Pitch Perfect Pinot for a Song!

2007 Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir, Eola Hills-Amity, $19.99 (Reg. $29.99!)

Last week I had landed in my lap a good slug of the 2007 vintage of Domaine Coteau Pinot Noir from the Wilamette Valley in Oregon.  A good Oregon Pinot shows the best of California – that good, ripe fruit – balanced with a touch of the earthiness of Burgundy. When you find a Pinot from Oregon that has both that New World fruit and that Old World sense of place you know you’ve found a great wine.  It tastes even better when its nearly half price!

Founded in 1994, Domaine Couteau follows a Burgundian model of making wine, low yields, high-density vineyard, etc and the result is a subtle, elegant, classy, balanced wine that embodies everything that is right and good about Oregon Pinot. The winery takes a painstaking approach to winemaking and makes a paltry amount (less than 1,500 cases a year). Brennan and I sampled a bottle and realized in no time flat about half the bottle was gone.  Earth, spice, good red fruit – it truly is a delicious bottle of Pinot. If you’re a fan you’ll want to grab some while you can at this price because when its gone, its gone.

Stephen Tanzer88 points
“Medium red. Musky aromas of red berry skin, cherry, pine resin and dried rose. Light bodied, sweet raspberry and cherry flavors are framed by silky tannins and gain weight with air. The sappy finish repeats the raspberry and floral notes and clings with good persistence. This really benefited from air.”

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