Jackson Family Wines invested in the Willamette Valley to create cool-climate Pinot Noir, and here's another delicious example from a warm vintage in the Pacific Northwest. Elizabeth Grant-Douglas collaborated with eight vineyards, primarily in the Yamhill-Carlton and Eola-Amity Hills growing regions for this deliciously balanced, fruit-forward Pinot Noir. Her reliance on only French oak, 23% of those being new barrels for nine months, shows pleasing integration with aromas of Bing cherry and cocoa with light toast, caramel and a whiff of charcuterie. It's loaded with high-toned red fruit flavors - cherry, raspberry and currants - that combine to stay ahead of the Craisin skin tannins and roasted coffee finish. Suggested pairings range from pepper-crusted prime rib, rosemary rack of lamb, sautéed salmon, lentil soup with fresh tarragon, curried mussels and Chicken Masala. Nearly 100 percent of this production came estate fruit, allowing Jackson Family Wines to increase production by nearly 40 percent from the 2013 vintage.

Now in its third vintage, the Oregon version of La Crema’s pinot noir program is a stunning wine. Generous aromas with fruit-forward, ripe plum and blackberry flavors and a soft texture. Incredibly delicious.

Oh, Canadians! The maple leaf flies proudly abroad, through these notable wines Elizabeth Grant-Douglas hails from St. Catharines and was one of the first to graduate from Brock University’s wine program. She brought those cool-climate skills to California’s premier Pinot- and Chardonnay-producer La Crema and has created this easy-drinking Pinot, loaded with cran-cherry and a touch of spice.

Those who haven’t visited the Russian River Valley in California’s Sonoma County, owe themselves a real treat for the majestic scenery and delicious wines. Winemaker Elizabeth Grant-Douglas used 70% whole berry fermentation followed by nine months aging in French oak. This elegant Pinot Noir is a real winner with salmon, offering complex cherry and plum with nuances of spice, cocoa, tobacco and a finish of vanilla and toasty oak.

Once again La Crema comes through with a delicious well-crafted pinot noir. Berry and plum nose and flavors with a nice spice element. Medium bodied and very quaffable especially slightly chilled in the summertime.

A consistently good pinot noir from year to year, La Crema offers a wine big in cherry and plum fruit with a hint of coffee. Well-made and balanced.

This is a sleek pinot noir with concentrated Bing cherry fruit, coupled with crisp acid. A hint of mineral and white pepper in the mix. It's a smart pick. A standout.

Our Wine of the Week, La Crema 2013 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir ($25), is a lovely choice for celebrating Earth Day, as it has a pleasingly loamy foundation, an earthiness punctuated by flavors of allspice, cocoa, licorice root and good black tea. Above this foundation is a bright melody of acid, citrus zest, Queen Anne cherry, Bing cherry and a flourish of pomegranate, characteristics that begin in the wine’s bouquet and resolve on the palate. The wine is on the darker side of pinot noir, with a rich concentration of flavors and a lush mouthfeel, qualities that have become increasingly popular over the last decade or two. It is more velvety than satiny, attributes that can be key to successful pairings.

Aromas of pie, cherry, cocoa and black tea mixed with pomegranate, plum and orange zest flavours make for a sumptuous wine from California's Sonoma Coast.

If you’ve ever wondered what effect climate has on wine look no further than the exquisite 2013 Pinot Noir from La Crema. Born from the glorious pastoral that is the Sonoma Coast, this wine truly earns the name La Crema (the best in Italian.) Now the other vintages of La Crema’s pinot noir are nothing to sneeze at however, the 2013 it quite exceptional. The cooler weather of the 2013 harvest season allowed for the grapes to stay on the vine much longer than they would normally which leads to a richer more layered wine. As if that were not enough to make an incredible wine, the people at La Crema use their hands-on, artisan techniques to craft all of their wines including hand pressing the grapes and aging in classic, French, oak barrels. The result of this is a pinot noir that distills the Sonoma Coast into one remarkable wine. As for the taste, it has a rich aroma of cherry, cocoa, and black tea with a seductively smooth pomegranate, plum and orange zest flavor creating a fantastic wine that lingers with you just like the region it hails from.

Always one of our favorite pinot noirs, the La Crema has another blockbuster. Reasonably priced for a pinot noir, it sports juicy plum and cherry flavors. Very lush texture.

Finally, enjoy the first foray into Oregon by California's Jackson Family Wines, under the moniker of its pinot noir and chardonnay specialist, La Crema. The 2013 Willamette Valley ($30) sports plum and cherry fruit compote in an easily enjoyable style with enticing oak and a lush texture.

