Josh Raynolds of Vinous gives a thorough analysis of the 2015 Vintage for Oregon, reporting that “Oregon Pushes the Quality Needle for Pinot”
“Recent vintages have mostly been an embarrassment of riches for Oregon’s winegrowers—in quantity as well as quality. One could also add that “richness” applies to the style of wines made in 2015, 2014 and 2012 as well. The ‘15 vintage, the main focus of this year’s report, is already commanding intense demand in the market and what ‘14s are still out there, including many of the late releases covered here, are also hot commodities…” – Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com
We are very pleased that Josh gave our Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs top marks:
2015 ROOSEVELT PINOT NOIR – 93 POINTS
Brilliant red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, candied flowers and incense, along with hints of cola, vanilla and smoked meat in the background. Seamless and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and lavender pastille flavors that are braced by a hint of blood orange. Shows outstanding clarity and solid thrust on the impressively long, seamless, floral- and vanilla-tinged finish, which is framed by smooth, harmonious tannins.
2015 LA BOHEME PINOT NOIR – 93 POINTS
Dark bright-rimmed red. Ripe blackberry, cherry, licorice and pungent floral scents show very good lift and clarity. Supple, open-knit and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated dark berry and violet pastille flavors that are given spicy bite by a white pepper nuance. Displays very good clarity and solid thrust on the long, smooth finish, which features rounded tannins and repeating spiciness.
2015 CLAY COURT PINOT NOIR – 92 POINTS
Bright red. Highly perfumed red berry, cherry cola and floral scents, along with a smoky mineral flourish that builds in the glass. Sweet and energetic on the palate, offering raspberry, spicecake and smoky mineral flavors that tighten up slowly on the back half. Finishes long, smooth and floral; slow-building tannins add framework and gentle grip.
2015 FIVE MOUNTAIN PINOT NOIR – 92 POINTS
Limpid red. Fresh strawberry, blood orange and succulent herb flavors are sharpened by a chalky mineral quality that builds as the wine opens up. Vibrant red berry and bitter cherry flavors show very good clarity, silky, seamless texture and a sweetening touch of mocha on the back half. Offers strong tension and subtle smokiness on the finish, which features firming tannins and a lingering suggestion of candied rose.
2015 GOODRICH PINOT NOIR – 93 POINTS
Light vivid red. Suave, spice- and mineral-accented red berry and potpourri aromas, accompanied by a hint of succulent herbs and a smoky nuance that emerges with air. Sweet and precise on the palate, offering energetic raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors along with muskier rhubarb and floral pastille notes. The penetrating, red-fruit-driven finish shows excellent clarity, smooth tannins and strong persistence.
2015 MOUNT RICHMOND PINOT NOIR – 92 POINTS
Deep red. Lively, highly perfumed raspberry, Asian spice and rose scents are complicated by hints of woodsmoke and cola. Silky and penetrating on the palate, where juicy acidity provides spine and lift to sweet red fruit liqueur, spicecake and floral pastille flavors. This nicely concentrated but lively Pinot finishes smooth and sweet, displaying excellent focus and persistent floral character.
“At the intersection of media and technology, Vinous is Antonio Galloni’s vision of a modern-day wine publication. Vinous’s team of renowned critics and writers offers in depth coverage of new releases, retrospectives and verticals of older wines, videos with winemakers, interactive maps, restaurant recommendations and more, all published in a continual, daily stream of articles. With the acquisition of Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar in December 2014 and the addition of the IWC editorial team, Vinous expanded coverage to all major wine regions. Today Vinous has subscribers in over 80 countries and is one of the most respected wine publications in the world.”
Read the article on Oregon’s 2015 Vintage here. Full wine reviews for all Oregon wineries are available to members of vinous, more information at vinous.com.
