Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Three We tasted eight wines, and I’m going to focus on four… The 2016 Élevée Vineyard pinot noir from the Dundee Hills offers a powerful level of prettiness. Coming from an area in the Willamette Valley that Lynn calls the “banana belt,” there is substantial depth of red fruit, especially Acai and pomegranate, to go with tobacco and violets. The tannins are very fine. Lynn dials back the extraction on fruit from this vineyard in order to prevent too much bitterness from the seeds getting into the wine, and uses extended cold soaks in draw out longer, smoother tannins to ensure the winery’s signature richness. It works quite well.

The wines of the Willamette Valley Location, location, location is important in Oregon, and the Zena Crown Vineyard in the Eola-Amity appellation has it in spades. Lynn Penner-Ash has been lucky enough to take some of the best grapes from this vineyard — blessed with both a consistently cool climate and well-drained volcanic soil — for her 2015 Penner-Ash Zena Crown Pinot Noir. The pretty bouquet sports scents of red cherry and bright red berry. Flavors of cherry, baking spices and clove feel silky smooth in the mouth. A hint of cocoa on the back of the palate really adds a delightful note to the beautiful, lush finish.

Zena-Crown Vineyard always produces stellar fruit, and this wine really showcases what this vineyard can produce. It's captivating and masculine, with black current, vanilla and boysenberry notes that integrate with cedar undertones. Lovely.

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 Penner Ash Zena Crown vineyard pinot noir – Using fruit from [Lynn Penner-Ash’s] exclusive contract on block 8 of the esteemed Zena Crown vineyard, it’s a downright impressive and captivating wine: meaty on the nose, juicy on the palate and fun and serious at the same time. The diversity of flavors and aromas include graphite, salt and pepper, iron, baking spice, mint and a cornucopia of red and black fruit that are silky in their sweetness. It has a decadence to it, however the retained acid prevents it from actually becoming sappy or heavy. What a wine. Unscored, but worthy of mid-90s.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Three We tasted eight wines, and I’m going to focus on four… Finally, the show stopper for me: the 2015 Zena Crown pinot noir. Using fruit from her exclusive contract on block 8 of the esteemed Zena Crown vineyard, it’s a downright impressive and captivating wine: meaty on the nose, juicy on the palate and fun and serious at the same time. The diversity of flavors and aromas include graphite, salt and pepper, iron, baking spice, mint and a cornucopia of red and black fruit that are silky in their sweetness. It has a decadence to it, however the retained acid prevents it from actually becoming sappy or heavy. What a wine.

The Penner-Ash Zena Crown Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015, Eola-Amity Hills, reveals a large-framed, intense and concentrated wine animated by penetrating graphite minerality and vibrant acidity while unfolding lovely details of spiced and macerated black and red cherries and currants infused with pomegranate and cranberry, sandalwood and sassafras; as with its stablemates mentioned above, texture and structure are fused by the power of its slightly dusty, velvety tannins — it’s the most tannic of this trio — leading to a sleek finish packed with cedar and tobacco, flint and juicy black fruit. Excellent.

Wines of the Week Lynn Penner-Ash came to Oregon in 1988 to become winemaker at Rex Hill Winery in Newberg. A decade later, she and her husband founded their own winery, building their own facility in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in 2005. Look for aromas and flavors of candy cherry, plum and dried herbs with notes of earthy mineral – aeration helps round out the palate.

Our Favourite Pinot Noir for Turkey Folks all too often reach for a really oaky white or big bold red when delving into a Christmas meal, but we’ve found the perfect balance to get the most out of your Christmas feast. Pinot Noir is a really interesting grape variety - as there are countless expressions based on where it is produced. From France to Germany, New Zealand to Oregon and California to Canada (yep, there’s even PN in Canada!) - each glass is completely different. Today, our journey takes us to Oregon, where we believe we’ve found the perfect Pinot for that festive feast. Enjoy! This beauty of Oregon is considered one of the great Pinot examples from the area and luckily for us, we can now find it here in England. Spiced plum, chocolate and sweet red cherry jump out immediately, packing a punch of flavour with each sip. The slight hint of oak rounds out the palate in this rich, sumptuous and incredibly well made Pinot Noir. The wine finishes with freshly ground cocoa powder notes on the finish. It’s ripe, refined and full of flavour!

Savour a dozen hot new wines for the fall season Although this Oregon Pinot sits around the mid-$40 mark, if I were blind-tasting I’d venture it much pricier. Brambly forest-floor notes lift a host of pretty raspberries and blackberries to lofty heights, where they meet cardamom, bergamot, and nutmeg. Silky ,with well-integrated tannins, even at this fairly young age it’s really hitting its stride.

DIY Four-Course Dinner Paired with Oregon Pinot Noir Unless, of course, you’re a dessert person. In that case, I have something extra special in store for you! This Blackberry Galette. I love this dessert for so many reasons – Not only is it simple to make (read – it’ll take you about 10 minutes to assemble), but it’s amazingly delicious and a bit of a showstopper if I do say so myself. The ingredients are kept simple – just a bit of sugar, some lemon zest and those beautiful blackberries. And it’s those blackberries that make this recipe perfect for pairing with a berry-forward Pinot Noir like Penner-Ash’s 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir ($40). With aromas of dark berries, a smooth body and hint of vanilla it is absolute perfection when paired with this galette.

The Perfect Christmas Wines For The Holiday Season Spiced plum, chocolate and sweet red cherry jump out immediately from this wine, packing a punch of flavour with each sip. The slight hint of oak rounds out the palate in this rich, sumptuous and incredibly well-made Pinot Noir. The wine finishes with freshly ground cocoa powder notes on the finish. It’s ripe, refined and full of flavour.

