Years ago a change was needed at Panther Creek. Tony Rynders got the call to take over their winemaking program. Speaking to Tony about this, he was excited at the opportunity. Having already consulted for many Oregon wineries, Tony set out to craft some very special single vineyard Pinot Noirs with his signature style — wines that exude great texture, richness and minerality. I have been floored to see what he has done with these wines. The main thing I haven noticed is their consistency across the board and also quality in their entry level bottling, the ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ which has been really good since he first took over the program.
For those who are less familiar with Panther Creek, it is one of the great historic Oregon wineries. Panther Creek was originally founded by famed winemaker Ken Wright in 1986 who gained national attention for his wines sourced from the Freedom Hill and Shea Vineyards. In 1994 Mark Vlossak of St. Innocent fame took over as consulting winemaker and produced some marvelous wines until he focused his talents on his own winery. The winery was acquired by Bacchus Capital in 2013 which led to the appointment of superstar winemaker Tony Rynders as consulting winemaker. If you haven’t had the chance to check out these new wines since 2013, they are definitely worth a visit.
For the second year in a row Tony has crafted a gorgeous Panther Creek ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 92), this rendition coming from the 2018 vintage and magically captures the art of blending several Willamette Valley vineyards. I am really impressed with the 2017 Panther Creek ‘Kalita Vineyard’ Pinot Noir (WWB, 93) as this has tremendous freshness and verve alongside a core of red fruits and earthy undertones. Learn more about these great new wines at at http://www.panthercreekcellars.com Here are the outstanding new wines by Panther Creek.
2018 Panther Creek ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Winemaker’s Cuvee’ by Panther Creek and superstar winemaker Tony Rynders is jam-packed of ripe red and dark fruits with spicy orange zest and earthy undertones. It is full-bodied and far from subtle but has a vibrant acid backbone keeping everything marvelously in place. Enjoy this in the short-term while the brightness remains. Drink 2020-2027- 92
2017 Panther Creek ‘De Ponte Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Located in the Dundee Hills AVA, the De Ponte Vineyard has long been producing fantastic, dark=fruit driven Pinot Noirs. Silky smooth on the palate, this shows off a soft texture and wonderfully plush mouthfeel. Layers of dark fruits meld with shades of peat moss, and minerals. Delightful to enjoy in its youth, the 2017 ‘De Ponte Vineyard’ will have another decade or more in the cellar. Drink 2020-2030- 93
2017 Panther Creek ‘Maverick Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Maverick Vineyard’ is located in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA and is a new site planted to 19 acres. Aromatically this is bright and lively with juicy red berries and citrus rind with damp earth undertones that all mingle in the glass. The palate is lithe and polished with a soft, silky texture. Outstanding in its youth, this deep and rich, yet high-toned Pinot Noir, will have a long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2033- 93
2017 Panther Creek ‘Lazy River Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Set on Jory soils, the 2017 ‘Lazy River Vineyard’ Pinot Noir opens with bright cran-cherry and orange rind aromas that meld with the earthy undertones on the nose. The palate is lithe and beautifully textured. Elegant and medium-bodied red fruit flavors greet you with nutmeg and damp earthy tones that all come together in a seamless fashion. Downright delicious, with its ripeness, range and silky texture, the 2017 Panther Creek ‘Lazy River Vineyard’ Pinot Noir will cellar well over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2020-2033- 93
2017 Panther Creek ‘Kalita Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2017 ‘Kalita Vineyard’ shows off serious aromatic range from peat moss and forest floor to wild blackberry and Mandarin orange zest that all mingle together in the glass. The freshness and mouthfeel imparted is marvelous, as the lightly tannic palate evokes both richness and elegance. Fantastic in its youth, this beautiful wine will cellar well over the next ten plus years. Drink 2020-2033- 93
2017 Panther Creek ‘Carter Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The 2017 ‘Carter Vineyard’ is located in the southern part of the Eola-Amity Hills AVA. The lovely volcanic ash aromas marvelously combine with the high-toned red fruits and orange zest tones that all sing in harmony in the glass. The palate has wonderful verve and freshness with medium bodied red fruit and volcanic earth flavors. Enjoy over the next ten years as this is a simply marvelous effort by superstar winemaker Tony Rynders. Drink 2020-2033- 93