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By Chuck Hill
Wines of the Week
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Wines of the Week Archive
Great Pinots for Great Salmon Each year when Copper River salmon arrives from Alaska, I am not quite prepared for just how flavorful and wine-friendly this magnificent fish can be. The rich red flesh of Copper River sockeye responds well to grilling or baking in the oven with a minimum of fuss - just a little salt, pepper and olive oil. Add a few tarragon leaves and some lemon slices and the result is sublime. The price of Copper River has dropped to very attractive levels, so grab some of the Pinot Noirs below for a red wine-with-fish treat.
Willamette Valley
Vineyards
Next year will mark the 25th anniversary of the planting
of the WVV Estate Vineyard by Jim Bernau, Founder and President of
Willamette Valley Vineyards.
Amity Vineyards Crafted in the inimitable style of winemaker Myron Redford, this bright and fruity wine exhibits the elegance and complexity of the best Oregon Pinot Noirs. Look for aromas of strawberry and spice with hints of smoky licorice in the background. The palate offers cherry and berry flavors with notes of Pinot Noir's earthy/meaty character. It's a terrific pairing with salmon.
Complexity is the calling card of this rich Pinot Noir. Winemaker Michael Sebastiani crafted this flavorful bottling with aromas of ripe black cherry and herbs. Flavors of cherry, plum and cocoa mingle with hints of toasty oak on the palate. The wine is very well structured for pairing with rich dishes including Copper River salmon!
Erath Vineyards This Pinot Noir makes a statement about ripe fruit and full flavor. Bursting with aromas of cherry, strawberry and vanilla, the elegant scents lead you to succulent fruit flavors with a balanced framework of toasty oak, acidity and moderate tannins. A long lip-smacking finish works well with salmon from the grill. The transition to ownership by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates is going well and veteran winemaker Gary Horner continues the legacy of excellence established by Dick Erath.
Iris Hill From the winery's Chalice Vineyard near Lorane, Oregon, 18 miles south of Eugene comes this delicious, full-bodied Pinot Noir. The wine gives an initial impression of power with ripe cherry and plum aromas dancing with earthy/meaty notes and toasty oak. Finesse comes into play with the flavorful palate offering cherry, blueberry, chocolate and tobacco in perfect balance. This is a wine to contemplate over a leisurely dinner of delicious salmon.
Firesteed
For those inviting a crowd of family or friends over for
a salmon barbecue, choose this flavorful bottling and you won't break
the budget! Firesteed's Oregon Pinot Noir offers bright cherry and berry
flavors with hints of earth and vanilla, and a refreshing Pinot finish
at less than half the price of many bottlings.
Nick and Sheila Nicholas are the proprietors of Anam Cara
Cellars (Celtic for "friend of my soul") located on Chehalem Mountain
between Sherwood and
Van Duzer
The name Van Duzer was chosen for this winery to reflect
the gap in the Oregon Coast Range (the Van Duzer Corridor) that allows
coastal winds to penetrate and
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This estate Pinot Noir shows all the attributes that have made Oregon a
rival for the finest Burgundies and superior to all other Pinot Noir
pretender appellations. The wine is almost too complex to describe
(those who have studied Oregon Pinot Noir will understand) showing ripe
cherry, spicy clove and earth, tobacco and a dozen other descriptors. It
is a hallmark for the vintage and deserves a place on your table as you
bring out the sides of salmon.
Newberg. This wine is from the first full-production year of their
estate vineyard and has proved that good things are in store for future
vintages. On the nose you'll find ripe cherry, plum, spice and chocolate
mingling with floral notes and spicy oak. The palate is rich and
structured without being overwhelming. It is here that the earthy/meaty
qualities of Oregon Pinot show their presence along with a unique
mineral quality distinctive to the terroir of Nicholas Estate.
cool
the warm Mid-Willamette Valley. Jim Kacacek has been the winemaker here
for over a dozen years and knows the estate vineyards well. This wine
shows complexity from the variety of Pinot Noir clones involved in its
making (Pommard, Dijon and Wadenswil). Aromas of ripe cherry and
blackberry are the stars with floral notes, spicy oak and cocoa filling
out the cast. The palate is berry and earth with subtle tannins and a
lingering finish.