Wine & Spirits - Winter 2023 - 81

US New Releases
that, the flavors are fresh and driven by
impressive acidity. Pour it as an aperitif.
-P.J.C. (168 cases) §
OREGON WHITE
CHARDONNAY
94 | Big Table Farm
lean with limey acidity inside, broad then
crisp. For tinned ventresca tuna. -P.J.C.
(1133 cases) §
PINOT GRIS
90 | Pike Road
$95
2021 Willamette Valley Elusive Queen
Chardonnay ^ Right from the start this wine
feels lively and comfortable at once, a compelling
combination. Winemaker
Marcy's barrel selection starts out vanillascented,
then hints of salt and golden apple
follow on the heels of the oak, the wine finishing
brisk and saline. On day two it has
opened up beautifully, grounded in a firm,
salty tartness, the golden-apple sweetness
counterbalanced by mild acidity. This is firm,
layered, impressive for its structure and balance.
-P.J.C. (99 cases) §
93 | Le Cadeau
$50
2021 Chehalem Mountains Estate Chardonnay
^ This shows lovely balance, with
vanilla, lemon curd, apple and honeycomb
playing off toasted lees and citrus notes. The
flavors have a forward, juicy attack, giving
the impression of golden pear but much livelier,
and tense with brisk citrusy acidity that
gives the wine length and clarity. It's got the
stuff to age. -P.J.C. (145 cases) §
$16
Brian
2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris (BEST
BUY) ^ Elk Cove's second-label gris is surprisingly
complex and fragrant in 2022. Its scents
range from cracked wheat and white cherry
to golden apple. The texture is emollient but
also grainy, a richness leavened by minerals.
-P.J.C. §
OREGON ROSÉ
90 | Big Table Farm
94 | Big Table Farm
$36
2022 Willamette Valley Laughing Pig
Rosé ^ This starts off earthy and a touch
grassy, with a hint of peppery olive oil in its
scent. It's exotic on the palate with an earthy
back note. The suave pinot noir grip will take
on patatas bravas and jamón Iberico. -P.J.C.
(620 cases) §
90 | Pike Road
$15
2022 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Rosé
(BEST BUY) ^ Leading with apple and wheat
scents, this wine's flavors focus on grapes and
red cherries, lean and lively, with an appealing
purity and tension. Lots of wine for the
price. -P.J.C. (686 cases) §
OREGON RED
PINOT NOIR
$72
2021 Eola-Amity Hills Pelos Sandberg
Pinot Noir ^ Brian Marcy's longstanding contract
with Pelos Sandberg for old-vine fruit
is a consistent winner for Big Table. In 2021,
the wine is smoky and bright with wholecluster
spice giving a savory, strawberrymostarda
suite of flavors. Bright and generous,
this has the stuffing and energy to age
well. -P.J.C. (232 cases) §
94 | Cristom Vineyards
$80
92 | Angela Vineyards
$38
2021 Willamette Valley Chardonnay ^
Scents of caramelly lees and vanilla lead
in this simple, beguiling chardonnay. The
attack is sweet and simple, balanced by a tart
pink-apple juiciness, in a Mâconnais style for
poached whitefish. -P.J.C. (461 cases) §
91 | Big Table Farm
$34
2021 Willamette Valley Wild Bee Chardonnay
^ This is round and rich up front,
before it turns toward lemon-lime and crisp
apple flavors. It's golden on the outside and
94 | Big Table Farm
$120
2021 Willamette Valley Earth Pinot Noir ^
This barrel selection represents the top five
percent of Brian Marcy's pinot noir lots. The
wine is posh, make no mistake, but savory
and attractive, with assertive stem notes of
Earl Grey tea, strawberry and cherry skin. It's
warm and generous, but precise all the same,
streamlined by the tannins of whole clusters
and fruit skin, with a core of fruit that
feels generous for Oregon and all the more
impressive because of it. -P.J.C. (99 cases) §
2021 Eola-Amity Hills Marjorie Vineyard
Pinot Noir ^ Established in 1982, the Marjorie
Vineyard was replanted in spots owing
to phylloxera in 2004. In this latest release,
there's a sense that the vines are fully mature,
their tight, small clusters yielding a wine of
exceptional concentration. Starting out with
scents of earth and whole-cluster spice, clove
and cola, the flavors are polished and suave,
the texture reflecting a juicy freshness and
lift. -P.J.C. (491 cases) §
W INTER 2023
WINE & SPIR IT S
81
https://bigtablewine.com/product?productid=DCCD8602-6548-4B32-B8BA-CCB15C4BFF8C https://cristomvineyards.com/product/2021-marjorie-vineyard-pinot-noir/ https://www.angelavineyards.com/product/2021-chardonnay https://bigtablewine.com/product?productid=D0AE2D04-E820-4038-BA8F-221C53534E58
Wine & Spirits - Winter 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Wine & Spirits - Winter 2023
