10 Outstanding Pinot Noirs From £ 10-50 Using fruit from a prized vineyard that was bought by the Jackson Family in 2013, Gran Moraine was born in 2014. Made by brilliant winemaker Eugenia Keegan – partner of Oregon pioneer David Adelsheim – this is a stunning example of darkly coloured intense Pinot, with black cherry fruit, along with vanilla notes from new barriques. While lovely to drink now, it has the potential to develop even greater complexity over time.

Pinot Noir Masters 2019: Master Using fruit from a prized vineyard that was bought by the Jackson Family in 2013, Gran Moraine was born in 2014. Made by brilliant winemaker Eugenia Keegan – partner of Oregon pioneer David Adelsheim – this is a stunning example of darkly coloured intense Pinot, with black cherry fruit, along with vanilla notes from new barriques. While lovely to drink now, it has the potential to develop even greater complexity over time.

Wine Press: 10 Wines Worth Splurging On This Holiday Season After spending the last paragraph extolling the virtues of blended red wines, I sure didn't waste much time contradicting myself. This single-grape, red wine illustrates everything I love about Pinot Noirs from Oregon. This wine has a rich, earthy finish bursting with fruit flavors yet still manages to be very dry. No wonder so many winemakers from France's Burgundy region (the Holy Land for Pinot Noir worshipers) have been snatching up land here and growing Pinot Noir grapes in the Willamette Valley. Truly a great, delicious wine which should developed and blossom with age.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four We began the Gran Moraine tasting with the 2015 Yamhill-Carlton pinot noir, which is always one of the best pinots at its price. It’s an AVA blend and, as one would expect based on previous vintages and Shane’s style, it had bright acid, delicate florals, spice box, mounds of red fruit and a depth that slowly sneaks up to you;. It’s a wine that, by the time you’ve had a class, you realize you’re deeper into the wine they you expected or knew. For $45 it’s a hard to beat pinot noir.

Why It's Time To Try Oregon Pinot Noir Now This wine is named for the epic floods of the last ice age---floods that dominated the northern Willamette Valley and whose earthly remnants are the very terroir that inspire so many Oregon wines. The 2015 shows bright, almost sweet notes of bing cherry and pomegranate. Very juicy and silky on the palate.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four We then moved on to the 2014 Estate Reserve. Though not as warm as the 2012 growing season, it was warmer than 2013, and the wine bore that out. A bit sweeter, rounder and plusher on the palate than its most immediate younger sibling, the structure was more robust with seriously dense tannin, which is hiding the flavors a bit at this stage. I imagine that within two to three years it will begin to show itself well, and improve over the following five to ten.

Wine of incredible quality in a breathtaking setting Aromas of cranberry, cassis, and pine with flavors of pomegranate, huckleberry, sandalwood and milk chocolate.

The wine showed a light-medium ruby color. Cherry, raspberry, cranberry, strawberry, mossy earth and oak all arrived on the nose. Cherry, raspberry, cranberry, rhubarb, loamy earth, strawberry and oak on a palate teeming with red berry fruit. The wine exhibited good structure and length, along with soft tannins. This wine would do well with a piece of grilled salmon or alongside a hearty dish of Coq Au Vin.

Wine options that are a true work of art This has so much bright fruit. It’s a perfectly fresh red wine for spring. Delicious. Yes, it does have some of the more typical savory notes that make pinot noirs stand out (mushrooms and spice); however, I was really struck by the cherry, cranberry and even some citrus zest in it. Its flavors were all over the palate, making me want to linger with it while at the same time impatient for another sip.

Similarly, Jackson Family Wines’ Gran Moraine Pinot Noir from the Yamill-Cerlton AVA in Willamette Valley was awarded a Gold medal, proving the prowess of Oregon Pinot, although both wines are in the higher price bracket of HK$400-HK$799. Gold medal.

