Today we review a 2007 Oregon pinot noir that will set you back $40.
So here we have Domaine Serene’s “Yamhill Cuvee” pinot noir. It costs $15 less than their Evenstad Reserve pinot, and guess what? It may be just as satisfying.
So what first hits you about the Yamhill Cuvee? Its aromas are lovely, but they won’t blow you away. Upon first taste, you will know that you are drinking a very good red wine, but no single flavor leaps out: dark red fruits, oak and a little bit of floral, a little bit of earthiness. The texture? Nice. Spicy? A bit, sure.
To be honest, nothing really leaps out. This is the kind of artistic offering that takes you beyond the normal reactions to wine. You vault over things like “hey, it tastes like blackberries and raspberries,” and you instead arrive at, “that’s it, I’m getting that used Ferrari,” or “where’s the laptop, I’m going to book tickets to China and walk the Great Wall,” or “let’s get drunk and fool around in the downstairs bathroom.” This wine doesn’t just taste good. It inspires.
Let it breathe for an hour, have it with some good cheese and light crackers, and buckle up — you’re going to be hit with a really fun, totally involving experience. So good that it’s hard for me to believe it costs only $40. This is the first wine I’ve awarded both a “Best Value” and a “Best of the Best” designation. I hope you get a chance to try it.
Highly recommended.
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