2009 Tyee Estate Pinot Noir

I’m a big fan of Oregon pinot noir and I enjoy the wines from a lot of different OR wineries.  There are many, many excellent pinots from OR, at a range of price points and styles.  However, I recently tried a new OR pinot for the first time and, I must say, came away unimpressed.  The 2009 Tyee Estate Pinot Noir ($25/btl) was a disappointment.  This wine is very light-bodied with a thin, almost transparent color.  It had pleasant aromas of dusty earth and cherries, which showed promise while in the glass.  But the wine had a tart, too-acidic quality that failed to match the inviting aromas, plus there’s a bit of an herbal/vegetable quality that I found a bit off.  Tried it again the next day with similar impressions.  To me, this wine also doesn’t show the depth or complexity that would indicate it’s going to improve over time.  While this is not a bad wine, per se, and some may find this ultra-light texture and herbal quality appealing, for me there are just too many other brilliant Oregon pinots – even at this relatively modest price point – to waste time and money on this particular one. 

2012 Charles & Charles Rose

I usually try a number of different roses in the spring and summer, always on the lookout for a particularly good one.  When well-made, roses can be an excellent value because they tend to be relatively low priced and are terrific wines for summer entertaining because of their food-friendliness and versatility – satisfying both those who appreciate well-made wines as well as the white zinfandel drinker.  So, I’m particularly excited by a wonderful rose example I’ve found from Washington state – the 2012 Charles & Charles Rose Columbia Valley  (from highly-regarded winemaker Charles Smith).  This rose of Syrah is nicely balanced with loads of mouth-watering fruit kept in check by lively acidity.  With aromas of strawberry and perhaps a hint of ripe pear, this rose is delicious, crisp and vibrant.  Great with food or by itself (well-chilled).  It runs about $12/bottle, which is a terrific price for a rose this well made.