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+--- Thread: 2001 EIEIO Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (/thread-6759.html)
- dananne - 09-24-2007
Jay MacDonald (get it, EIEIO?) is Willamette's answer to the Burgundy negotiant, and he crafts a fine range of PN, both stellar single vineyard stuff and broader blends. We enjoyed his wines on both our '05 and '06 visits. Oddly, we bought this '01 both times, once for $36 and once for $45. Didn't realize the price difference until we were home and logging the wines into the cellar. This one cost $36, but I don't know which year we bought it.
This wine was fantastic. It had a deep reddish-purple color, with a nose of black cherry, pine needles, cinnamon, and clove. The light body and texture were textbook, like liquid satin. Very stylish. Flavors were both subtle and complex, and it had some light and polished tannins to provide some structure, while still keeping the light and ethereal body. Finished long and with the red spices showing. Really happy with it, and we eagerly look forward to the other one. It's at the top of it's game, though it should stay on this plateau for another year or two. Possibly controversially, I'd suggest that this makes a rather strong argument for blending in Oregon, which goes against the grain right now. Granted, we've had some wonderful juice from single vineyards in Oregon, some of the best PN that we've ever had, but I think too often that people there eschew blends in favor of single vineyard wines, even if there is a subsequent decline in quality. I suppose it justifies the rising price tags, which is harder to do with a general blend. No alc. given on the label, but it was certainly well integrated and not noticeable.
- wondersofwine - 09-25-2007
Great notes Dan! Coincidentally, at our Fayetteville Wine Society meeting last night the topic was blended wines and the reason many winemakers blend (looking more at blending two or more varieties rather than two or more vineyards.) We had an Australian sample of a white Bordeaux blend, an Argentinian sample of a red Bordeaux blend, etc. I didn't take very good notes as I was involved in conversation with another but may post my sketcy notes sometime this week. The sommelier, Kristine, made the point that some people say single vineyard, single variety wines are better quality, but the Old World has been making excellent blended wines for generations.
- dananne - 09-25-2007
Thanks, Jane, and I'll be looking forward to any notes about your evening, sketchy as they may be! It'd be interesting to get additional opinions on the subject of blends versus single vineyard wines. In Oregon, many have somewhat staked their PN reputation on the quality of juice from a handful of vineyards from all of the tiny sub-appellations, but sometimes I'll drink a great Willamette blend and I'll wonder why few continue to do it. It would seem to be a logical way to put out a consistent product, both in quality and style, given the vagaries of vintage, microclimates, soil types, clonal selections, etc.
BTW, on a completely different topic, I'm attending Wine South this weekend, and I'll also be at the more intimate and private pre-event on Friday night. With Anne gone in Milwaukee on a trial for the next TWO MONTHS, I'll have little else to do than post a complete report afterwards [img]http://wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img]
- dananne - 07-26-2008
Well, we finally got around to the other one of this bottling, our last of the EIEIO '01. It was a celebration for us, and it was selected on purpose. Anne and I have contracted on a 25 acre farm with a pretty 1880s farmhouse outside the central MO town of Fayette, about 30 minutes NW of Columbia. The property features mostly rolling pastureland, a small bit of timber, several ponds, a creek, and a workshop/barn. We'll spend the next couple of years fixing it up and using it as a vacation house/2nd home, and we'll eventually retire to it in a few years time. We're really excited about it. It means Anne will finally be able to get her goats, and I'll finally be able to sink a few rows of Norton vines into the ground.
Anyway, about the wine . . . The notes above stand, for the most part. If anything, it tasted more of earth and minerals, with the same core of cherry and spice, delivered with that silky texture. Nice stuff, and a nice way to enjoy our farm-y news!
- winoweenie - 07-26-2008
Am very familiar with that part of the country having granulated from the U of Mo in %^#@. Very pretty area and know youse guys will love it. That varietal you're talking about, isn't that the one perfected by Ed? WW [img]http://wines.com/ubb/wink.gif[/img]
- VouvrayHead - 07-26-2008
Cheers to that!
My wife hails from Glasgow, Mo, which must be right darn near where you'll be...
We may have to drop in on you if you get that Norton planted (or if you don't) and talk wine, celiac's, and the education racket.
That's such a beautiful area... Good luck!
- dananne - 07-26-2008
We're going to be just outside of Fayette off Hwy 5, so we're just 10 minutes or so from Glasgow. We spent enough time there last week that Anne already hates that bridge over the river. We had to go back and forth over that, because the other farm we were looking at was in Slater, in Saline County. But, we're absolutely thrilled to have found our place in Fayette. Howard County is beautiful, our spread is fantastic, and we had already talked about having you up for a visit over some great wines and a gluten-free meal [img]http://wines.com/ubb/smile.gif[/img] I'll let you know when we're going to be up there and when we've gotten the place ready for a visit. Having been fortunate to meet several folks on the board, I know it's always nice to put faces with names, and everyone we've met from on here have been wonderful people.
BTW, here's a virtual tour of our place, if you're interested in seeing it:
http://www.visualtour.com/shownp.asp?T=1609429
- VouvrayHead - 07-27-2008
That's terrific. My wife says: "If you were deciding between Slater and Fayette, you made the right choice. Fayette is much nicer."
Also, the Glasgow bridge (if that's the one you're talking about) is getting totally redone next year. It'll be a ferry for a while, then it will be, theoretically, passable!
It's a great looking place.
When you're coming through St.L, let us know if you want a homecooked, vegan, gluten-free meal with some good wine... if you don't mind small, obnoxious dogs (we have two).
My e-mail is up-to-date.