2008 Evesham Wood Pinot Noir Cuvee J
Somewhat reminiscent of the 2008 Illahe…except with more of everything. It starts out fairly tight and stingy. Underbrush, loam, mushrooms, baking spice, subtle fir with a rich layered fruit profile…black cherries, raspberry jam, strawberries and cranberries. Vibrant fruit attack. Quite structured and still grippy. The tannins haven’t relaxed enough while the acidity effectively guides the presentation. Honestly…this probably needs another 5 years. So much for the OR Pinot 10 year aging rule of thumb. It feels like it wants to be elegant but can’t help showing the muscles of the vintage. Some decent legs streaming down the glass. Best to drink at cellar temps < 65f. There’s something reminiscent of ripe vintage Cote de Nuits…Morey perhaps.
RT
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Nice note on the Evesham. Always one of our must stops when we are near Salem. Tasting room manager Chris is first rate and the wines/prices are excellent.
Thanks for the note. I bought 1 bottle when I was in OR many years ago. Quite pleased to find it at retail. I will let it sleep more.
Quite tasty but still structured on night 2. Needs more rest. I stocked up on Erin’s Pinots in 2010, 2011 and 2017. Some big gaps but you can’t buy every vintage across the board! Hopefully the 2017 Cuvee J doesn’t require 15 more years.
RT
Thanks for the note. We opened a 2017 Cuvee J at some point before the holidays last year. Young and tight and really no development with the leftovers a few days later. I should have decanted it, but it was a last second decision. I would guess that the 2017 will be at its best in 15-20+ years. For reference, we opened a 2002 or 2004 Cuvee J around the same time and it was nearing peak. Sorry, I was unable to find photos or better tasting notes, but I may have posted about the older Cuvee J in another thread.
James
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