4 | Wine | Oregon | Page 13

"An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes candied cherry and black raspberry, with musky herb and dried rose nuances. Sappy, penetrating red and dark berry flavors show very good intensity and pick up subtle cola and sassafras qualities with air. Finishes smoky and very long, with resonating spiciness and lingering mocha and cola notes."

"Like all of his 2010 Pinots, bottled in January - early by Maresh's standards - the 2010 Pinot Noir Maresh Vineyard takes us into a realm of high-toned red berry; mysterious underbrush; noble fungus; meat stock; and overall elegance fondly reminiscent of great Volnay. Piquant fruit pit and mouthwatering salinity lend a goosebump-inducing degree of invigoration to this satiny, sleek, ravishingly long Pinot that kept revealing new nuances and deeper, multi-faceted sweetness as it took on air. I suspect this will have a 12-15 year run and become a yet more profoundly satisfying along the course."

"Ripe, round and vivid, offering a checkerboard of spicy cherry, mint and dark chocolate flavors that wind their way past refined tannins and linger on the open, harmonious finish."

"An unpretentious, utterly dry and serious rosé. It’s fashioned in the manner of a turn-of-the-century rosé Champagne, with no bubbles, a slight spritz and a luscious ripe sip-of-summer taste."

"The 2011 Brittan Vineyard Pinot Noir is an intense, dark, rich yet silky Pinot Noir. On the nose, stony minerality envelops aromas of crushed blueberries, blackberries, dried cherries and allspice. The bright palate is rich with blueberries, cranberry, chocolate covered cherries and licorice. Slate minerality persists on the extremely long finish."