Oregon Red

92 Points - Wine Advocate, October 2008
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Reserve is medium ruby-colored. Its superb bouquet is already complex with notes of spice box, earth notes, cherry, and raspberry. This leads to a smooth textured, elegant, ripe wine with vibrant acidity for the vintage and excellent overall balance. Drink this outstanding effort over the next eight years. While the focus of this report is on 2006 Pinot Noir, it is undeniable that Argyle Winery is producing among the best sparkling wines made in the USA and they cannot be ignored. Argyle is also the hangout of veteran vigneron Rollin Soles who knows as well as anyone what’s happening in the Oregon wine scene. Argyle’s Pinot Noirs have a bit more competition than the Sparkling Wines but they have been up to the challenge for quite some time." -Jay Miller

94 Points - Wine Advocate, October 2008
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Spirithouse Knudsen Vineyard is medium/dark ruby with a splendid aromatic array of mineral, earth, cedar, spice box, and red and black fruits, Silky smooth, layered, bordering on opulent, and very sexy, this Pinot Noir will evolve for 2-3 years and be at its best from 2010 to 2018. While the focus of this report is on 2006 Pinot Noir, it is undeniable that Argyle Winery is producing among the best sparkling wines made in the USA and they cannot be ignored. Argyle is also the hangout of veteran vigneron Rollin Soles who knows as well as anyone what’s happening in the Oregon wine scene. Argyle’s Pinot Noirs have a bit more competition than the Sparkling Wines but they have been up to the challenge for quite some time." -Jay Miller

87 Points- Wine Enthusiast
"Definitely on the light side, this snappy young wine has a lot of appeal. It's racy and bright, mixing raspberry and cranberry fruit with an earthy base of clay and sod. Additional, unusual flavors of spiced meat come in towards the finish, which slows good persistence." -P.G.

"On the nose, there is an immediate burst of bright, fresh red fruits, including strawberry and raspberry, followed by an earthy quality. On the palate, the wine has fine texture, soft tannins, good acidity and a strong core of fruit. It is a wine that offers immediate pleasure, on its own, or better yet, in the company of a delicious meal. All in all, the 2007 is classic Pinot Noir." -The Winery

"Grown in Oregon and made with with organically grown grapes. This wine is 100% Organic. Concentrated with wild-cherry flavor with soft, distinctive layers throughout the sip. This complex red is suitable for plank-seared salmon, delicate beef and turkey." -The Winery

89 Points - Wine Spectator, July 2010
"Light and airy, with a welcome transparency to the raspberry and cherry flavors, hinting at tobacco and mineral as the finish lingers delicately. Drink now through 2013." -Harvey Steiman

Rating and Review for Previous Vintage:

87 Points - Wine Advocate, October 2008
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Willamette Valley (this cuvee accounts for 85% of the winery’s production) is medium/dark ruby with aromas of spice box, raspberry, and cherry. This is followed by a ripe, flavorful, sweetly-fruited wine with no hard edges. This medium-long, easy going effort will provide pleasure over the next four years. Elk Cove’s first vintage was in 1977 and they were the eighth bonded winery in Oregon’s new era. They produce a full range of wines but the focus is Pinot Noir."

88 Points - Wine Spectator, December 2008
"Light and crisp, with currant and floral aromas and flavors that pick up a bit more steam as they develop in the mouth, lingering nicely. Drink now through 2012. 92,000 cases made." -Harvey Steiman

Rating and review for previous vintage:

92 Points - Wine Advocate, October 2008
"The 2006 Pinot Noir Estate was aged entirely in seasoned oak. It is light ruby-colored with a lovely bouquet of cherry and wild strawberry. This leads to a velvety textured, elegant wine with savory red fruits, spice, excellent concentration and a fruit-filled finish. The wine’s impeccable balance may allow for further development in the bottle but it can be enjoyed now. Achieving this level of elegance in a vintage like 2006 is a singular accomplishment." - Jay Miller

91 Points - Wine Spectator, December 15, 2008
"This is velvety, showing beautifully ripe flavors that focus into a lovely beam of blackberry and red plum fruit, nicely defined and lingering effortlessly on the deftly balanced finish. Drink now through 2014. 982 cases made." -HS

90 points - Wine Enthusiast, December 2008
“…this elegant release emphasizes aromas of pungent herbs, lifted with hints of rose petal and briary berry. In the mouth there is a lively, sappy, fruit-centric focus, showing concentrated raspberry flavors. In short, a thoroughly delicious bottle that makes the case for blends over most single-vineyard offerings in Oregon. –P.G.

89 points - Wine Advocate, October 2008
"The Pinot Noir portfolio begins with the entry-level 2006 Pinot Noir Thea’s Selection. Medium ruby-colored, it exhibits a nose of earth notes, cherry, and raspberry. Supple-textured and easy-going, the wine is well-balanced, lengthy, and has no hard edges. Drink it over the next four years. Lemelson Vineyards is certified organic which encompasses six estate vineyards and 120 producing acres. All of the wines are fermented with native yeasts." -Jay Miller