Yamhill Valley Vineyards

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  July 2009

  Yamhill Valley Pinot Noir 2007

  Snoothrank: Starting at $17^.99

  No written review

  Wine review by giordano14

  
  
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  April 2009

  Yamhill Valley Pinot Noir 2007

  Snoothrank:

  I love me some Pinot

  Wine review by kbstuhr

  
  
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  April 2009

  Adea Pinot Noir Willamette Valley Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2001

  Snoothrank:

  A bottle that seemed to benefit a bit from blending (compared to single vineyard Coleman 2001) but still clearly in decline, and clearly won't get any better with age. Tannins still somewhat intact, giving some structure but overall rather forgettable. A bit of a disappointment.... Read moreA bottle that seemed to benefit a bit from blending (compared to single vineyard Coleman 2001) but still clearly in decline, and clearly won't get any better with age. Tannins still somewhat intact, giving some structure but overall rather forgettable. A bit of a disappointment. Bought straight from producer ($20).    (hide)

  Wine review by mos71

  
  
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  February 2009

  Yamhill Valley Pinot Noir 2006

  Snoothrank:

  Drank this at a blind Pinot Noir tasting I held. This was the least favorite of the bunch for four other guests, and the most well-liked by one of the guests. I enjoyed it. It is complex with a bit of heat from the alcohol and some harshness from the tannins, but it got more... Read moreDrank this at a blind Pinot Noir tasting I held. This was the least favorite of the bunch for four other guests, and the most well-liked by one of the guests. I enjoyed it. It is complex with a bit of heat from the alcohol and some harshness from the tannins, but it got more interesting and layered with repeated tastings. Some Dr. Pepper and cinnamon notes in the finish. I almost detected some watermelon too. Probably would benefit from another year in the bottle. This is a hard wine to be neutral about.    (hide)

  Wine review by TJ Whelsky

  
  
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  February 2009

  Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Blanc 2006

  Snoothrank:

  Mild acidity and mineral nutiness. IIt has a silky feel on the tongue with the scent and taste of melons. Pairs with pesto or try an apple-walnut salad with craisins, feta and balsamic vinaigrette.

  Wine review by David Kohl

  
  
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  February 2009

  Yamhill Valley Vineyards Reisling 2007

  Snoothrank:

  This wine displays bright flavors of citrus and grape must. Secondary flavors of slate and petrol contrast this wine's late harvest attitude. Try this wine with turkey schnitzel, red cabbage and schpetzel. The sweetness of the wine complements the savory nature of the fried schnitzel... Read moreThis wine displays bright flavors of citrus and grape must. Secondary flavors of slate and petrol contrast this wine's late harvest attitude. Try this wine with turkey schnitzel, red cabbage and schpetzel. The sweetness of the wine complements the savory nature of the fried schnitzel and the salty brine of the cabbage. Other salty and savory dishes, such as red snapper in orange teriyaki glaze, or chicken in a red Thai curry, pair just as well.    (hide)

  Wine review by David Kohl

  
  

