Harvey Steiman of the Wine Spectator takes a look back at the Willamette Valley’s 2008 vintage 10 years on and gives our 2008 Mount Richmond Pinot Noir a classic 95 point score:

ELK COVE Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Mount Richmond 2008 Score: 95 
“Supple, refined and generous, with layers of black cherry, plum, mineral and floral flavors wrapped in velvety tannins. The finish rolls on, picking up hints of licorice and caramel. Drink now through 2023. 894 cases made.” —H.S.

“Willamette Valley’s 2008 Pinot Noir vintage looked golden from the start. Weather that year was ideal: Cooler-than-usual temperatures for most of the season helped preserve acidity and keep alcohol levels moderate, and harvesttime saw sunny skies and moderate temperatures that prevented overripeness. A smaller-than-usual crop yielded intense flavors.

In my three decades of reviewing Oregon Pinot Noirs, the dazzling 2008 vintage produced more outstanding ratings (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator‘s 100-point scale) and more classic ratings (95-plus) than any year before it. The vintage rated 96 points, topped since only by 2012.

A decade on, it was time to revisit them, and they’re doing even better than expected. Tasted blind, 17 of the 32 bottles I reviewed scored higher this time, some by as many as six points. Ten more scored exactly the same or within one point. (An additional three wines suffered from faulty corks and were not reviewed.)

More important, nearly all the wines showed the vitality and freshness of younger wines while developing the savory nuances of age. Tannins had mostly resolved into textures that range from silky to velvety. In short, these wines have become the classics the vintage promised.” – Harvey Steiman

Read more at winespectator.com or find this article in theJune 15, 2018 issue of the magazine.