One of the outstanding producers of Oregon wine, Big Table Farm has been crafting a consistently great lineup for about a decade. I first started writing about this winery roughly seven years ago and since that time they have had a New York Times article and have received considerable attention in the major wine publications including Wine Spectator. The team of Clare Carver and Brian Marcy is pretty hard to beat. A massively, talented artist, Clare’s beautiful artwork appears on each bottle. She makes each bottle into a work of art, importing special paper from Italy and then hand-labelling each piece. Clare also handles all of the business aspects of Big Table Farm and helps with crafting the blends.
Brian Marcy has been steadily making a name for himself as one of the top winemakers in Oregon. Having previously worked at famed California wineries, Marcassan and Neyers, Brian is a soft-spoken, wonderful mind in wine. Be on the lookout for their new entry level Pinot Noir, the 2019 Big Table Farm Rose (WWB, 93) which was one of the top Rose wines in my 2020 Pacific Northwest Rose Report. I absolutely adore the 2018 Big Table Farm ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay (WWB, 94) which is dense and delicious with great range and even showing some tropical fruits. Even better is the sensational 2018 Big Table Farm ‘The Elusive Queen’ Chardonnay (WWB, 95) which is really big and powerful, as this tightly wound, Montrachet-like Oregon wine will enjoy decades of life ahead of it. Learn more about these beautiful wines at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.
2019 Big Table Farm ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose- The 2019 Big Table Farm ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose is another thrilling Rose bottling from this famed Oregon estate. On the nose this has seriously good range from wild mushroom tones and peat moss that are woven together with guava and pomegranate seed aromatics that all sing in unison in the glass. The palate is silky smooth, showing a pillowy texture and wonderful, gratifying length. Shades of cantaloupe and green apple combine with ripe Yakima cherry, and cran-pomegranate flavors. The earthy undertones round out this extraordinary Rose wine that will have a long life ahead of it, picking up tertiary tones as it ages. Having recently tried their 2017 Rose, I can state firsthand that their Rose ages well. Drink 2020-2027- 93
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay- The 2018 Big Table Farm ‘Eola-Amity Hills’ Chardonnay is another gorgeous effort from this famed estate. Once on the nose this takes on Meyer lemon zest and. Flinty undertones with shades of wild mushroom on the nose. The palate is soft once on the attack with layers of melon and kumquat zest alongside Gravenstein apple, baking spices and hints of tropical fruits on this gorgeous palate. This finishes exceedingly long with minerals and lighter vanilla cream tones. The combination of length and viscosity makes this particularly gratifying right now. Beautiful to savor in its youth, this has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2033- 94
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Chardonnay- The 2018 ‘Yamhill Carlton’ Chardonnay by Big Table farm is a stunning new bottling from Brian Marcy and Clare Carver. Pretty pink grapefruit blossom tones combine with the core of green apple, baking spice infused honeydew melon and starfruit aromatics that all take shape in the glass. The palate is soft and elegant with a silky mouthfeel. Layers of buttercream and Meyer lemon zest combine with suggestions of nutmeg infused Challah bread on the palate. The length and viscosity here is really good as this fantastic new bottling will cellar well over the next ten to fifteen years. Drink 2020-2032- 93
2018 Big Table Farm ‘The Elusive Queen’ Chardonnay- Consistently one of the best Chardonnay wines made in Oregon, the 2018 ‘The Elusive Queen’ stands tall with any Chardonnay I have sampled over the past year. Always a barrel selection wine, ‘The Elusive Queen’ shows wonderful flinty and nutty tones that are woven together with shades of white truffle, Bosc pear and lemon curd that all take shape in the glass. Round and generous, this shows off a silky texture with marvelous length and a seamless texture. Layers of lemon rind and kumquat mingle with nutmeg infused Challah bread and shades of Japanese pear on the palate. Fantastic to savor in its youth, this glorious new Chardonnay will cellar well for another decade or more. Drink 2020-2035- 95
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- This limited production bottling shows shades of guava puree, loganberry preserves and bright citrus rind and potpourri tones that all mingle in the glass. The palate is plush, showing a wonderful err of elegance and a silky mouthfeel. The dense core of bright red fruits march in unison with minerals, smoky undertones and shades of peat moss and blood orange zest on the palate. The length and sense of poise here despite the heat spikes of the vintage, really makes this particularly impressive. Gorgeous to savor in its youth, this outstanding new bottling will enjoy at least a decade ahead of it. Drink 2020-2032- 94
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- One of the consistently great bottlings year in and year out, the 2018 ‘Sunnyside Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a stunning new rendition by superstar winemaker Brian Marcy. Once on the nose heady cran-cherry and orange zest tones combine with shades of peat moss, white truffle crudo and exotic spices all combine on this enticing bouquet. The palate has a great core of sour red fruits with Mandarin orange rind, cola, forest floor and salty undertones. The long finish is particularly gratifying. Incredible to savor in its youth, this gorgeous new 2018 Pinot Noir will enjoy another fifteen plus years ahead of it. Drink 2020-2035- 95
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Catrall Brothers Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- Fresh, vibrant and energetic, the 2018 ‘Catrall Brothers Vineyard’ Pinot Noir is a scintillating new release by Big Table Farm. Firm, with a good sense of structure, this effortlessly glides across the mid palate. Shades of peat moss, smoky minerals and Satsuma orange rind combine with the core of cran-pomegranate, red cherry candy and guava puree on the palate. The exceedingly long finish accentuates this gorgeous new bottling that will cellar well for another fifteen years. Drink 2020-2035- 95
2018 Big Table Farm ‘Earth’ Pinot Noir- The ‘Earth’ Pinot Noir is their barrel selection bottling that Clare Carver and Brian Marcy feel stands out amongst the rest. The highly perfumed, downright sexy aromatics bring you back to the glass for more delight. Layers of bright red fruits are artfully woven together with suggestions of white truffle, blood orange zest, peat moss and bulls blood that all mingle in the glass. Once on the attack you are greeted to a seamless and silky smooth texture, as this effortlessly dances across the mid-palate. Ripe Yakima cherry and guava flavors collide with minerals, citrus rind accents and suggestions of forest floor that all meld in the glass. Seductive, layered and very deep, with great length, this is truly a stunning new Pinot Noir bottling by Big Table Farm that is nearly impossible to resist in its youth and will provide drinking enjoyment for decades to come. Drink 2020-2035- 95