Today we celebrate one of Willamette’s greats as part of Oregon Wine Month. Big Table Farm has been on a wild ride since starting about fifteen years ago. I have been so impressed with the consistency of their wines. They are wines that show incredible range and texture. Superstar winemaker Brian Marcy has a longstanding history in the wine industry, living in Napa and previously serving as winemaker for Neyers prior to moving north and settling in the Willamette Valley. His wines are rich, terroir driven and show dazzling minerality. These are wines that are brilliant in their tension-filled youth but they age really well as well.
I adored the new 2021 spring releases. Two of the wines were made from the challenging 2020 vintage which had considerable early September smoke which swept across Oregon. Despite these conditions, Brian and Clare have created some of the best 2020 Pinot Noir and Chardonnay wines that I have tasted from this region. I absolutely loved the new 2021 Big Table Farm ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose (OB, 94) which is one of the finest Rose wines that I have tasted in the past year. Learn more about Big Table Farm at http://www.bigtablefarm.com/ Here are the fantastic new release wines by Big Table Farm.
2021 Big Table Farm ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose- The unfixed and unfiltered 2021 ‘Laughing Pig’ Rose is one of the great Rose wines out of Oregon that I have tasted over the past year. This Pinot Noir Rose saw extended skin contact, as this was stored in neutral oak barrels prior to bottling. Pink bubblegum and white grapefruit blossom combine with suggestions of white peach and strawberry shortcake. The downright stunning aromatics bring you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is deep and concentrated, with spectacular length and flavor density. Not for the weary, this is a cellar worthy effort that has both the weight and finesse satisfy over the next eight years. Kudos to proprietors Clare Carver and Brian Marcy on this scintillating new effort. Drink 2022-203- 94
2020 Big Table Farm ‘The Wild Bee’ Chardonnay- The 2020 ‘The Wild Bee’ Chardonnay is an excellent effort from this challenging vintage. Sourced from a host of Willamette Valley vineyards, this offers plenty in terms of finesse and texture. Layers of lemon zest dusted brioche and orange blossom collide with white rose water and shades of cardamom on the palate. Great to consume now, enjoy this beauty over the next seven plus years. Drink 2022-2029- 92
2020 Big Table Farm ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir- The 2020 Big Table Farm ‘Willamette Valley’ Pinot Noir was sourced from a range of vineyards across the valley, as this was stored in largely neutral oak barrels prior to bottling and being released in March 2022. It is one of the more impressive Pinot Noirs that I have tasted from the vintage. Very juicy and fruity with ripe red currants, red cherry candy and strawberry, with a good mineral backbone, this beautiful wine is best consumed over the next several years. Drink 2022-2026- 91
2019 Big Table Farm ‘Funk Estate Vineyard’ Syrah- For several years now Big Table Farm has been making this unique bottling from the Rocks District of Milton-Freewater, located in northeast Oregon. Aged mostly in neutral oak barrels, this reveals very classic Rocks notes of bacon fat, cigar ash and green peppercorns alongside rich dark fruits on the nose. The palate is seamless and soft, as this is an effortless drinking experience. Very pretty red and dark fruits parade with shades of milk chocolate, Nori and white pepper dusted smoked brisket. The combination of texture and finesse really works wonders here, as this beautifully evolved wine is best consumed over the next seven years. Drink 2022-2029- 95