2017 Vintage #44 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Vineyards

Looking into this particular Pinot Noir will be different, because Willamette Vineyards has so many excellent Pinots. Since the 1990’s, the company acquired several unique, boutique vineyards. My personal favorite of all their Pinot Noir is Tualalin Estate. In my world, how does Vintage #44 compare with WVV’s smaller estate wines? Begin by sniffing. With first pour, a person will lift the glass, swirl whatever wine is inside, and then smell it. What in the world??? It’s about the wine’s “Bouquet”! Smelling is a beginning point for enjoying the wine. That first sniff indicates how the wine will taste. It lets us know about a wine’s complexity. Specific aromas indicate what to search for; if fruity, then cheery, berry, plumb and pear will appear. Or the sniffing may uncover something floral, earthy, mineral, woody, etc. Vintage # 44 is not a fruity Pinot; rather it gathers all the characteristics of traditional Pinot Noir. I like this production, and can recommend it as very Pinot. It comes with a genuine cork: a long shelf life. The color is bright ruby red; legs cling to the glass. Serve your guests with assurance; place on the dinner table alongside beef, meatballs & spaghetti, or bacon, cream cheese over cheddar chicken.