Asian Pinot Noir Masters: Gold

Soft, juicy, elegant and fruity with tart aromas and flavours of cranberry, pomegranate and cherry. A touch of leather, earth and dried herbs. Very soft tannins and a juicy finish. Think tuna tartare, fried oysters and baked salmon.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The next wine Shane poured was a real treat, the 2013 Estate Reserve. It was funky in all the right ways and slightly delicate. Mushroom, dirt, cranberry, huckleberry, Acai and bitter flower petals made for a very intriguing and interesting wine. We talked briefly about the 2013 vintage, which followed the highly touted 2012. Shane and I agreed that we preferred the 2013s, which show more finesse and elegance compared to the bigger 2012s. The 2013 Estate Reserve is a good example of this dichotomy between vintages. Shane said that the 2012s were already as good as they would get, whereas the 2013 has many years left to improve. I don’t normally reveal whether I buy any wines from a visit to take home, but I’ll mention that we stuffed one of these into our carry-on and are anxiously awaiting 2023 to open it.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The second chardonnay was the 2015 Dropstone, of which only 50 cases was produced. It’s a single block effort, and has wonderful notes of salty caramel, green apple and lemon curd. The acid forms the foundation of a gorgeous and engaging texture that is smooth in the middle ringed by slightly twitchy edges. I didn’t have much time to spend with this one, but I wish I had because I got the feeling it had a lot to offer after a nice decant.

The Best Wines to Serve on Easter Chardonnay is always a crowdpleaser, and this bottling from Oregon—aged for 16 months in French oak from Burgundy—offers a versatile palette of melon and peach with a hint of salinity on the finish that makes it a fine pairing for all of your Easter table favorites.

The Perfect Christmas Wines For The Holiday Season Think creamy, peach yoghurt, vanilla brioche and floral notes of daffodil. On the palate, enjoy a creamy, rounded texture with flavours of fresh melon, lemon curd tart and peach crumble. A mouth-wateringly good combination of both oak and acidity create an incredible balanced and seriously good wine!

Chardonnay's New Day Sleek but structured, with a light, bright mouthfeel and summery hints of stone fruit.

Wines of the Week The prestigious Gran Moraine Vineyard – five miles west of Carlton, Oregon - was planted in 2005 to several different Dijon clones of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. This wine is a fantastic testament to the potential of Oregon Chardonnay, offering aromas of stone fruits, tropical citrus and brioche followed by rich flavors of pear and apricot with mineral and crisp acidity on the finish.

15 Awesome Summer Wines Lovely baked bread, baked apple, ripe pear, lemon curd, and spice. Super savory. Get a good amount of the oak, but it’s well integrated and not distracting. Has a great lighter style body, yet boldly flavored and fresh in the mouth. Loved this one.

Chardonnay Masters 2017: Gold

A leaner, dry, slightly austere style featuring citrus and green apple fruits. Nicely integrated acidity and the slightest oak input.

Floral and lemony, with rippling acidity. Two stars.

Matured for 16 months in French oak barrels and stainless-steel tanks. Hint of matchstick. Racy and fresh. Good grip. But not intense! 16/20.

A warm vintage made for an early September harvest at Gran Moraine Vineyard, a 210-acre site in the foothills west of Carlton, Ore., that’s well into its second decade of life in the Willamette Valley. This Jackson Family Wines project features a selection of Dijon clones and a 16-month barrel program. A small percentage of those barrels were new, and that sets up the theme of toasted almond, lemon and Bosc pear, making for a vibrant structure that picks up minerality along the way to a finish of toffee, pistachio and caramel Granny Smith apple.

Obsession in the Willamette Valley, Part Four The 2015 Yamhill-Carlton chardonnay remains a close friend of mine. At $45 it is by no means inexpensive, but it over-delivers and is my standard for domestic chardonnay at and around the price. I reviewed this wine in 2018 for an Oregon extravaganza piece, and gave it 93 points with an “A” value rating. I didn’t pick up on it at the time, but at the winery the nose was like a freshly opened box of Cheerios. There is also sweet oak, dried mango, honeysuckle, vanilla custard and a smidge of Earl Grey tea. It’s a plush medium weight on the palate with a bit of a glycerin sensation that I just love. The barrel’s influence is restrained but present in the structure and flavors as well as the nose; it’s managed just right for this profile. There’s oak vanillin, Meyer lemon, sweet cream, Thai basil, persimmon and dried apricot.