Supple, Sexy, and goes Great with Food!

The celebrated red wines of the French district of Burgundy are all made from the Pinot Noir grape. Pinot Noir is a very temperamental, thin skinned grape and is difficult to grow successfully, and winemakers often find it difficult to produce good wine consistently. However, western Oregon has found a place among the best regions in the world to produce this challenging wine. Don't expect deep inky colors like you find in Cabernet Sauvignon. The color of Pinot Noir ranges from a light red, almost rose to a deep garnet. The flavors are very different, too. Pinot Noir at its best is sexy; elegant, smooth and velvety on the tongue..." satin sheets in a bottle."
Pinot Noir should be delicate, with deliciously ripe, concentrated strawberry and/or raspberry flavors and can have barnyard overtones and luscious spices. It is difficult to describe all the flavors and styles of Pinot Noir because there are more than 1000 different clones that produce a wide variety of styles from heavy, jammy, "in your face" wines, to light, delicate but complex wines and all possible combinations in between. When drinking Pinot Noir, look for elegance. Enjoy the bouquet. The balance and the layers of flavor will envelop you. Let this sexy wine entice your senses! Let the wine caress your tongue! Experience Pinot Noir and you will be seduced!

We will be joined by Michael McLean, Amadeus Portfolio Manager, who will provide an overview of these wineries and wines. Michael has an in-depth understanding and knowledge of the Northwest wine industry. His passion with wine began while living in Florence, Italy and Salzburg, Austria in 1971 - 1973. He joined Chateau Ste. Michelle in 1978 providing training for their restaurant staff and as a member of their tour/retail staff. Michael served as the SWS program chair in 1980 before going on to manage Champion Wine Cellars then moving into the wholesale side of the industry. He has remained in the wholesale business in a variety of positions but primarily in sales.

August Cellars is owned and operated by the Clarence Schaad family. They specialize in Pinot Noir, of which they have 13 acres, the rest of the land being devoted to English walnuts, Italian prunes, and natural forest. The 2004 Pinot Noir, of which 997 cases were produced, is unfiltered and unfined, reflecting the rich and earthy terroir.

Coelho Winery is family owned, and planted with Pommard and Dijon clones of Pinot Noir. The 2005 Pinot Noir was named “Paciencia”, Portuguese for patience, because the ripening of these grapes for this first vintage was so eagerly awaited. It has a dark ruby color, with notes of pomegranate, currant, cinnamon, and white pepper.

David Hill is one of the oldest and most picturesque wineries in the Northern Willamette Valley. The Gewurztraminer is made from some of the oldest vines on the farm, and received 90 points from Wine Enthusiast. The newly-released Pinot Noir, crafted by Jason Bull, shows aromas of spice and light cherry, with flavors of strawberry and vanilla.

Girardet Wine Cellars is owned by Phillippe Girardet, originally from the upper Rhone in Switzerland. The estate vineyards are farmed organically, growing natural grapes in a sustainable, healthy environment. The Frostbite is a highly aromatic late-harvest Gewurztraminer, and the 2004 vintage was rated at 90 points by Wine Spectator. The Pinot Noir is traditional and Burgundian in style, made with minimal filtration.

Namaste Vineyards, whose name means “the spirit within me honors the spirit within you”, believe that every bit of patience and detail is important in creating a truly divine wine. Namaste was selected as the the top 10 producers of Pinot Noirs in Oregon at the 2006 Ultimate Oregon Pinot Noir Challenge. The 2005 Prosperity Pinot Noir has aromas of rose petal and cherry, with notes of pepper and spice. 243 cases were produced.

Back to the Top
Back to the Home Page