This beauty is nuanced, and has great structure and true varietal character reflective of the Willamette Valley. In the words of the winemaker, it's graceful, balanced, deliberate and sincere. It has an earthy yet refined character - think rose petal, cherry, black tea and especially pomegranate. It was aged in 100 percent French barrels, 25 percent new. Its character is different from what you find in Sonoma's Russian River district or the cool areas of Monterey. It's more earthy, and for me the notes of pomegranate, cranberry and black tea define it.

The 2013 Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley is a blend of the variety from eight vineyards in the appellation including La Crema's estate properties in Yamhill-Carlton and Eola-Amity Hills. Aged for nine months in 100 percent French oak barrels, this Pinot brings aromas of violet, plum and wild strawberry for a sweeter scent to hit the senses. The first sip brings a sharp, sweet red stone fruit essence to the palate with lingering flavors of plum for a wine with lengthy tannins and a medium finish.

A tasty pinot with flavors of pomegranate, wild strawberry, herbs and spice. Lush texture. Bright acidity. Balanced. Lingering finish. The red, tangy fruit will pair well with the rich dishes on the Thanksgiving table.

Elizabeth Grant-Douglas follows up quite nicely on the debut 2012 vintage for this Jackson Family Wines brand, and this bottling from eight vineyards throughout the Willamette Valley ranks as one of the most significant for Pinot Noir in Oregon. The nose offers something for everyone with its array of dark cherry, dusty blueberry, dried strawberry and vanilla, backed by touches of brown sugar, saddle leather, coffee and pomegranate. On the palate, there are opulent flavors of black currant, plum and blueberry that lead to a chocolaty mouth feel. Its long finish of pomegranate and cherry picks up a pinch of fresh herbs that should pair nicely with Duck Confit.

Medium bodied with understated black cherry and mocha flavors. Well balanced.

This new venture in Oregon for La Crema is a study in terroir. Decidedly lighter end leaner than its California cousin, it offers a cherry cola nose and flavors with pleasant spicy notes, in a very food friendly style. Nice spicy finish.

Wines of the Week: Eight Bottles For Easter La Crema Monterey Pinot Noir 2013 blends dark cherry, plum and cedar wood flavours, with a distinctly smoky background and a lick of spice and even hints of mocha.

A pinot noir that turns heads. Slightly earthy with ripe cherry fruit and bright acidity. Well integrated, with a great concentration of fruit. Lovely.

This plethora of great wines includes our Wine of the Week, La Crema 2012 Los Carneros Pinot Noir ($40), which is both rich and playful, in a husky kind of way. The wine has broad appeal, both in the range of people who will enjoy it and in the variety of foods that will welcome it. You don't need to look very far for a flawless match. Flawless matches are everywhere. As the first hint of fragrance rises from the glass, I find myself thinking of my step-grandfather, whose simple kisses surrounded me in a halo of cherry tobacco. I also remember him sitting in his lounge chair, carefully cleaning his beloved pipe and packing in another bowlful of his favorite flavor. That's this wine, a combination of dark cherry and pipe tobacco, with new leather, a hint of licorice root, dark roasted coffee beans, toasted cloves, black plums and a fillip of milk chocolate, all rising from a lush, broad foundation that embraces the palate like expensive satin. At the table, the wine will work beautifully with just about any red meat, from delicate rack of lamb to robust venison stew. Mushrooms, bacon, roasted tomatoes, roasted parsnips and rich but not sharp cheeses will further any match.

A lovely, floral pinot noir with aromas and flavors of cherry, blueberry and tea. Layered flavors. Nice length.

The La Crema Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir 2012, $25, truly reflects the difference cool climate fruit makes — good acidity, brambly fruit flavors, a very Burgundian profile. It’s a celebration red if there ever was one. It has a deep garnet color, vibrant red cherry, cola, sweet spice aromas all seamlessly woven with the spice and smoke of toasted French oak.

Sourced from select vineyard sites in proximity to the Pacific Ocean. Clones 667, 777, 115, Pommard, 2A, Martini, Flowers, Calera, “828,” and 23. 100% de-stemmed, 3 to 4-day cold soak, fermented in small, open-top tanks, minimal post-fermentation maceration, aged in 26% new (98% French) oak barrels for 6 months. Racked only once for blending just before bottling. Moderately light reddish-purple color in the glass. Enticing aromas soar from the glass including cherries, berries, purple grapes and earthy flora. Very tasty juice with excellent depth and length offering an arsenal of flavors including dark red strawberries and cherries, cola and gregarious spice with a dusting of oak enhancing the experience. Nicely crafted, with supple tannins and a long, caressing finish. As good or better than many Pinot Noirs in the marketplace costing twice as much.