2014 Pinot Noir One

According to Brad McLeroy, the key to successful 2014s was managing to keep freshness in tandem with the wines’ natural tendency to go full throttle, ripeness-wise. McLeroy, who is a native of Kansas City, where he owned one of the region’s best wine shops, cut his winemaking teeth at Domaine Drouhin before establishing his own winery, which includes an 18-acre vineyard, along with his wife, Kathleen, in 2000. Kathleen’s family were original Oregon pioneers, arriving in the state by covered wagons in the late 1840s, and Ayres’ premier bottling, Pioneer, is named in honor of that heritage. Brad’s time at DDO shows clearly in his wines, which, like those of his former employer, showcase vibrant fruit along with the structure to age. New oak is used judiciously, and the wines will deliver great satisfaction to those with Old World, dare I say “Burgundian” palates, even in richer vintages such as 2014 and 2012. These ‘14s are true to the Ayres style, structure- and texture-wise, but with a bit more volume and forward fruit than in, for example, the 2013s, which are looking a bit wound up right now. My hunch is that this new set of wines will age nicely, but I’d err on the young side and drink them sooner for their generous fruit character.