ROCO
2018 ROCO ‘Marsh Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Marsh Estate’ is a gorgeous effort by winemaker Rollin Soles. Coming from this location in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA, tar and red currants combine with shades of salty soils on the nose. The palate is dense and beatuflly textured with serious weight and good underlying tension. A generous core of red fruits greet you, with a bright salinity on the palate. Enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 94
ROSEROCK
2018 RoseRock ‘Zephrine’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Zephrine’ is a world-class bottling made from this warm vintage. It is big, bold and beautifully weighted stuff with a glorious melange of red and dark fruits. With more air tobacco leaf, pine needles and loamy soil notes all enter the fray, combining with the sterling tension and mouth-watering acidity of the wine. Full-bodied and absolutely delightful, enjoy over the next fifteen to twenty years to come. Drink 2025-2042- 96
SEQUITUR
2018 Sequitur ‘Jack’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Jack’ is a rousing Ribbon Ridge AVA bottling by Sequitur. The ‘Jack’ is named after Carey Critchlow and Michael Etzel’s grandchild. The classic red rose petal aromatics captivate the senses, alongside red raspberry and guava fruit tones, with salty soil accents. The palate is plush, round and generous with a beautiful sense of tension and salinity. This is quite simply pure Ribbon Ridge that still has a very long life ahead of it. Tasted twice with consistent notes. Drink 2025-2040- 97
SOTER
2018 Soter ‘Mineral Springs Ranch’ Pinot Noir- The outstanding 2018 ‘Mineral Springs Ranch’ offers crushed mint and flinty tones on the nose wth a great concentration of red and dark fruits. Medium to full-bodied and seamless, this is getting right into the lovely secondary notes especially after an hour of air. Drink 2025-2035- 94
ST. INNOCENT
2018 St. Innocent ‘Cuvee La Liberte Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay- A great Oregon Chardonnay that is aging gracefully, the 2018 St. Innocent ‘Cuvee La Liberte Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay delivers terrific viscosity and tension once on the mouth. Rich peaches and key lime zest parade with copious minerals and pastry crust notes on the palate. Smooth and silky, this is drinking marvelously right now and still has a long way to go. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2018 St. Innocent ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- The sensational 2018 St. Innocent ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Pinot Noir comes from two blocks in the vineyard, planted in 2004 and 2008 respectively. This is deeply perfumed and colored in the glass, offering red currants and red rose petals alongside salty soils and suggestions of wintergreen. The palate is complex and concentrated, loaded with black and red fruit flavors. Soft and lively, brimming with mouth-watering acidity, enjoy now and over the next ten years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2018 St. Innocent ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard Clone 777’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard Clone 777’ is a barrel selection wine from this vineyard located in the foothills of the Coastal Range. This is dark in the glass, delivering beautiful richness and tension in the glass. Molten rock and salted red currants combine with Satsuma orange zest, and shades of wild blackberry on the palate, with a smoky edge. Complex and delicious, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 96
STAG HOLLOW
2018 Stag Hollow ‘Dolcetto D’Yamhill Superiore’ Dolcetto- This 2018 edition of Dolcetto comes from the Stag Hollow Estate Vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. It is fruity and juicy with light tannins that frame a generous core of red cherry and strawberry fruits, alongside tobacco leaf notes. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2018 Stag Hollow ‘Moment in Time II’ Red Wine- The 2018 ‘Moment in Time II’ combines 60% Pinot Noir with the remainder Tempranillo. This comes off marvelously earthy and smooth throughout the drinking experience. Milk chocolate and roasted figs combine with copious stony minerals and peat moss accents on the palate. