I have been drinking a fair number of Oregon pinots in the past several months and found that my initial enthusiasm for them has become somewhat tempered lately. The problem, I think, is that pinot is so extremely hard to make because its delicacy can easily be overwhelmed or overproduced. Oregon, when successful, can blend the fruitiness allowed by New World heat and the savory earthiness and funk of cool climate old world pinots. However, more often than not these days Oregon pinots are getting more and more over the top with fruity and often cola-like flavours and aromas. Also, the subtle savory flavours frequently taste identical: a basic farm-fresh funkiness without the mushroomy, manure and soil-like layers found in the best pinots from Burgundy. Couple with that ever increasing prices and Oregon is, in my opinion, far less exciting than its neighbour Washington where wine is still being made with cool-climate verve.
Shea,
Your note gives a lovely sense of the wine, and the commentary is very perceptive. Was 2006 considered a ‘typical’ vintage or was it warmer than average?
Thanks Edward,
2006 was warm and dry for the summer, hot for september, and cool and rainy from then until harvest (which was site dependent). Many are considertion 2006 to be a top quality vintage for this century.