“Plush and elegantly built, with dynamic raspberry and cranberry flavors highlighted by notes of green tea and orange peel as this zips along the vibrant finish. Drink now through 2032. 396 cases made.” – Tim Fish, Senior Editor
Plush and elegantly built, with dynamic raspberry and cranberry flavors highlighted by notes of green tea and orange peel as this zips along the vibrant finish. Drink now through 2032. 396 cases made.
Another outstanding Pinot Noir from Elk Cove, this time the 2021 Reserve, which was aged for 10 months in 55% new French oak and is only made in exceptional years. Only the finest barrels were selected for this wine, and it shows. A shimmering medium neon ruby core with a lighter pink rim, it offers up aromas and flavors of black cherries, wild blueberries, sweet toasted cinnamon, cedary herbs, dusty road, and shares of wet earth. Sweet, rounded tannins and perfected levels of acidity complete the wine. Give this one another year or two in the bottle, and you will be richly rewarded. Highly recommended and editor’s choice.
The outstanding 2021 La Bohème Pinot Noir from Elk Cove sports a medium ruby-blue core with a neon pink rim and offers up bountiful aromas of red cherries, mountain huckleberries, forest herbs, tangerine zest, and some turned earthy notes. Flowing across the tongue, the sweet, rounded tannins and lush acidity help calm the spicy note on the finish. Drink this one over the next decade with proper cellaring. Highly recommended.
All Pinot Noir fruit coming from vines that are over 30 years in age, the 2018 La Bohème Brut Rosé boasts a lovely pink-salmon color in the bottle. Expressive aromas of crushed red fruits, dried herbs, brioche, and tangy lemon zest spill from the glass. Medium to full-bodied, it sports a sporty mousse that calms down after a minute in the glass.
Elk Cove Vineyard lies in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. The first vines were planted in this natural amphitheater in 1974 by Joe and Pat Campbell – a time when there were fewer than 10 wineries in the state. Now there are nearly 1000 Oregon wineries and Elk Cove still ranks among the best. The Roosevelt Vineyard lies just below the winery on a steep hillside. This four acre plot was planted in 1993 and quickly became one of the winery’s most favored sites. The 2021 Roosevelt Pinot Noir reveals scents of pure ripe cherry, blackberry and raspberry fruits interwoven with floral, vanilla, herb, cocoa and spice nuances. On the palate, its impressive layers of cherry, blackberry, and raspberry fruits are enhanced by nuances of vanilla, cocoa, cinnamon and clove. It has a full texture and mouthfeel. This elegant and finely balanced Pinot Noir will provide great tasting pleasure for another 5 to 10 years.
The quaffable 2022 Elk Cove Pinot Gris also contains slight amounts of Gewurztraminer and Muscat and gifts a bright, light lemon core with a watery rim in the glass. It is wonderfully floral on the nose, giving up notes of sweet green melon, kiwi fruit, white flowers, and sea breeze on the palate. Medium-bodied with a lovely floral note that hits the mid-palate on the finish, this one should drink well for the next 5-6 years.
Resting for 10 months in 33% new French oak, the gorgeous 2021 Goodrich Pinot Noir from Elk Cove sports a glistening medium ruby core with a light purple rim and generously gifts aromas of black raspberries, cedary herbs, fennel fonds, and hints of wet autumn leaves. More savory on the palate than its siblings, it’s loaded with those wonderful earthy, spicey, and saline notes that hit perfectly on the back palate. Tannins are crunchy but sweet, while the mouthwatering acidity takes it all home.
Elk Cove has really knocked it out of the park with its 2021 Pinot Noirs. The Roosevelt is another stunning example of Oregon Pinot at its best. This one spent 10 months in 38% new French oak barrels and showcases a lovely medium ruby-blue core with a fluorescent pink rim in the glass. It opens up to a very earthy and spicy nose – think notes of wet-tilled earth, tobacco leaves, dried lavender and crushed black peppercorns alongside those lovely blue-fruited aromas and flavors. Acidity is on point and integrates perfectly with the stratified structure, giving it lovely depth and presence. Highly recommended and editor’s choice.
The 2021 Elk Cove ‘La Boheme’ is a stunning wine made from Pommard clone Pinot Noir from their estate La Boheme Vineyard. Vines at this site are nearly 40 years old. This displays a sterling sense of tension in the mouth. Pretty guava and cran-pomegranate fruit flavors combine with salty soils, white truffle shavings and shades of orange zest. Full-bodied and delicious, watch this beautiful evolve over the next fifteen years. Drink 2023-2038
The outstanding 2021 ‘Clay Court’ Pinot Noir spent ten months in 20% new French oak prior to bottling and comes from this hillside site on Parrett Mountain. Sourced from Dijon clonal selections 115, 777 as well as Pommard clone Pinot Noir, this delivers a smooth mouthfeel on the approach with juicy guava, red currant, salmonberry and sous bois notes on the palate. Finishing long, this is a beautiful example of Oregon Pinot Noir from a warm vintage. Drink 2023-2037
The 2021 ‘Five Mountain’ was sourced from this sit-in the Chehalem Mountains AVA which was purchased by Elk Cove in 2005. The wine is brimming with juicy red fruit flavors with kumquat zest, damp earth and salty accents on the palate. Medium to full-bodied, this is juicy, delicious Pinot Noir that has some really good aging potential. Drink 2023-2037
The 2021 ‘Mount Richmond’ comes from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and comes from younger vines which are roughly six years old. Stored in oak puncheons and concrete eggs for 12 months, this delivers good richness and flavor density. Bright pear and honeydew melon flavors combine with stony minerals, vanilla cream and pie crust flavors. Nicely balanced, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next eight years. Drink 2023-2031
The 2022 Elk Cove Pinot Blanc comes from old vines that are up to nearly 30 years of age. This was stored in stainless steel before bottling. Once on the nose this takes on delicious kiwi and starfruit tones that mingle well with stony accents. The palate is soft and inviting with a smooth texture and generous melon fruit flavors. This is really good in its mineral-driven youth. Drink 2023-2027
The outstanding 2019 ‘La Boheme Brut Rose’ is entirely composed of Pinot Noir grapes from the La Boheme estate vineyard. This spent three years en tirage, as the wine opens with a lovely bouquet of red florals alongside cranberry and red cherry candy. Soft and refined, with salty accents, this is drinking beautifully and shows beautiful poise and weight from this slightly cooler vintage. Drink 2023-2031