Would you like some pinot noir with your pinot noir?

I recently made a trip down to the Wilammette Valley for some R&R and decided to visit some wineries. It had been 3-4 years since the last time I was down there, and it was interesting to see the changes. The biggest difference is that there are a lot more wineries than there were before. Last time around, I only remember visiting Sokol Blosser and Argyle. It was hard to find a lot of wineries with tasting rooms. This time, it seemed like there were a lot more wineries open to the public. My wife and I hit Erath Vineyards, Archery Summit, Domaine Drouhin, Penner Ashe, Bergstrom, Adelsheim, and Ponzi (which doubled as an excellent lunch stop). Of these, I think I’d give Domaine Drouhin the nod as favorite–the Laurene Pinot Noir was excellent.

The other big change was the prices. Archery Summit won the prize here, with a $15 tasting fee and an asking price of $150 for a bottle of pinot noir. Have people bought into the “Oregon has the same climate as Burgundy” argument this much? Or is it a lingering effect from “Sideways” that people are willing to pay that much for a bottle of pinot noir? The winery claimed that it was designed to be cellared for a minimum of 5-6 years. They’re probably right, but I don’t have that type of patience. It was exceptionally dark and tannic, and it could certainly use some time to open up and mellow out. If you’re a pinot drinker (I’m typically not), all of the delicate flavors you look for were overwhelmed by the tannins. Their $85 pinot was, in my opinion, a better option, though still sky-high in price.

In my book, if you’re charging more than $50 for your wine, it has to deliver a life-altering experience.  Right now, I have one wine that I’d say accomplishes that, and it cost less than $50. On this trip, I think almost everything we bought was over $50. It felt like Napa or Sonoma.

A couple of things about the Willamette Valley hadn’t changed. The really established wineries aren’t open to the public other than by appointment. Last time around, we were really excited to visit Sineann, which produces an incredible old vine zinfandel (if you don’t mind bombastic fruit and an almost syrupy consistency). This time, we were going to try to visit Dusky Goose, which allegedly produces the best pinot noir in Oregon. No dice!

The other thing that hasn’t changed is the single-minded focus on pinot noir. That’s no surprise — the Willamette Valley gets a lot of rain and cool weather, so it’s not like anyone’s going to start growing cab sauv there anytime soon. Still, by the time we’d hit Penner Ashe, I was done. We’d had plans to visit Willakenzie, but by that point, I was burned out on pinot noir for the day.