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2018 Stag Hollow ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir- A brilliant bottling at the entry level, the 2018 Stag Hollow ‘Yamhill-Carlton’ Pinot Noir is lithe, polished and highly enjoyable to consume now. Medium bodied red fruits combine with salty minerals and a smooth texture on the palate. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2018 Stag Hollow ‘Reserve 777/114’ Pinot Noir- As the wine anticipates, the 2018 Stag Hollow ‘Reserve 777/114’ Pinot Noir combines 777 and 114 clonal selections from their estate vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. This is rich, generous and broad-shouldered stuff that is drinking marvelously at the seven year mark. Peat moss and guava puree parade with candied orange and shades of damp salty soils on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2031- 93
2018 Stag Hollow ‘Vendange Selection’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 Stag Hollow ‘Vendange Selection’ Pinot Noir comes from the top barrels selected from this warm vintage. The nose offers black truffle shavings alongside wild blackberry, black tea and exotic spice notes. The palate is medium to full-bodied and round on the mouth, as this glides throughout the drinking experience. Very complex and earthy, enjoy now and over the next few years to come. Drink 2025-2033- 94
STOLLER
2018 Stoller ‘Elsie’s’ Chardonnay- The gorgeous 2018 ‘Elsie’s’ Chardonnay is a rich and viscous effort that comes from the Dundee Hills AVA. It is fat and generous on the mouth, loaded with peaches, freshly cut Key limes, and pie crust flavors that mingle well with salty minerals on the palate. This is a great spot to enjoy this beauty. Drink 2025-2031- 94
2018 Stoller ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Reserve’ Pinot Noir is a range of clones coming from some of the older blocks at the Stoller Estate. This is rich, voluptuous and beautifully-textured stuff that is drinking marvelously right now. A great melange of red and dark fruits greets you on the palate, alongside salty soils, sweet pipe tobacco, wet stone and shades of pine needles. Medium to full-bodied, with great viscosity and flavor density, this still has a long way to go in the cellar. This is without a doubt one of the finest Pinot Noirs I have tasted from this estate. Drink 2025-2040- 95
TENDRIL
2018 Tendril ‘Enchanter’ Chardonnay- The really good 2018 Tendril ‘Enchanter’ Chardonnay was stored in only 25% new French oak before bottling. This is silky and refined throughout the drinking experience, with good length. Rich citrus fruits parade with Japanese pear, cashew nut and shades of pastry crust on the palate. Lively and bright, with good tension, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2018 Tendril ‘XL’ Chardonnay- The stunning ‘XL’ Chardonnay was stored in French oak barrels for 30 months before bottling. This is dense and rich stuff with a near minute-long finish. Poached pear and baking spice dusted Macadamia nut meld well with earthy undertones on the palate. Sleek and round, with no rough edges, this is drinking beautifully right now. Drink 2025-2035- 96
2018 Tendril ‘Extrovert’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Extrovert’ was stored for 17 months in 25% new French oak and mainly hails from the Yamhill-Carlton AVA (71%). Offering a dark core, this delivers red rose petals with ripe cranberry and teaberry notes on the nose with shades of Satsuma orange zest. The palate has loads of mouth-watering acidity and vibrancy. Enjoy over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2018 Tendril ‘C-Note’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘C-Note’ was stored in all new French oak and underwent all whole cluster fermentation. This is big and burly stuff with serious weight, tension and salinity. A dense melange of red and dark fruits parade with salty minerals on the palate. Quite tannic still, enjoy over the next twelve plus years. Drink 2025-2038- 94
TOIL OREGON
2018 Toil Oregon Pinot Noir- A beautiful effort in this warm vintage by Chris Figgins, the 2018 Toil Oregon offers beautiful red florals on the nose alongside tobacco leaf, worn leather and salty soils with suggestions of kumquat zest. The palate comes off fresh and refined, with a veil of tension that runs through the core of red and dark fruits, with lovely earthy accents. Medium to full-bodied, enjoy this beauty now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 95
TRISAETUM
