We had Thanksgiving dinners both Thursday and Friday. To the first I took this wine:
2015 Williams Selyem Pinot Noir Russian River Valley
My last '15 RR. PnP'd. Loved this on release when it had darker, more complex fruit, but now it's just one long cherry note--and the spice one hopes for from RR fruit is missing (in fact, I'm increasingly disappointed with RR pinots these days). That said, it drank nicely and was the best match on the table for the turkey dinner. It was up against a recent vintage Mellissoni PMS from Lake Chelan (a unique Washington AVA), that was a curious and tannic blend of one third each Pinot, Malbec and Sangiovese in which the dark malbec was way out in front. Not hard to beat.
The following evening I took these two to my brother's home:
1987 Carneros Creek Winery Pinot Noir
Our bottle was noticeably better than the one RJONWINE opened in 2011. While showing more a lot more maturity than the '78 I opened two years ago, and sporting more Fig Newton and leather notes than fresh cherry fruit, the show was anything but over for those of us who enjoy mildly necrotic wines. Due to uncertainty we poured it immediately after pulling the fair-condition cork, and those who dawdled were rewarded for their patience. The second glass was better than the first. Zero sediment.
I decided an Oregon pinot would be a nice modern comparison. Hitting the 30 year mark nicely on the head, I had a choice of a Patton Valley or a Stoller. When I paused over the name on the Stoller, Ruth's, that sealed the deal.
2017 Stoller Pinot Noir Ruth's Dundee Hills
Our precious grandmother's name was Ruth, and coincidentally so was my husband's. So on a day where we would inevitably end up sharing stories about these precious women, nothing could have made more sense than this bottle. IIRC, this is a blend of the winemaker's favorite barrels. Prep: decanted for two-plus hours then returned to bottle for trip to new location and decanted again at dinner. For my tastes, this pinot showcases the ultimate in what's possible in Oregon these days when you marry modern winemaking with traditional aspirations. Dark cherry and old leather books waft around the nose while more cherry, plum and loamy mushroom notes on the palate glide along effortlessly on silky tannins. Good on its own but shines with food. Great weight and balance. Would happily drink my remaining bottles now but peak is likely 3-4 years away and it will probably hold for a long time after that.