Tasting nothing but Pinot Noir for four days taught me a thing or two about the varietal. After tasting and taking notes on more than 100 international wines made from the Pinot Noir grape, these wines stood out. The following 'favorites' are presented in the order in which they were tasted. I did my best to pace myself, yet I hope what I learned through tasting the wines compensated for a little palate fatigue. Nice medium color.
Nose is varietal with a hint of earth, but clean and uniquely perfumed.
Hint of anise or mint. I thought this wine was a profound example of what Oregon Pinot noir can do. Temperance Hill 1997. Beautiful wine, but not as intense or as interesting as the Balcombe. Nice extraction and balanced intensity.