Winemaker Notes
The palate is medium bodied with bright acidity, light tannin, and a long, complex finish. Bright cherry and raspberry notes showcase the climate of Chehalem Mountains, while the McMinnville region brings fresh pomegranate and hibiscus flower to the glass. The palate reveals the cola and cinnamon spice notes of Yamhill-Carlton AVA, and earthy mushroom and black tea notes presented on the finish hail from Raptor Ridge's source vineyards in the Eola-Amity Hills area.
This wine pairs easily alongside cheese and charcuterie, baked salmon, roasted chicken or pork, and leaner red meats such as duck breast or filet mignon.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Perfumed and seductive, with aromas of ripe cherries, red currants and hints of bergamot. Dusty and textured, it has a medium body, well-balanced acidity and a long, refined finish with mineral nuances.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Displaying a slightly brighter red color, the 2023 Pinot Noir Barrel Select is a bit shy in the glass with notes of ripe cherries, red flowers, dusty earth, and cedar spice. The palate leads with snappy and slightly green acidity, accompanied by stemmy astringency and a gravelly finish.
Home of some of the planet’s most amazingly elegant and expressive Pinot noir, the Willamette Valley is a pastoral, mixed landscape of green, bucolic rolling hills, dramatic forestlands and small, independent, friendly wine growers. As a leader in environmental stewardship, the valley has some of the nation’s most protective land use policies, with two-thirds of its vineyards farmed sustainably and over half, organically. While the valley claims a cool, continental climate, and is heavily influenced by the cold, moist winds of the Pacific Ocean, its warm and dry summers allow for the steady, even ripening of Pinot noir.
The potential of Willamette Valley Pinot noir continues to attract the investment of serious growers and winemakers both locally and from abroad, as naturally the finished wines bring accolades from professionals and enthusiasts. With a range of styles from delicate dried cherry, raspberry and hibiscus to stronger notes of truffle, mocha, plum and spice, a fine Willamette Valley Pinot noir is a perfect expression of both character and grace.