Winery - Eola Hills
* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Eola Hills designates this one of their reserve Pinot Noirs, and it delivers a lot of flavor for the price, as do all of their wines. The entry is lovely, silky and seductive, spiced up with cinnamon and clove. It resonates through the mid-palate, never changing but not fading either, and there is none of the rough herbaceousness of most inexpensive Oregon Pinots. There’s a pleasing smoky quality running gently through the finish, and the tannins are managed softly.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Unusual but compelling to some reviewers, but one thing is for sure: This wine is no fruit bomb. The nose has red fruit doused in tons of fragrant spice (cinnamon, clove, curry). Dry on the palate, with red berry and cherry fruit, unsweetened chocolate and cedar flavors. Toast and menthol on the finish.
Tags:
Eola Hills Syrah - 2000
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Aromas of jalapeno peppers, thistle and pine needles raise questions about ripeness while not exactly rolling out the welcome mat. That said, the wine is surprisingly sweet, with orange and lemon flavors. Finally, a thick texture runs in contrast to the lean nose, ultimately leaving one confused and asking: Is this really Sauvignon Blanc?
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Where else in this country can you find $12 Pinot with actual varietal character? Yes, it’s quite young, light, lean, tart and even simple, but it does taste like the grape it’s made from, and avoids the vegetal and the overtly leathery qualities of many of its rivals. Gentle flavors of raspberry and cherry are supported with juicy acids and hints of spice. This would be a lovely companion to a simple roast chicken.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Sometimes winery prices can be baffling. Here’s a value producer, with excellent wines at a $12 and $24 price point, and they tag this one with the big 50. It sets up certain expectations. The justification seems to be the wine’s extra-strong concentration, the alcohol topping out at 15.5%, and a strong streak of vanilla. If that’s your style, go for it.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
The winery’s reserve Pinot is a substantial wine that clearly stands apart from its well-made budget bottle. (It should also be noted that, to the winery’s credit, their reserve costs about what most Oregon budget bottles go for). This is vertically structured with mixed red fruits and nicely detailed whiffs and streaks of bark, earth, pepper and iron filings. It carries its compact flavors through a crisp and extended finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Here’s a real tropical fruit salad of a Chardonnay, ripe and lightly toasty and simply loaded with rich fruit flavor. The only off notes are some slightly bitter phenolics, but the big, juicy fruit more than compensates, especially as it drives through a long and powerful finish.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Another fruit-driven success for this winery’s Chard program. This opens with generous plump and tangy pineapple, pink grapefruit and Meyer lemon, succulent and crisp. The fruit continues along without any off notes through a satisfying finish. Not sure if this is “unwooded” or not, but if so it can stand quite comfortably alongside most of its more expensive peers. Best Buy.
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* Expert NoteJanuary 12, 2012
Granted, Oregon is not the first place you look for when you want a decent $10 Cabernet, but here it is. Stiff and tannic—make that “Bordeaux-like”—the most appealing feature of this budget bottle is its sweet core of grapey cherry fruit. The candy quality is really quite pleasant, and has enough substance behind it to elevate it well above the Kool-Aid category. Best Buy
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