Two Sensational 2021 Eola-Amity Pinot Noir Best Buys of the Vintage
The 2021 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir is crafted predominately from Cristom's renowned estate single vineyards. With 30 years dedicated to whole cluster fermentations and native yeasts, the Mt. Jefferson Cuvée is the embodiment of Cristom’s respected winemaking style. This vintage is simply outstanding.
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“It’s a lot to take in for one bottle of wine, but one thing that rings loud and clear is that winemaking sensation Evesham Wood constantly delivers one of the greatest values in the world of Pinot Noir.”
-Master Sommelier Ian Cauble
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Dear friends,
This email highlights two Eola-Amity Hills Pinot Noir best buy shining stars of the outstanding 2021 vintage.
First up is Cristom's finest Mt. Jefferson Cuvee to date. There's too much to say about this iconic producer, so the recent recognition below will sum it up:
- Wine & Spirits, Top 100 Wineries of the Year: 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011
- Wine Spectator, Top 100 Wines of 2019, Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir
- Wine & Spirits, #1 OREGON PINOT NOIR IN AMERICA’S TOP RESTAURANTS: 2019, 2018,
- 2017, 2016
- Wine & Spirits, Top 50 Pinot Noirs, 2022
- Wine & Spirits, Top 50 Wine Brands in America’s Top Restaurants: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015
- Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Extraordinary Winery of the Year Nominee, 2020
- Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, Best Oregon Winery Nominee, 2017
- Food & Wine Magazine, Best Oregon Wineries to Visit, 2016
- Wine & Spirits, Years Best Chardonnay, 2020
Second up is Evesham Wood, which we're lucky to have 2 cases left, out of only 650 that were made in total. Like the Cristom, this is an incomprehensible value in Pinot Noir. This is cult wine, except nobody realizes it—for now.
Evesham’s Pinots are constantly flirting with perfection and are always one of the greatest values in the world of Pinot Noir. Master Sommeliers have blinded these wines as Burgundy, a region they can go 12 rounds against—easily. I can't summarize this wine and producer any better than both Master Sommelier Ian Cauble and Burghound's Allen Meadows:
"For an outrageously low $29.97, handcrafted Pinot Noir doesn’t get more elegant, refined, or expressive than this. And yet, Erin’s somehow managed to achieve this without sacrificing sustainable farming, a manual wine upbringing, and a lengthy aging regimen in mostly neutral French barrels. High-toned perfumed, astounding depth, and perfect harmony...this is as good as value Pinot Noir gets." -Master Sommelier Ian Cauble
"Russ and Mary Raney founded Evesham Wood in 1986, planting the first vines in Le Puits Sec Vineyard in 1989. Raney began farming organically in the early 1990s and earned organic certification in 2000. As part of The Deep Roots Coalition, a group of over 30 wineries, they have pledged to not irrigate estate fruit nor purchase irrigated fruit. In 2007 Erin Nuccio began making his own wine (Haden Fig, see below) at Evesham while working there. When Team Raney chose to retire, Nuccio took over Evesham Wood in 2010 and has done an extremely impressive job following up the excellent quality produced by the Raneys. All the wines are unfined and unfiltered." -Allen Meadows, Burghound
Outstanding 2021 Oregon Harvest Foreshadows Quality Vintage
"2020 was a heartbreaking year for the Oregon wine industry. In the Willamette Valley and Columbia River Gorge, early September wildfires created dense clouds of smoke and ruined many wine grapes. A devastating fire ravaged several communities around Medford, even destroying one winery.
With memories of last year still fresh in people’s minds, the 2021 growing season was a tense one. “We were all just holding our breath all summer,” said Luisa Ponzi, director of winemaking and viticulture at Ponzi Vineyards.
But in the end, the year was everything growers and winemakers could have hoped for. “It’s the best harvest that I have in recent memory,” said Steven Thompson with Analemma Wines in the Columbia River Gorge. “It was extra special this year to be able to move through harvest in a normal fashion and be able to taste the beautiful flavors and not be inhibited on making great wines. I truly believe these are some of the best (wines) we’ve ever had the privilege to produce.”
He’s not alone in that statement. Everywhere you turn, professionals are predicting 2021 will be an outstanding vintage."
I can't wait for you to experience these unfathomable wines.
Have a great week!
