Vines eight to 12 years old and mainly on clay loam. Aged in 'neutral French oak' for 18 months. Very deep purple. On the nose you wouldn't be surprised to be told this wine came from the Napa Valley with full black cherry ripeness. But on the palate there is real minerally edge and freshness. (The back label and part of the tech spec mentions Carmenère but not the main assemblage information.) It certainly tastes as though there could be some Carmenère in there but there is nothing aggressively green. Lots to chew on on the finish but nothing drying about it. A bordeaux blend with real character.

My red pear salad with red lettuce, bleu cheese, dried cranberries, candied walnuts, and pomegranate in balsamic vinaigrette arrived as the Alcance Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 was poured. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon comes from their El Principal Vineyard in the Maipo Valle. This wine exhibited classic Cabernet aromas and flavors and was definitely ready to drink now. The gentleman across the table from me had ordered the red corn chicken enchiladas, a Backstreet Cafe favorite, which comes with corn pudding and green beans, which he was kind enough to share with me as he was enjoying it so much with the wine.

The Chilean Wine Revolution Expands A blend of fruit from San Francisco Vineyard and El Principal Vineyard; rich dark fruit, baking spice, dried savory herbs and roses, cassis, and leather; full-bodied, round and velvety, long ripe finish.

2015 Alcance Gran Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon – 100% percent Cabernet Sauvignon with notes of rose petal, chocolate, black currant and graphite.

This rich and elegant Chardonnay is grown on granitic soils in a coastal mountain vineyard in the Valle de Itata. Despite my multiple wine classes, this was a growing area with which I was not familiar. This vineyard is located between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean about 12 miles from the coast which as Sánchez pointed out adds a nice sea influence to the wine. The Chardonnay was pleasantly fresh with light citrus notes and a touch of butterscotch with a distinct saline mineralty throughout the slightly creamy finish.

Apple and tropical fruit, butterscotch, hint of coconut and vanilla. Good plus.

The Chilean Wine Revolution Expands Notes of citrus, tropical fruit, vein of minerality; crème brulee on the palate, lean with focused acidity, food-friendly.

2015 Alcance Gran Reserva Chardonnay – great minerality with tropical fruit, lemon, almonds, butterscotch and a nice nuttiness. This was a delicious Chardonnay.

What To Drink Now: White Wines Under $25 Though best known for red wines, Chile’s Alcance ($20, wine.com) began producing Chardonnay in 2015 highlighting the diversity of the rocky, granite-filled soils creating character-driven wine.

Great Wines for your Summer Party

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four Then came the 2015 Block 6, which at this stage was all about the fruit, which was very purple and juicy (meaning great acid), and the tannins, which were nice and long and smooth. Undertones of spice box and tobacco developed with air. The level of structural development this early into the wine is what impressed most.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The first 2015 was a special treat: a new wine called Vista, which will be sent exclusively to Europe. My first note from tasting it was, “God that’s good, I hope Europe knows how lucky they are.” We’re missing out here in America. My second note: “In a year or two this will be truly spectacular.” The structure is near-perfect harmony while starbursts in the mouth between red and black fruit, dirty soil and graphite make for an exciting wine. It is a better match for the European palate than ours in America, so it makes sense why it’s headed there.

2018’s Most Memorable Wines – and Moment Vineyard of the Year Zena Crown Vineyard in the Eola-Amity AVA in Oregon has consistently produced some of Oregon’s most impressive wine for the Good Vitis palate. The 115 acre vineyard, planted in the early 2000s, was more recently purchased by Jackson Family Wines who created a winery, called Zena Crown, to showcase its qualities. Additionally, some fruit from the vineyard is sold to several notable wineries, including Beaux Frères and Soter, not to mention the wineries listed below. The vineyard is planted on a southwest-facing slope of volcanic soil that begins at 300 feet of elevation and tops out at 650 feet. It is divided into 17 blocks, each of which has a unique combination of gradient, aspect, soil depths. Vines include a variety of pinot noir clones. All told, the vineyard is quite capable in producing a diversity of pinot noir wine. In 2018, we were lucky enough to try a variety of wines made from Zena Crown Vineyard’s goods, including some tasted in the region. Not all were scored, but several were written about on Good Vitis, including: 2015 Zena Crown Slope – The youthful nose is still growing into itself, though it promises to be a thing of beauty. Detecting ripe cherry, raspberry, plum and multiple florals. The texture on this one is stunning; talk about velvety tannins, there’s no end to them or their silkiness. The acid is on-point as well. Simply stunning. The flavors will require a bit more time to match the texture, but they don’t disappoint at this stage with sweet plum sauce, dark cherries, chocolate mousse, graphite, cinnamon, nutmeg and just a hint of green onion spice. Not for the faint of heart, and worthy of ten years in the cellar. 94 points, value B.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The final Zena Crown offering was the 2015 Slope, which stood out as the funkiest pinot in the house. The tannin structure is elegant, and it delivers immediate dark and slightly sweet cherry and plum to go with a variety of savory, salty and gamey notes. A lover of earthy wines would find a kindred spirit with the Slope. This is routinely my favorite Zena Crown wine.

