Some evenings stand out more than others, as per life. Yesterday happened to be one of the more novel ones.
Carey brought me on a walk in the woods to her special spot to observe snow melt progress and assess the vigorousness of the creek behind the house. The snow is now, thankfully, patchy in some places. Where the snow remains, one requires boots. Where the snow is no longer, one also requires boots. The mud is amazingly gushy ushy and can consume an untied Bean boot.
We attempted to dam the creek with big blocks of wet snow mashed under foot. We succeeded, and watched the stream swell for a while before breaking it down sending a torrent to wash away the neighbor’s house. I spent my childhood off the North side of the house damming this stream’s sister creek, so I could stock it with salamanders. Every summer. I even named it: Lake Vancomycin—named after an antibiotic I was familiar with at the time. I was a cool kid.
{Carey’s brilliant Brazilian chicken with coconut milk, definitely try this.}
From my tasting notebook:
Classic Willamette Pinot Noir color. Sparkling core, ruby and transparent, which fans out in rosy tones and fades to salmon at the rim. With a sniff and a glance, Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is sometimes the easiest wine in the world to identify. Not only is it from a region home to only one prominent red grape varietal, but it carries distinct characteristics of place and stylistic nuances that become easy to identify.
The nose is stellar, and the palate stands out for its gentle drinkability. Strawberry, cherry candy and shortcake, rhubarb and intense rose petal. Enjoy a baseline spiciness on the palate that incorporates hints of tea, cider and apricot.
This wine succeeds at representing a wine-producing region truthfully. I say this specifically because it’s one of the few widely available Oregon Pinot’s sourced entirely from the Willamette Valley—and if you’re lucky, you can get it for under $20. By default Argyle’s entry Pinot Noir has introduced many wine drinkers to Oregon—that is one of the reasons I was excited to review it.
Enjoy!
-Rob.
p.s. Check out allrecipes.com for the chix recipe.
p.p.s Thanks to Cami for the amazing chairs! I love them!
I’m going to look for this wine ASAP! Lake Vancomycin…you’re killing me.
that was a nice post…
I fell in love with Oregon Pinots after sharing a bottle of Patricia Green with a best friend. Now every time I see an Oregon Pinot, it is my #1 choice! I have seen the Argyle but with a big price tag. Under $20 – score. Thanks for your wonderful notes, as always! xo Samantha
Thanks so much for the comment! You have to let me know if you have any OR recommendations—I am always looking for new ideas. I agree with the Pat Green. Her stuff is incredible. I know it’s expensive but the Domaine Serene Yamhill Cuvée is incredible for a special occasion. At about $35 it is pricey, but I’ve tasted many Pinots at twice the price when I was out in OR that were in the same boat. Also, if you ever want to join a wine club, Vista Hills is a great play. I’ve written about them a bunch if you want to know more. -Rob.
Wow!
Just stumbled onto your blog, and I am super stoked!
The pictures are beautiful!
I just tried the 2009 Agryle Nuthouse Pinot Noir the other day. Loved it! Blogged about it here… http://stay-rad.com/2011/10/13/going-sideways-the-ultimate-2-hour-pinot-noir-tasting/