This fall, Lynn and Ron Penner-Ash toasted the 20th harvest for their Penner-Ash Wine Cellars brand, which they sold in 2016 to Jackson Family Wines. Her touch with her flagship Pinot Noir may well have been what made the winery along Ribbon Ridge Road most attractive to the late Jess Jackson’s company. Zena Crown and Gran Moraine, two sites purchased by JFW in 2013, made significant contributions to Penner-Ash’s lot selection from 13 vineyards. She’s also been at the forefront of the movement among Oregon Pinot Noir producers to dial down the expression of oak, exemplified with her 10-month barrel program of 29% new French barrels. This beauty is loaded with dark purple fruit tones akin to elderberry and blueberry with plum, accented slightly by sweet barrel notes of cocoa powder, cinnamon and clove. And despite the record-warm vintage, this Pinot Noir is presented in a lighter structure with raspberry acidity and just a touch of tannin. Outstanding.

Why It's Time To Try Oregon Pinot Noir Now Classically styled Pinot from one of the region’s most respected producers. Pure, elegant and structurally perfect with lifted cherry over a breeze of violet and spice.

3 Delicious Penner-Ash Releases Worth Hunting Down Fruit from Shea vineyards never disappoints. This 2015 is vibrant with layers of pomegranate, cherry, and spice, finishing with a toasty undertone; nicely balanced with finely grained tannins and great acidity. I paired this with a wild mushroom risotto and duck confit--an audacious pairing that will never let you down! Excellent.

Penner-Ash masters warmer Oregon vintages The Penner-Ash Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 is a showcase of the vineyard, Penner-Ash’s touch as a winemaker and another shot at winemaking in a warmer than usual vintage, which lately, seems to be the norm… What’s remarkable about the work Penner-Ash did with the Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir 2015 was despite the warmth of the vintage, the wine was filled with nuanced flavors. It’s a red on the fuller side of medium-bodied and is super fresh with supple cherry and pomegranate flavors on a frame of tangy cigar wrapper and tobacco pipe.

Noteworthy Northwest Pinot There are few Willamette vineyards with as much character, or history, as Shea Vineyard. Penner-Ash Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir reveals the subtle nuances of the vineyard, with layers of black plum and earthy mushroom.

The color is dark ruby shading to a transparent magenta rim; it’s a pinot noir of blazing purity and intensity, featuring spiced and macerated black cherries, currants and plums permeated by cloves and ground cumin, hints of sandalwood and sassafras and a touch of pomegranate; the super-satiny texture drapes the tongue in a dense, almost chewy enfolding, though kept dynamic through elemental bright acidity; the wine becomes increasingly loamy and foresty through the intense and concentrated finish. 13.7 percent alcohol. One of the best pinot noirs I tasted this year. Exceptional.

50 Great Wines of 2017 Exceptional

Pine Wine: Oregon and its wine regions This wonderful, exceptionally well made wine features highly pleasing fruit but develops much more in the mouth and finishes with great beauty and length.

Harmonious and bold with layered spice, tobacco and dark chocolate notes. Intense and persistent finish with good acidity and refined tannins. A delightful beauty that pairs with so many great foods, from mushrooms to lamb, duck, and chicken.

Wines With Character For Mother's Day Rich fruit begins a compelling personality featuring beautifully soft but expressive tannins, excellent complexity, refined integration and a wonderfully powerful, prolonged finish. "Pas de Nom?" I'd name it "wonderful."

Favorite Oregon Pinot Noir Bottles from Jackson Family Wines This great wine came from a “bad” vintage, or so winemaker Lynn Penner-Ash thought. It has since become a favorite wine representing six different vineyards with its chocolate nose and hints of caramelized fruit. Their 2011 Estate Dussin Vineyard Pinot Noir was another one of our favorites. So well balanced, this wine plays with green peppercorn notes that translate to overall herbal and vegetal hints paired with fresh, tart berries. It’s a bit different and it is so good. While it is sold out on their site, you might be able to find it in restaurants in bottle shops. Also consider their 2016 Palmer Creek Vineyard Pinot Noir. It’s a vibrant, people-pleaser Pinot.

Lynn Penner-Ash’s stylishly “no name” Pinot Noir continues to stand out within the lexicon of Oregon Pinot Noir, and this latest expression stays true to its core three vineyards – Bella Vida (30%) in the Dundee Hills, historic Shea Vineyard (25%) and the estate vineyard (17%). There’s magnificence to the nose presented by 10 months in French oak, with 40% of those barrels new, offering hints of cocoa powder, cardamom, allspice and pencil shavings alongside Bing cherry and smoky plum. Enjoyable fine-grained tannins are ushered out by Marionberry juice. And thanks to the investment by Jackson Family Wines, production of Pas De Nom increased by 20 percent from the prior vintage. Outstanding.

Limpid medium ruby hue; black and red cherries and currants, notes of cranberry and cloves, sandalwood and sassafras; expressive and eloquent, generous, even dignified; large-framed, succulent and satiny; layers of forest and meadow elements, briers and brambles, wild flowers, hints of wild raspberry and blueberry; a vibrant and resonant pinot noir, both ethereal and consequential. Excellent.

Wine of the Week: Annual Thanksgiving Day wine pairings Cranberries are a staple at our house, and they usually have a touch of cinnamon and orange rind in the recipe, so I like to mimic those flavors in the wine as well. The 2015 Penner Ash Estate Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley of Oregon is a fantastic choice. This wine is a bold-styled pinot noir, with a vibrant nose teeming with scents of dried cherry and black tea. The fruit-forward flavors of cherry, red berry and red plum are on the brighter side and lead to a soft, round finish in which notes of orange cloves and cinnamon linger on the back of the tongue.