The 2006 Pinot Noir Estate was aged entirely in seasoned oak. It is light ruby-colored with a lovely bouquet of cherry and wild strawberry. This leads to a velvety textured, elegant wine with savory red fruits, spice, excellent concentration and a fruit-filled finish. The wine’s impeccable balance may allow for further development in the bottle but it can be enjoyed now. Achieving this level of elegance in a vintage like 2006 is a singular accomplishment.
As a sidebar, I was able to share a bottle of the legendary 1975 Eyrie South Block Reserve at the rejuvenated Nick’s Italian Cafe in McMinnville. The complex aromatics (fruit, mineral, earth notes) jump from the glass followed by an intense, powerful yet elegant wine with concentrated flavors, exceptional richness, and a super-long finish. The wine did not fade a bit over the three hours of dinner. It rates 97 points. The Eyrie Vineyards is where the Oregon wine industry took root in the mid-1960s when David Lett planted his first vineyard in the Dundee Hills. He is taking a less active role in the winery with son Jason becoming winemaker and vineyard manager. The transition appears to have been seamless. Although the focus of this report is on 2006 Pinot Noir, it must be pointed out that The Eyrie Vineyards is making excellent white wines at very fair prices. In addition to Pinot Gris and Pinot Blanc, I was shown three 2006 Chardonnays that were all outstanding
Tel. (503) 472-6315; www.eyrievineyards.com
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