TN: 2014 Cameron Pinot Noir Arley's Leap (USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills)

2014 Cameron Pinot Noir Arley’s Leap - USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills (7/25/2021)
This is excellent. Color is starting to take on a slightly browner hue but nothing smells or tastes out of place here. Really intriguing nose of ripe red cherry, sweet cocoa, black tea, and some gaminess. It’s just starting to pick up secondary complexity but the fruit is still dominant. Cameron’s signature to me, aside from the funk, is always the perfect balance of ripe red fruit and almost searing acidity. That’s certainly on display here. Intense, ripe red fruit that’s just so enjoyable to drink. Cameron is the master of Dundee Hills fruit in my opinion.

This is entering its drinking window and will probably improve over the next few years. No rush to open it but the fruit is fantastic right now. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

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I’ve never had this, but ordered four of the 2018 after Sec Wines posted a glowing description. By the sounds of your note, I should wait five years or so on those.

Cheers,
Warren

With the exception of the entry-level bottlings, I think Cameron wines need at least 5-7 years to start to show their stuff. I actually prefer the entry-level bottlings within 2-3 years of release because they have such great fruit. After that they start to lose the vibrancy but don’t pick up the same level of complexity you get in the Abbey Ridge, Clos Electrique, or Arley’s Leap.

The 2018s sound phenomenal and I plan to open my first 2018 Clos Electrique in 2023 or 2024.

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Recently a bottle of the 2017 was best on day 3 without re-corking on night 1

I drank a 2008 Arley’s in Feb 2020 and it was singing with many years ahead of it. I tend to only drink the top Cameron rouge cuvees (AR, CE, Arley’s & Massale) after 10+ years, but they will all go much longer. If you need a Cameron itch scratched earlier, that’s what the Reserve, DH, RR & Wv wines are for.