Hard to find Zena Crown pinot noirs are worth the effort This is one of the more serious pinot noirs we tasted in this flight. Firm tannins with blueberry and cranberry flavors, earthy and well structured.

Pinot Noir an ideal red wine for Thanksgiving When Jackson Family Wines acquired one of the North Willamette Valley’s gems in 2013, it signaled the California giant’s first land purchase beyond the Golden State. It’s no coincidence that trailblazing winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash pulled from Zena Crown for some of her top Pinot Noirs. (Jackson Family Wines bought Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 2016). The Sum is one of four examples of Pinot Noir that JFW winemaker Shane Moore produces in McMinnville under the Zena Crown brand. Baking spice from the 18 months in 59 percent new barrels melds with cherries and a bit of raspberry in the aromas. Dark cherry and a bit of pomegranate lead its flavors. It finishes with spot-on acidity that extends its depth of fruit.

When Jackson Family Wines acquired one of the North Willamette Valley’s gems in 2013, it signaled the California giant’s first land purchased beyond the Golden State. It’s no coincidence that trailblazing winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash pulled from Zena Crown for some of her top Pinot Noirs. (Jackson Family Wines bought Penner-Ash Wine Cellars in 2016). The Sum is one of four examples of Pinot Noir that JFW winemaker Shane Moore produces in McMinnville under the Zena Crown brand, and he finished harvest of these clone 4 and clone 777 berries on Sept. 29. Baking spice from the 18 months in 59% new barrels melds with cherries and a bit of raspberry in the aromas. Dark cherry and a bit of pomegranate lead its flavors. It finishes with sport-on acidity that extends its depth of fruit. Earlier this month, some of the region’s top wine buyers selected The Sum as the best Pinot Noir at the sixth annual Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition. Outstanding.

2018 Great Northwest Invitational Wine Competition Best Pinot Noir Zena Crown Vineyard, a site and brand owned by Jackson Family Wines, earned best of class for its 2015 Σ The Sum Pinot Noir, a wine from the rising Eola-Amity Hills crafted by Shane Moore, an Idaho native who graduated from Washington State University.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The penultimate pinot was the 2015 Sum. This is done with 50% whole cluster and takes a lot of inspiration from Cristom Vineyards’ approach, a Willamette winery that Shane admires. It is the fullest bodied, darkest, sweetest and most concentrated of the label’s wines. Cherry, raspberry, blackberry, cola and baking spices are in generous supply. Most intriguing, the acid has a slight juniper berry twang. Because of its significant weight, it’s not an everyday wine for our household, but for the occasions where we’d want a bigger wine, this would be a fascinating choice.

Hard to find Zena Crown pinot noirs are worth the effort Multiple blocks of grapes are used to create a black cherry, blackberry profile.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The 2015 Conifer was up next. This is Zena Crown’s summer themed wine. Slightly sappy and lighter in tannin than the others, it has elevated acid that delivers ripe fruit, light and sweet tobacco, and a nice depth of mineral tones. I’d compare this to Volnay in style. It seems the most ready to go of the vintage.

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Auction 2019 Vibrant acidity, corduroy-textured tannins, some fresh red rose aromas, black fruit, long length of finish.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The first we tasted was the 2014 Slope, which Shane called a “fireplace wine.” Its luxurious sensation is built around long, lush tannins and substantive weight. The flavors and aromas touch on deep cherry, cola, violets and bitter chocolate mousse at this stage, though the upside here with another five-plus years of aging is substantial.

The Wines of Oregon and Washington are Poised for Greatness on the World The Zena Crown Vineyard “Slope” Pinot Noir 2014 (SRP $100) is a subtly powerful wine whose impeccably balanced notes of cherry, flowers, licorice, plums, and Indian spices should continue to evolve for another two decades, minimum.

We started with the 2014 Zena Crown Conifer Pinot Noir from Oregon. It presented unlike most California pinots, with a bright bouquet and a powerful finesse, but not a strong berry flavor. Not a fruit bomb – more European in style. At $75/bottle, one to consider but I recommend you taste it first if possible.