• June 2008

  Early on I had blogged about the responsibility of wine knowledge and how people rely on you for recommendations. I have found out the one thing that is even more nerve racking than making a recommendation on a good wine... that is trying to identify a wine when you can’t see the... Read moreEarly on I had blogged about the responsibility of wine knowledge and how people rely on you for recommendations. I have found out the one thing that is even more nerve racking than making a recommendation on a good wine... that is trying to identify a wine when you can’t see the label. Yes, that is right, the evil and frustrating blind tasting. A friend of mine hosted a wine gathering where each couple brought a bottle of wine. Each bottle was quickly wrapped in a brown paper bag and received a number as its only identification. Okay, this wasn’t as bad as a pure blind tasting event as my friend had printed out, in advance, all the labels and tasting notes for each of the wines. So instead of a pure blind tasting we did a blind matching. In case you are wondering a pure blind tasting often requires that the tasters are given wine without any details and are expected to rate them quality. The idea is to determine the ‘best’ wine based on its taste alone. Considering the broad spectrum of where wines can be from, blind tasting are often limited to one type of varietal, style or a region. For our event, the only rule was the wine had to be a red but could be from anywhere. Tasting notes were provided and the goal was to guess the wine based on the tasting notes. Below are the wines that we had tasted. 2003 Red Flyer, Red Blend This red is described as an inky-dark wine, with medium to full body, and a lot of spice. The bottle with its catchy label houses a robust, full bodied, country style wine that, at this price, can be a house red for barbecue and that sort of thing. It’s totally dry, with plumy-coffee flavors and sturdy tannins. Out of this world!! Made up of Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache, Carignan, and Clone X 2004 Sausal Family Zinfandel This estate red is produced from dry farmed vines that average 50 years of age. Following fermentation, the wine is aged twenty months in a combination of American and French oak barrels, adding complexity. The result is a soft and approachable red. 2005 Twelve Vineyards Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir Another poor set (we were starting to believe it rains every year during bloom) resulted in our lowest yields ever. The year was a little cooler than 2004 and we picked right at our target sugar levels. The wine has higher acidity and slightly less alcohol which was very characteristic of the vintage, some of the angular edges had smoothed over. Another year of bottle age couldn't hurt. 2005 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon The dark ruby-colored 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon resembles a classic Bordeaux both in aromatics and flavor. A rich bouquet of cinnamon, spice, licorice, graphite and caramel are followed by integrated layers of cherry, currant, fresh cream and balanced, sweet tannin, all of which contribute to a youthful, bright, multi-layered wine. 2003 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon The 2003 Frank Family Vineyard’s Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon leads with generous aromas of dark chocolate black cherry and spice which are layered with dusty cedar and loam. The palate is vibrant and concentrated; bursting with ripe black cherries plum currant and blackberry which are balanced with well structured tannins providing a lasting grip while maintaining a refined elegance. 2003 Hess Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon It delivers keenly-defined cassis and black-plum fruit and picks up a nice boost in richness from its liberal oak. While it is well-balanced and fit with fairly trim tannins, it has the capacity to grow for a handful of years if left to age in the cellar. 2001 La Fiorita Laurus Toscana IGT 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot. Rich, deep red in color. More modern in style, but oak is not really apparent. Round tannins and nice acidity. Dark berries, black cherry, some spice, and a pleasant earthiness. Very enjoyable and a nice value. While enjoyable now, it should continue to improve. 2005 Loxton Cellars Cabernet-Shiraz ‘Grandfather’s Cuvee’ This wine is a classic Australian Cabernet-Shiraz. 70% Cabernet and 30% Shiraz. Australians consider cabernet to be a donut wine; there is a whole in the middle that is filled by the shiraz. Smoke, leather and spice in the aroma. Herbs, spice, current with black fruit in the taste. As you can see there were some very similar wines and some that should be easily identifiable. The trouble is that when you get into a blind tasting everything that you think should be easy becomes more difficult. When you have the tasting notes it is like having the labels there. You can’t help but persuaded by the words, vintage and reputation of the wine. You might think this would be easier but I think I might have fared better without the notes to confuse me. In my defense, I have never claimed to be able to pick out a producer or a vintage or a producer & vintage. I’ve always claimed that I could pick out the varietal. Out of the 16 people there the best score was 3 out of 8. What did I get? I’m not telling but I was able to identify the wine I brought with me which is all I really care about. The next time you host a wine event make it blind tasting … you’ll find the results very interesting.    (hide)

  Forum post in the topic Blind Tasting by HondaJohn

  
  

