An Oregon winery synonymous with value, Erath has its roots planted as one of Oregon’s historic wineries. Dating back to 1976, Erath’s first wines were made with the 1982 vintage by legendary winemaker Dick Erath. Dick was an engineer-turned-viticulturist was first inspired to pursue winemaking in 1965 after making wine in his garage. He finished some coursework at UC-Davis in 1968, Erath then moved to the Chehalem Mountains in the Willamette Valley. His family resided in an unheated logger’s cabin on 49 acres and he soon found that Pinot Noir grew very well in the region.
Dick grew the brand to a whopping 35,000 cases and eventually sold to Chateau Ste. Michelle in 2006. I began tasting these wines with the 2002 vintage and I have been impressed with the remarkable consistency — not only of their top bottling but their entry level wine. This year’s edition, the 2019 Erath ‘Oregon’ Pinot Noir (OB, 89) punches above its weight class with a solid mouthfeel and soft texture. Even better is the 2018 Erath ‘Willakia’ Pinot Noir (OB, 92) which has good flavor density and verve with nice citrus notes alongside there of red and dark fruits. Learn more about this outstanding winery at erath.com and here are my tasting notes from the new wines by Erath.
2019 Erath Rose- The soft mouthfeel really drives this wine as very pretty pear, guava and strawberry flavors all meld in unison. Drink now while the good sense of acidity remains. Drink 2021-2023- 89
2019 Erath ‘Oregon’ Pinot Gris- The really good 2019 Erath ‘Oregon’ Pinot Gris shows off wet stone, lemon rind and Japanese pear flavors alongside a good sense of finesse and stony mineral undertones. Nicely textured, with good length, enjoy this outstanding value over the next few years. Drink 2021-2024- 90
2018 Erath ‘Oregon’ Chardonnay- Toasty brioche notes mingle with lemon zest, wild mushroom and juicy starfruit flavors. Great now, this is best enjoyed over the next several years while the freshness remains intact. Drink 2021-2025- 90
2019 Erath ‘Oregon’ Pinot Noir- The nose here shows pretty red florals with red cherry and shades of tobacco. Fresh and nicely textured, this has good finesse with delicate red fruits alongside lighter wet stone and tilled soil undertones. Enjoy this excellent value over the next several years. Drink 2021-2025- 89
2019 Erath ‘Reserve Collection’ Pinot Noir- The 2019 ‘Reserve Collection’ is a barrel select wine from a host of sites across the Willamette Valley. A soft texture greets you with layers of pretty cran-cherry, pomegranate seed and damp earthy tones on the palate. Enjoy this fragrant and lighter style Pinot Noir over the next eight years. Drink 2021-2029- 90
2018 Erath ‘Knight’s Gambit’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Knight’s Gambit’ Pinot Noir has really good aromatic range from orange rind and cherry preserves to menthol and peat moss undertones that all sing in unison. The palate is fresh and lithe with great structure and mouthfeel. Wild blackberry and red currant flavors collide with minerals, wet stone and blood orange zest. The combination of weight and acidity really make this tick. Drink 2021-2033- 92
2018 Erath ‘Willakia’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Erath ‘Willakia’ Pinot Noir shows a soft sense of texture with beautiful red and dark fruits that collide with minerals, bay leaf and Satsuma orange zest. Full-bodied and showing the warmth of the vintage, this excellent new Pinot Noir will be best enjoyed over the next decade. Drink 2021-2031- 92