The Official Wine Thread

[erictheobscure]



Rascal Pinot Noir from Oregon. Amazing for $15.

Huh, wine-searcher lists a bunch of places that sell it for ten or eleven bucks. If you say it's a good deal at fifteen, I should try finding a bottle. I really like Willamette Valley PNs but wasn't aware of a decent cheap-o version. Although I don't know which vintage you tried, and cellartracker has some terrible reviews of the 2010 (nowhere near the 91 mendoza line that's cited frequently here).

 

[Piobaire]



S
some of the best wines I've had are Oregon Pints... That observe a more old world/burgundy approach.

Agreed. I cannot remember the last time I had a hot Oregon Pinot. Arav, search this thread for Oregon Pinots.

 

[aravenel]

Will do, I'm always happy to try pinots, though clearly I prefer Burgundian flavor profiles.

 

[Piobaire]



Will do, I'm always happy to try pinots, though clearly I prefer Burgundian flavor profiles.

Try a Drouhin. Actual Burgundy folks making Oregon wine. Domaine Serene, Bethel Heights, Ken Wright, Penner-Ash, and Argyle might be worth a look too.

 

[aravenel]

I actually had no idea Drouhin was making Oregonian wine, will definitely have to give that a try. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Cary Grant]

Also JK Carriere, the single vineyards and Tendril which is made by the guy that used to make Domaine Serene.

 

[Piobaire]

Just for Gomie:

 

[Cary Grant]



Just for Gomie:

Great year and should be very good right now.

 

[AmericanGent]

Try a Drouhin. Actual Burgundy folks making Oregon wine. Domaine Serene, Bethel Heights, Ken Wright, Penner-Ash, and Argyle might be worth a look too.

+1 on the Ken Wright and Argyle

For some good wines that are inexpensive (not exactly cheap-o) you might also try:
Erath - decent wine in the $16 range
Firesteed is nice and maybe around $18

Owen Roe makes a great range of wines. He has the entry level Sharecropper and mid-range Sinister Hand (bottle has a bloody gauntlet sketched)-
all very nice wine for a dinner at home, for guests I'd move up into his $30+ range.

Van Duzer is also a nice wine near the $30 range.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



I fell in love with the Willamette Valley while living in Seattle.  They have great wines that drink like a wine 3x their price. 

If you pronounce it wrong "william-ette"  they correct you with "it's Willamette, dammit". 

If I where going to bring a couple of bottles of US made wine to a friend in Europe, I would bring one of the WV pinots for sure!

I haven't had one that I didn't like yet. It seems like the Pacific Northwest is pretty solid. The Washington wines are getting expensive, but well worth it, imo.

It is funny I resorted to going to this one wine shop in my neighborhood that usually has a lot of duds, but it was the only thing open. I got a trusty cheapo bord and this insanely hot chick was sampling the Rascal. I didn't think much of it because I have seen her in there before with long lines of guys sniffing her farts. I figured it was just something they wanted to move. I took a taste and bought 4 bottles. I must have looked like one of those suckers.

 

[patrickBOOTH]



Huh, wine-searcher lists a bunch of places that sell it for ten or eleven bucks. If you say it's a good deal at fifteen, I should try finding a bottle. I really like Willamette Valley PNs but wasn't aware of a decent cheap-o version. Although I don't know which vintage you tried, and cellartracker has some terrible reviews of the 2010 (nowhere near the 91 mendoza line that's cited frequently here).

It is the 2011. I will snap a pic of the bottle tonight. Not gonna lie, probably going back to buy more tonight. Also, my neighborhood is notorious for overpriced bottles, just the real estate I guess.

 

[Cary Grant]

To each their own but I cannot imagine a 2 year old WV Pinot for that price that I would enjoy.

 

[Piobaire]



To each their own but I cannot imagine a 2 year old WV Pinot for that price that I would enjoy.

There was an OR Pinot for $18 a few years ago that was drinking way better than the price would indicate. It was Cardwell Hills. Then two things happened: it got on the map and then it changed either the wine maker or production method and suddenly was not nearly worth the $30 it now was. I hate when this happens.

 

[Cary Grant]

JK was never cheap, Their entry level is in the $30's, their single vineyards are all in the $90+ range.

 

[indesertum]

this was soooo ******* good. omg. i still think about it occasionally. i think it's only my third or fourth barolo and i dont have the wine experience as some of you guys, but this was the second best wine i've ever tasted after the aged pichon comtesse de lalande i got to try for a wine class.

so good and only 30 or 40 something. want to go back and get more i usually never buy the same thing twice (just because there's too much to try)