This tasty wine from Chehalem embodies the mysterious, lissome and elegant character that excellent Pinot Noir should have — but that they all too often lack. Beneath all the appealing lightness and delicacy lurks a starburst of flavors that tumble across the palate before finishing on a cleansing breath of acidity (and that’s one of the stellar qualities that make this such a fine wine with food). Stylistically, Chehalem’s Pinot Noir tastes of neither France nor California, but rather of its own distinctive terroir.
Chehalem, Dundee Hills (Oregon) Pinot Noir 2010
By Marguerite Thomas