Video Transcript: Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Showdown
Written By: Anonymous on Wed, Oct 22nd 2008
Brian Freedman: Welcome to ClassicWines TV, I am your host Brian Freedman. Today, on the showdown, two Willamette Valley Pinot Noirs from the great vintage of 2006. I have had some really, really good experiences with the 06 Vintage Pinots from Willamette.
Today, wine number one, the Airlie Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2006, and wine number two, the Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir 2006 from; I know this will come as a shock, the Willamette Valley. Both of these are from Oregon. Honestly for my money, the Willamette Valley is one of my favorite, favorite places in the world for Pinot. I love Russian River, obviously I love Burgundy, but the Willamette River Valley, killer, killer juice coming out of there.
So without further ado, let's try wine number one. Now, some of the other highlights of the 2006, I love some of the wines from Bergström from 06 in the Willamette Valley; their Pinots are always spectacular stuff. Haven't had this one yet, haven't had the Airlie.
It's interesting here, on the nose, you are getting that telltale cherry character. There is something unexpected there. I am getting white sesame seeds. Honest to goodness, I am not making this up, it's unexpected. On the nose, it smells a little bit hollow, I will be honest with you, I am not blown away by this right now, and I am not looking for a huge blockbuster necessarily. But it's not grabbing me.
It's okay. I mean, I want to like it, I want to love it. Truth of the matter is, I am finding the acids a little too elevated. The tannins, while nice and fine grained are a little bit drying. The fruit is there, but it seems a little bit suppressed, there is just not much stuffing there.
This might be the first time on the showdown that I have actually responded this way to a wine, but it's not bad, it's just not speaking to me.
Wine number two, the Willamette Valley Vineyards 2006 Pinot Noir. Sesame seeds though, never had that before. Alright, so now in the nose here I am getting a little more in the way of spice. I am still getting the fruit though, it seems a little less right, but everything seems to be a bit more well integrated on the nose. So hopefully this is a harbinger of good things to come on the palate.
This one, the finish is softer, the tannins and the acid are much more in balance, everything is much more well integrated. The finish, there is something a little bit meaty on there; I am getting some of those earth tones that I look for in Pinot.
Hands down, the winner for this showdown is absolutely the 2006 Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley Vineyards, Willamette Valley, Oregon.
Well, from all of us here at ClassicWines TV, I am your host Brian Freedman. Until next time, avoid sesame seeds in your Pinot Noir. Cheers!