• June 2008

  Blind Tasting Early on I had blogged about the responsibility of wine knowledge and how people rely on you for recommendations. I have found out the one thing that is even more nerve racking than making a recommendation on a good wine… that is trying to identify a wine when you... Read moreBlind Tasting Early on I had blogged about the responsibility of wine knowledge and how people rely on you for recommendations. I have found out the one thing that is even more nerve racking than making a recommendation on a good wine… that is trying to identify a wine when you can't see the label. Yes, that is right, the evil and frustrating blind tasting. A friend of mine hosted a wine gathering where each couple brought a bottle of wine. Each bottle was quickly wrapped in a brown paper bag and received a number as its only identification. Okay, this wasn't as bad as a pure blind tasting event as my friend had printed out, in advance, all the labels and tasting notes for each of the wines. So instead of a pure blind tasting we did a blind matching. In case you are wondering a pure blind tasting often requires that the tasters are given wine without any details and are expected to rate them quality. The idea is to determine the ‘best' wine based on its taste alone. Considering the broad spectrum of where wines can be from, blind tasting are often limited to one type of varietal, style or a region. For our event, the only rule was the wine had to be a red but could be from anywhere. Tasting notes were provided and the goal was to guess the wine based on the tasting notes. Below are the wines that we had tasted. 2003 Red Flyer, Red Blend This red is described as an inky-dark wine, with medium to full body, and a lot of spice. The bottle with its catchy label houses a robust, full bodied, country style wine that, at this price, can be a house red for barbecue and that sort of thing. It's totally dry, with plumy-coffee flavors and sturdy tannins. Out of this world!! Made up of Syrah, Mouvedre, Grenache, Carignan, and Clone X 2004 Sausal Family Zinfandel This estate red is produced from dry farmed vines that average 50 years of age. Following fermentation, the wine is aged twenty months in a combination of American and French oak barrels, adding complexity. The result is a soft and approachable red. 2005 Twelve Vineyards Yamhill-Carlton District Pinot Noir Another poor set (we were starting to believe it rains every year during bloom) resulted in our lowest yields ever. The year was a little cooler than 2004 and we picked right at our target sugar levels. The wine has higher acidity and slightly less alcohol which was very characteristic of the vintage, some of the angular edges had smoothed over. Another year of bottle age couldn't hurt. 2005 Joseph Phelps Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon The dark ruby-colored 2005 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon resembles a classic Bordeaux both in aromatics and flavor. A rich bouquet of cinnamon, spice, licorice, graphite and caramel are followed by integrated layers of cherry, currant, fresh cream and balanced, sweet tannin, all of which contribute to a youthful, bright, multi-layered wine. 2003 Frank Family Vineyards Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon The 2003 Frank Family Vineyard's Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon leads with generous aromas of dark chocolate black cherry and spice which are layered with dusty cedar and loam. The palate is vibrant and concentrated; bursting with ripe black cherries plum currant and blackberry which are balanced with well structured tannins providing a lasting grip while maintaining a refined elegance. 2003 Hess Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon It delivers keenly-defined cassis and black-plum fruit and picks up a nice boost in richness from its liberal oak. While it is well-balanced and fit with fairly trim tannins, it has the capacity to grow for a handful of years if left to age in the cellar. 2001 La Fiorita Laurus Toscana IGT 80% Sangiovese and 20% Merlot. Rich, deep red in color. More modern in style, but oak is not really apparent. Round tannins and nice acidity. Dark berries, black cherry, some spice, and a pleasant earthiness. Very enjoyable and a nice value. While enjoyable now, it should continue to improve. 2005 Loxton Cellars Cabernet-Shiraz ‘Grandfather's Cuvee' This wine is a classic Australian Cabernet-Shiraz. 70% Cabernet and 30% Shiraz. Australians consider cabernet to be a donut wine; there is a whole in the middle that is filled by the shiraz. Smoke, leather and spice in the aroma. Herbs, spice, current with black fruit in the taste. As you can see there were some very similar wines and some that should be easily identifiable. The trouble is that when you get into a blind tasting everything that you think should be easy becomes more difficult. When you have the tasting notes it is like having the labels there. You can't help but persuaded by the words, vintage and reputation of the wine. You might think this would be easier but I think I might have fared better without the notes to confuse me. In my defense, I have never claimed to be able to pick out a producer or a vintage or a producer & vintage. I've always claimed that I could pick out the varietal. Out of the 16 people there the best score was 3 out of 8. What did I get? I'm not telling but I was able to identify the wine I brought with me which is all I really care about. The next time you host a wine event make it blind tasting … you'll find the results very interesting.    (hide)

  From the article Blind Tasting

  
  

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