about this bottle. 2017 was the last vintage crushed and fermented by Patty Green before her untimely death in November of that year. 2017 was also the first vintage of her wines that I was allowed to taste and review, as she was rather adamantly opposed to wine critics. I met Patty on several occasions and she was always cordial, but never interested in sending in wines for review. So this vintage was and is very special, and I opened this from my cellar intending to honor her memory and also the memory of a good friend, Bill Rodgers, who loved Pinot Noir and recently passed away here in Waitsburg. Wine can bring floods of memories and cascades of emotion, and this one certainly does. Apart from the emotional side of it, the wine itself is gorgeous. It’s drinking at an intermediate age between young fruit and old wine maturity; a particularly graceful and delicious time to pull it out. Aromatic and still fresh, it’s loaded with strawberry jam fruit, medium density with lovely texture, good length and detail with a trailing finish that brings light suggestions of pepper, tomato leaf and cola. I’ve caught it at a great time, and it may well hang right here indefinitely. So I’ll raise a glass to Patty and to Bill, and count my blessings once again.
Don’t Miss This! Basalt Bash & Barrel Auction – July 25 -26
For the first time the Rocks District Winegrowers are hosting what is sure to become a must-see annual event. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the AVA, and in anticipation of the extraordinary recognition now developing around the world, the winegrowers of this unique sub-region are offering a chance to bid on 25 one-of-a-kind lots of wine from a who’s who list of top producers. Ahead of the auction there will be tastings, a street party, a Bubble Lounge and more. You know how good these wines are, and how hard they are to find. Now you can bid on unique cases of wine otherwise unavailable. For complete details and to purchase tickets follow this link. I look forward to having you join me at this celebration!
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