I was surprised recently by a 2006 vintage of one of Erath’s vineyard designated Pinot Noirs — there was certainly no over the hill quality to report, and this 2012 from Prince Hill shows that kind of promise. It seems perhaps deceptively simple at first pass, with lively cherry and spice in a light bodied, brightly acidic feel, but I sense some real depth just beginning to show itself. I’d cellar a few of these for five years, and then open them slowly over the next five to enjoy the progression.
Erath, Dundee Hills (Oregon) Pinot Noir 2012
By Rich Cook