February 25, 2007

2005 King Estate Signature Pinot Noir, Lorane Valley, Oregon

And the endless parade of Oregon wines continues. What can I say, there are so many to enjoy and we like enjoying them. This wine was no different, but the story behind King Estate is almost as good as the wine itself.

King Estate was born in 1991, realizing a twelve year fantasy for Ed King and his father. Ed moved to Oregon in 1979 to pursue his MBA, but quickly realized he had a passion for winemaking. His father sold off his business and retired in 1985, doing quite well. They began looking for vineyard property and found an excellent 600 acre plot. They dove in. Today King Estate is nearly 1200 acres of certified organic vineyards producing very high quality fruit. It is a winery known for decidedly Burgundian/European sensibilities and as a result has a reputation for producing consistently beautiful wines. Ed and his dad still lead the winery.

This Pinot Noir could be considered entry-level for their catalog of wines. That in no way detracts from it, though. In the glass the wine is vibrant and bright garnet colored. The nose is full of black currants and raspberry. There is also some all-spice and hints of oak. On the palate there shows deep fruit, with blueberry and cherry jam-like flavors. There is an interesting taste that is almost like baking oatmeal cookies that we really liked a lot. All of this is balanced by a smoky quality that lingers into the finish. Medium bodied with a short finish, this wine was nice and easy to drink. It is a good wine with lighter food, but is also fine as a sipping wine on its own. Though this is a 2005 and will get better with some age under it, it is drinking well now and offers a nice value for a solid Oregonian Pinot Noir from an all organic estate.

cost - $22.99

winecommando rating (1-10) - 8.5

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