Oregon Pinot Noir: The Exceptional 2014s and Often Surprising 2013s

BY JOSH RAYNOLDS | DECEMBER 15, 2016

In the wine world, it is easy to become inured to vintage hype, but in 2014 the enthusiasm is warranted. Other than some rain early in the season that reduced fruit set in some vineyards, the growing season was pretty much a cakewalk, with hot, dry weather extending from July until the harvest. Thanks to the benign weather, producers were able to pick as they pleased and work with the fruit that they wanted, rather than deal with what Mother Nature handed them, which means were not forced to make harvesting decisions and winemaking adjustments that might not fit their personal styles. With the 2014s you’re going to taste winemakers’ Platonic Pinot Noirs—perfectly clear representations of their respective philosophies, albeit mostly emphatically fruit-driven wines from a warmer-than-average season.

A young, densely planted experimental site in the Maresh vineyard

If I had any initial trepidation regarding the 2014s, it was that the wines might be a bit too opulent, which has turned out to be the case for some of the ripe, fleshy 2012s. But as the ‘14s have evolved, they are generally showing a lively core of acidity that a number of 2012s lack, which gives them a more energetic, redder-fruit character than most 2012s show today. That’s by no means a knock on the ‘12s but rather an observation that those who fear that 2014 is simply a vintage of large-scaled fruit bombs are going to be pleasantly surprised—even thrilled, in most cases—by the wines’ energy and clarity. Note that a handful of top producers, including Belle Pente, Amalie Robert, Soter, Adelsheim, Shea, J.K. Carriere, Antica Terra, Ponzi, Domaine Serene and Eyrie, had not released their top 2014 bottlings by press time. Those wines will be covered next year.

The Often Overlooked 2013s