2018 Trisaetum ‘Estates Reserve’ Pinot Noir-The 2018 ‘Estates Reserve’ Pinot Noir is a dazzling rendition of this wine that is drinking marvelously now at the seven year mark. Cloves and red currants mingle well with guava and shades of red licorice on the nose, with sandy soil accents and pretty red florals. The palate is plush and soft, with a great sense of tension and salty soil character. Very pretty and lithe, this is slowly merging into some secondary notes but comes off still quite primary. Enjoy this beautiful wine over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2037- 94
2018 Trisaetum ‘Family Reserve’ Pinot Noir- One of the finest Pinot Noirs of my report, the 2018 ‘Family Reserve’ is a world-class barrel selection wine by winemaker James Frey. It is heady and intense stuff that is slowly starting to really come together neatly. Smooth and soft throughout the drinking experience, there is good muscle to this Pinot Noir, with refined tannins that frame a pretty core of red and dark fruits, with black truffle crudo, salted orange peel and peat moss accents on the palate. Full-bodied and broad-shouldered, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 96
James has chosen four barrels for this wine that hew finds the most intriguing and we are all quite glad that he did. Like the 2012 ‘Estates Reserve’ bottling, the aromatic range at play is outstanding, ranging from red and dark fruits to black truffle and lovely earthy aromas that all dance together in the glass. The silky texture creates a seamless effect, as this glides across the mid-palate. Even better is the near-minute long finish. Astonishing and captivating, this gorgeous bottling will have at least another fifteen years ahead of it — but why wait? Drink 2019-2035- 95
WALTER SCOTT
2018 Walter Scott ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay- Coming from these old vines first planted in the 1980s, the 2018 Walter Scott ‘Freedom Hill Vineyard’ Chardonnay is marvelously flinty, finesse-laden and Burgundian on the nose with peat moss and bright lemon zest aromatics. The palate is fresh and beautifully textured, with serious length and tension. Enjoy this outstanding bottling now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2018 Walter Scott ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ Pinot Noir- A really beautiful Pinot Noir from a warm vintage, the 2018 ‘Sojeau Vineyard’ comes from this site farmed by Denny and Thelma Peseau, located on the southern end of the Eola-Amity Hills. The wine revels in its vibrant core of tart red fruits, alongside kumquat zest, salty soils and shades of forest floor with pine needle accents. Vibrant and youthful, enjoy this beautiful wine now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2038- 95
WILLAKENZIE ESTATE
2018 Willakenzie Estate ‘La Crete’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘La Crete’ is the top bottling — a barrel selection coming from their estate vineyard in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA. Winemaker Erik Kramer has crafted this seductive bottling, generating gobs of weight, tension and flavor density, with an opulent melange of red and dark fruits. With more air lemon blossom tones carry the nose, alongside damp salty soils on the palate. Complex, delicious and deftly textured, enjoy now and over the next decade. Drink 2025-2035- 95
WILLAMETTE VALLEY VINEYARDS
2018 Willamette Valley Vineyards ‘Tualatin Estate’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Tualatin Estate’ comes from this site set on the foothills of the Oregon Coast range. This is big, round and generous stuff that is drinking beautifully right now. Bright red fruits parade with peat moss on the palate, with tangerine peel and shades of bergamot. Medium to full-bodied and full of beautiful tension, enjoy now and over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2025-2033- 93
YAMHILL VALLEY VINEYARDS
2018 Yamhill Valley Vineyards ‘Estate Reserve’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Estate’ Reserve shows a salty core of red fruits alongside shades of shortbread and damp earth accents on the palate. Medium-bodied, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2030- 91
ZENA CROWN
2018 Zena Crown ‘Conifer’ Pinot Noir- The 2018 ‘Conifer’ comes from Zena West 1A, Block 6 and Zena East 12 spots in the vineyard — with a wide range of soil types. This is very salty and stony on the palate, loaded with bright red fruits that parade with cardamom dusted citrus zest and shades of cloves. Medium to full-bodied and very fresh, this easily has another decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2025-2035- 94
