An outstanding winery out of Oregon, Trisaetum has gained national recognition for their Riesling wines. Co-founder, James Frey, was a former photographer from Santa Cruz who had a passion for wine. He is now a winemaker, business owner, and abstract expressionist artist. James has been making wine for the past 13 years since first planting a vineyard in his backyard. He is a hugely talented winemaker.
I was particularly impressed with the tension and minerality of their entire lineup. These wines are not to be missed as their Pinots were just as outstanding as their Riesling wines. Look for their 2016 Trisaetum ‘Coast Range Estate’ Riesling (WWB, 93) which is one of the best Rieslings in North America that I have reviewed in the past year. The brilliant tension is there in the wine. Just as outstanding was their 2015 Trisaetum ‘Ribbon Ridge Estate’ Chardonnay (WWB, 93) which was a simply gorgeous and deep Chardonnay wine that will cellar marvelously over the next decade. Learn more about this fantastic Willamette Valley winery at http://www.trisaetum.com Here are the great new release wines by Trisaetum.
2015 Trisaetum 'Ribbon Ridge Estate' Chardonnay- Needing a 30 minute decant to be fully aromatically present, this wine emerges with a strong bouquet of creme brulee, lemon rind, baking spices and suggestions of ginger. There is a silky texture and mouthfeel, as this excellent wine glides along the mid-palate. Kumquat, Mandarin orange, lemon blossom and heavy whipping cream with a touch of roasted banana showcase this great flavor range. Delicious now, this wine will also cellar marvelously for a decade. Drink 2017-2027- 93
2015 Trisaetum 'Willamette Valley' Chardonnay- This awesome new Chardonnay wine starts with a bright bouquet of nutmeg, golden delicious apple, and heavy whipping cream. The pallet shows nice finesse and intensity with flavors reminiscent of crème brûlée, banana, red delicious apple and wet rock that sit along some serious structure. This hot vintage Chardonnay is a delight to savor at this juncture. Drink 2017-2027- 92
2016 Trisaetum 'Wichmann Dundee Estate' Dry Riesling- This excellent Riesling wine begins with a bouquet of wet stone, petrol, white flowers and granny Smith Apple. The palate is lithe as this wine is currently displaying right flavors of kumquat, pink lady apple, green papaya and unripe pear. This is simply irresistible with a lovely tension. This is truly one of the best in its kind that I have sampled in Oregon in the past year. Drink 2017-2026- 93
2016 Trisaetum 'Ribbon Ridge Estate' Dry Riesling- White flowers, petrol, green apple and melon accents show off an excellent nose. There is a striking minerality to this wine. Orange Blossom, Granny Smith apple, papaya, and wet stone flavors set off this exotic and mineral driven Riesling wine. Drink 2017-2026- 92
2016 Trisaetum 'Coast Range Estate' Dry Riesling- The 2016 Trisaetum 'Coast Range Estate' Dry Riesling is another gorgeous wine from this estate and the talented hands of winemaker James Frey. This one begins with aromatics of patrol, white flowers, honeydew melon and green apple accents. The structure is absolutely lovely. Gravenstein apple, green papaya and crushed gravel flavors set this wine off. This has the structure to cellar for a decade or more. Drink 2017-2027- 93
2015 Trisaetum ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- Smoke, red cherry, lavender and red raspberry preserves fill up the bouquet. Forward, juicy and structured, this wine delivers persistent guava, red cherry, red raspberry and earthy flavors. This excellent Pinot Noir wine will cellar well into the next decade. Drink 2017-2027- 90
2015 Trisaetum ‘Coast Range Estate’ Pinot Noir- Sourced from the Trisaetum, 22 acre Coast Range Vineyard, this wine weighs in at 13.7% alcohol. The vineyard is set on volcanic and marine sedimentary soils. This translucent colored Pinot Noir wine opens with a bright bouquet of rose petals, smoke, sandalwood and red cherry starburst candy. The palate has wonderful structure, red fruit flavors and elegance. Guava, pomegranate seed, orange rind and red cherry flavors come to mind. This would be the perfect match for grilled salmon. Drink this delicious wine over the next decade. Drink 2017-2029- 92
2015 Trisaetum ‘Ribbon Ridge Estate’ Pinot Noir- Showing some brownish tones in the glass, this wine starts with peat moss, forest floor, red cherry and guava aromatics. There is a wonderful elegance to this wine, as well as a plush texture. Red fruit flavors show off their feminine side, while smoke and earthy tones play a smaller role. This has wonderful balance and poise in this warm vintage, as winemaker James Frey has created an outstanding Pinot Noir wine here. Drink 2017-2029- 93
2015 Trisaetum 'Wichmann Dundee Estate' Pinot Noir- This wine shows off gorgeous aromatics of black truffle oil, dried sage, cola and black cherry cough syrup. The mineral streak is just as impressive. Flavors of black cherry, wild blackberry pie and forest floor with wild mushroom impress. This is a long ager and a fantastic effort from this estate. The balance between fruit and structure makes this nearly impossible to resist right now. Drink 2017-2029- 93
2015 Trisaetum ‘Estates Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2015 ‘Estates Reserve’ Pinot Noir by Trisaetum is a combination of the most prized barrels from their estate vineyards and is another outstanding wine made by the talented hands of James Frey. Smoky and dark fruit tones fill the nose, as do peat moss, Shitake mushroom and forest floor elements. The texture to this wine is really stunning. Wild blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry liquor and forest floor flavors come to mind. This is another outstanding release from this great winery. Drink 2017-2029- 93