WTN: Another Lemelson

[Jenise]

2014 Lemelson Vineyards Pinot Noir Mt. Richmond Willamette Valley
Very dark in the glass. Earthy, oaky pinot nose with a hint of star anise. Plummy fruit on the palate with rainforest, shitake mushrooms and an unfortunately heavy hit of vanilla on the finish. Same vintage, same winemaker as the lithe, more developed, non-oaky Chestnut Hill we had recently but side by side you would not guess these two came from the same winemaker.

[David M. Bueker]

Same elevage?

[Jenise]

No way of knowing but I suspect not. More difference in these two wines (purchased the same day at the winery) than vineyard accounts for.

[David M. Bueker]

Chestnut is Chehalem Mountains AVA, which is a cooler area. Potentially lighter wines that may then get less intrusive elevage.

[Jenise]

I get that, but I've had a lot of Valley floor wines that didn't show oak like this did. I'm guessing it had a higher percentage of new. Anyway, who knows.

[David M. Bueker]

I went looking for the Mt. Richmond on their site. No sign of it. Maybe they used it to break in some new barrels.

Mt Richmond tends to provide a bigger style of OR pinot, as it in a warm site: almost Shea-like. Elk Cove also makes a version from this vineyard.

[Jenise]

Thanks, John. Obviously I'm unfamiliar. Anymore I really understand very little about one vineyard in OR than another outside of the ones I knew for years from St. Innocent.

You need to visit your neighbour more! You are lucky being so close to the Willamette Valley. Dare I say it, Oregon, IMHO, is far more interesting than WA, and has better wines and better value. There are very interesting differences between the main AVAs of Oregon that are fascinating to learn more about. Dundee Hills, Eola/Amity and Ribbon Ridge, for example, are very different and all excellent terriors for pinots.

[Jenise]

Well it's certainly more pinots I'd prefer to have than more cabernets and syrahs. I'm easily impressed by those and I buy them, but what I want to drink is pinot noir. We just have to fit in the trips!