—James Tran
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2021 Cristom Eola-Amity Hills Mt. Jefferson Cuvee Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon
97 Points - International Wine Report:
"I’m incredibly impressed with the 2021s coming from the Cristom Estate, and this one is a perfect example of the phenomenal wines from the vintage. The Mt. Jefferson Estate Pinot Noir was just recently released, but it feels ready to drink now with impeccable balance, structure, and length. Notes of wild huckleberry, toasted anise, perfumed flowers, spiced red plum, and a hint of tangerine zest combine beautifully on the tongue. Delivering perfect balance, mouthwatering acidity, and rounded tannins, this will be a fun wine to watch over the next ten years to see how it evolves with age." (11/2022)
94 Points - James Suckling:
"Pretty notes of mulberries, spiced cherries, cloves and tea leaves. Some mushroom. It’s so silky, supple and delicious with very fine tannins. I like the savory tightness and minerality. Some rusty hints, too. Tight finish. 43% whole cluster. Drink from 2024." (4/23)
95 Points - Robert Parker's WA (2019 Vintage):
"The caliber of the 2019 Mt. Jefferson Cuvée Pinot Noir, Cristom's largest-production SKU, is impressive this vintage. Medium ruby-purple, it features savory cranberry sauce, orange peel and tar aromas with tones of dried flowers and spice. The medium-bodied palate offers the pleasing, gently grippy tannins and bright freshness characteristic of Cristom's generous whole-cluster inclusion, and it finishes with intense, layered fruits and floral accents." - Erin Brooks (Dec 2021)
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Alcohol: 13.5%
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Aging: 11 months in 20% new oak
Elsewhere: $44.00 btl
Price: $39.97 btl
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2021 Evesham Wood Eola-Amity Hills Cuvee Pinot Noir
Willamette Valley, Oregon
92 Points - James Suckling:
"Medium-bodied pinot with pretty notes of blueberries, violets, cherries and licorice. It’s sleek and elegant with flavorful layers of blue fruit and spice accompanied by silky tannins. Drink or hold." JS (5/23)
From Owner & Winemaker Erin Nuccio:
"Even with the vivacious fruit of the 2021 vintage, the liveliness that we love about the Eola-Amity Hills comes through decisively in this year’s Eola-Amity Hills Cuvée. Bright and floral on the nose with an explosive mid-palate and seductive texture. Such an expression of the vintage and our beautiful AVA. There’s a reason this wine is on our vintage wine club every Spring."
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Alcohol: 13%
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Production: 650 cases
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Vines Planted: 1991, 2001, 2003, 2007, 2016
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Aging: 16 months in 15% new oak
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Certifications: Organic & Sustainable
Price: $29.97 btl
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10 American Pinot Noir New Arrivals & Last Calls
Click their images to read on
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2021 DuMOL 'Wester Reach' Russian River Valley Pinot Noir
- Ratings: JS 95
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60 Bottles, $74.99
2021 DuMOL 'Wester Reach' Russian River Valley Chardonnay
- Ratings: JS 94
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60 Bottles, $64.99
2021 DuMOL "Wild Mountainside" Russian River Valley Syrah
- Ratings: VM 94-96
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6 Bottles, $64.99
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We just received our long-awaited Master Sommelier's Secret: a coveted Oregon Pinot Noir, from the towering 2018 vintage, with a negotiated price that's just plain stupid.
This wine is wildly complex and unique as Andrew Rich specifically showcased Marine sedimentary soils with these 555 cases made: Willakenzie, Bellepine, Dupee.
On top of that, he throws down in the lab. 25% new French oak. Native yeast fermentation. 22% whole cluster. Drink now through 2033.
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Previous Vintage Pedigree:
2015 Vintage: 93 Points, #75, Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2017
2017 Vintage: 93 Points, #19, Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2020
2021 Vintage: 94 Points... ? Could it be in the Top 10 of 2023?
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Lowest Price in California. Only 46 bottles left!
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97 Points - James Suckling:
"...Vibrant and juicy...Layered and balanced, with a long, savory finish..."
97 Points - Robert Parker's WA:
"...so expressive this vintage! ...has a pure fragrance of blueberries and lilac, aniseed and earth... glide seamlessly through the mouth for an incredibly persistent, floral finish."
94 Points - Wine Spectator:
"A dynamic wine, impeccably structured and fleshy in texture..."
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Our 24-bottle allocation of 2021 Occidental Freestone Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir is in the house—but will be gone shortly if you don't move fast! This price is absurdly low for Cult-caliber. Not yet rated, but it's expected to score higher than the WS 95 previous 2020 vintage.
Occidental is the passion project of Steve Kistler and his family. While Steve remains CEO of Kistler Vineyards, his desire to focus solely on Pinot Noir was the impetus behind creating Occidental. It shows. All Occidental vineyards are grafted with proprietary massale selections developed over three decades by Steve. Produced entirely from estate-fruit from Occidental's coastal vineyards. The vineyards are Certified Sustainable.
You can't stop smelling this wine. At 13.3% ABV, you also can't stop your mouth from watering and drinking the bottle. We won't get more this year.
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Served at 3-Michelin Star Eleven Madison Park!
RAEN is run by American wine royalty: Carlo and Dante Mondavi, grandsons of Napa legend Robert Mondavi and sons of Continuum’s Tim Mondavi. With the same expertise and unrelenting passion that drove Robert to develop the world-famous Opus One and Tim to craft 100-point reds, Dante and Carlo are dedicated to Pinots of elegant, Burgundian finesse from the wild Sonoma coast.
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This year, this glorious 'cuvee' is made of 60% Pisoni Vineyard, 23% Garys’ Vineyard, and 17% Soberanes Vineyard. Yes, it is mostly the fruit of the legendary Pisoni Estate, a wine we SOMETIMES get allocated a couple of BOTTLES only and retails for $150+. 13 bottles left!
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Get in touch!
Text → 650-880-3553
Call → 650-917-8080
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