Disappointment + sadness = old Oregon Pinot

Man. I have HAD IT with disappointing older Oregon Pinot noirs. So many times have the big names (and big bucks) let me down.

The latest: 2001 Bergstrom. The bouquet was just alcohol. No fruit on the nose or in the palate. No whiff of barnyard (which is a customary element with Pinot). True, this was from four younger vineyards, but they are good ones (Arcus, Corral Creek, Bergstrom, Mahonia) and Bergstrom is a major Pinot noir player in Oregon (their wines are sold mostly to Manhattan and LA restaurants, if I recall correctly). Moreover, 2001 was a very good year. I didn't want to finish my glass; usually, we'll rip through a whole bottle. Direct and repeated experience does not lie; this is a damnation of practically an entire industry (just of its older wines, to be clear--I'm not criticizing the great younger ones from here). But this stings. When I was in Burgundy, and talked up Oregon's Pinots (I know, that was a dumb thing to do--did I have a death wish or something?), the Frenchies' universal response was, "Yes, but it doesn't age well and you don't have our terroir."

If you can't cellar a wine for a few years, then what good is it? I buy prosecco to drink in a month or two, sure, but I don't schedule my reds that tightly. They should be able to wait for me, and shine brightly when I'm ready for them. A Pinot from a good year should be able to last eight. And you will hear many winemakers from around here say that their Pinots last much longer than is commonly believed. Don't be so sure.

Previously, it was 1999 Archery Summit and Erath, a 2000 Domaine Serene, and some 2000 Ken Wrights that were worn out by year 7-10. All these wines were cellared impeccably.

My list of Willamette Pinots that truly can improve for years is fast shrinking. Here is my list: Beaux Freres and Domaine Drouhin (in a great year), and Anderson Family Vineyards (in good years), and some wines from JK Carriere, in great years. There may be others; God I hope so. Otherwise, I recommend drinking our Oregon Pinots up by 3-4 years from release. And don't even think about investing in them--with rare exceptions, they do very poorly at auction. There are better ways to lose money.

Sorry to have to post this. Please, Oregon, prove me wrong.

10-2-09 update: One 2000 Beaux Freres (Beaux Freres Vineyard) was a little disappointing (not bad, but down the curve's backside a ways), but another from the same case was very good.