Wine Reviews

This Pinot from winemaker Piper Underbrink, grown on Sealionne’s Ribbon Ridge estate vineyard, is blended from individual fermentations at different levels of stem inclusion. Aged separately in French oak then blended together, it’s got super-ripe baked cherry and strawberry on the nose, with leather, baking spice, and anise. Ultra-fine and supple texture, with a nice floral note accompanying black cherry, strawberry, toast, and spice. Tightly knit tannins fade over a smooth finish. A wonderful wine, drink it over the next 8 years.

From winemaker Robin Howell, this Pinot Noir hails from Sokol Blosser’s bowl-shaped Kalita vineyard, in the middle of the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Scorched earth jumps out on the nose, competing with the red berry, black cherry, cooked red fruit, and dried-flower notes. Interesting cooked melon flavors underlie the red fruit, all carried on stiff tannins. Fascinating wine, it will be interesting to see where it ends up after the tannins soften and the reductive notes mellow out. Drink now through 2037.

For this Pinot grown on Soléna Estate’s home vineyard, Domaine Danielle Laurent in Yamhill-Carlton, winemaker Laurent Montalieu selected three different blocks, commencing harvest on September 30. The wine has a super-pure nose of black cherry and strawberry, touched with violet and rose. On the palate, it’s got a supple texture, showing tons of baked strawberry and cherry. Nice, ultra-fine tannins carry a mouthwatering finish.

A special Willamette Valley Wine Auction lot from the 2024 vintage. Francophilia Chardonnay is a 50/50 collaboration between Laurent Montalieu of Soléna Estate and Bruno Corneaux of Domaine Divio. Chardonnay grape sources include Domaine Danielle Laurent Vineyard and Clos Gallia Vineyard. Grapes were harvested October 15, 2024. Intense citrus notes, lemon curd, vanilla, and a nice reductive note. Medium-lean body, with pineapple, lemon curd, white pepper, and a super-vibrant finish that hints at a nice 15-year life in the cellar. Bravo, Solena and team.

From winemaker Tim Jones, this Pommard-clone Pinot Noir hails from Willakenzie soils in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. It’s got powerful aromas, beautifully integrated notes of strawberry and raspberry with faint leather and baking spice. Excellent palate entry, with a mélange of red berries, rose petals, and spiced notes carried on super-fine yet firm tannins. This is an exceptional wine. Drink now through 2040.

Harvested in October of 2015, this wine from three blocks of Chardonnay at Trisaetum’s Ribbon Ridge estate spent a whopping 10 years on the lees. Disgorged in summer of 2025, it shows nice oxidized notes, with nutty almond, cellar wood, crème caramel, and day-old sliced lemon (that’s not a bad thing). Persistent bubbles rise in the glass. On the palate, lots of baked apple, cinnamon, and vanilla. Nice balance between the gentle oxidative notes and the vibrancy that you get in a no-dosage bubbly.

Grown organically and regeneratively on Vitae Springs’ Jory soils, this Pinot from Alexis Harrington and Randy Freund is a barrel selection that was chosen blind—they pulled from what they describe as their most expressive and textural barrels. It’s got a demure nose of baked strawberry, faint red fruit, and spice. The volume turns up a bit on the palate entry, with generous red fruits and spice, round texture, and a very grippy finish. Drink now to 2035.

This Pommard and 115 Pinot from winemakers Greg Urmini and Michael Pasquarelli comes from old-vine, high-elevation vineyards and reflects what they call their “refined whole-cluster fermentation technique.” It’s got a restrained color in the glass, with red-fruit aromas accented by vegetal characteristics: sliced tomato and tomato leaf. The palate is awash in strawberry candy, with absolutely gorgeous fruit purity. A fine mesh of tannins makes itself known on the finish, but keeps beautiful grace. This is a really nice wine, the tannin and acid combo should carry it for a decade plus in the cellar.