We stopped by at Cameron on Sunday and tasted through all the wines they were offering. I went in with the idea of buying some Dundee Hills Chardonnay, and ended up walking out with a bunch of other stuff instead.
To me, the wine that really stood out was the 2010 Abbey Ridge Pinot. I was set to pick up the 2010 Arley’s Leap (not released yet, but available at the Open House), but the regular Abbey Ridge was so intense/concentrated, yet so balanced, I decided it was worth stepping up. I wrote about the 2010 Clos Electrique Blanc earlier, and that opinion still stands - a great wine both for current drinking and aging. The 2010 Abbey Ridge Chardonnay was really good as well, but I’d rather own the Clos Electrique.
I also bought my annual two bottles of 2008 Nebbiolo. I found this vintage to be a little more approachable than the last two years.
There is very little of any of these wines. John had buying limits on everything except the Arley’s Leap and the Dundee Hills Chard. I don’t think you can go wrong with any of them, but the Abbey Ridge Pinot and the Clos Electrique Blanc were, for me, the best.
Every year I wonder how you get over the reduction. How do you? He has this awesome status and when I taste his wines they are flawed. He has released wines that I would bulk out. What am I missing?
Flawed which way? Rick describes the Abbey Ridge in a manner that piques my interest. I’m interpreting it as fruit forward and approachable, vs. austere and give it 5 years to reveal fruit.
I tasted the Abbey Ridge, Arleys Leap, and 2011 Dundee Hills Chard last weekend at Mt Tabor (I was visiting friends for the weekend, and picked up a friends Thomas bottles, which I also tasted. I agree with Rick, tha Abbey Ridge is one outstanding bottle of wine. It was denser than other pinots I’ve had from him, but still well balanced and seemed light on the palate. Yes, fruit is there in spades, but I have no trouble seeing this aging great. For what it’s worth, the other Camerons and the Thomas were also excellent, and I am a perennial purchaser of all of the above.
Rick, thx for the notes (you too Adam). I have a few of the 2010 Abbey Ridge and Arley’s Leap on the way, great to hear some positives about the former. So wish I could hook up some of the Chard too.
Also worth noting (imho), the Abbey Ridge is 12.6% alcohol.
The reduction doesn’t linger like the bottles are corked. I have found reduction on pretty much every bottle I’ve had, & it always blows off with air & the bottles show beautifully. Abbey Ridge is indeed fantastic.
I agree that John has had an issue with reduction, mostly in the 1998 to 2000 vintages. I’ve particularly noticed a change in the last two or three years. Frankly the only vintage that I’ve found really off-putting is 2000, and those wines are a lot better now than they were five years ago. The other thing about John’s wines is that they have a distinctive texture that I find superior to anything else I’ve tasted in Oregon (some of Tony Rynder’s Domaine Serene wines were right there as well, but for more than twice the price). They also have a front to back seamlessness and balance that is exemplary. I like his wines, but I suspect that I’m looking for different things than you are. Hell, some people actually drink double IPAs…
Todd has a point and isn’t the only OR winemaker that’s said so. Rick, the reduction is an issue and extended well beyond 2000. I don’t get it much, if at all, in the Chards.
The funk fades with enough air time (and/or decanting, aeration). I’ve also noticed how bottle age tones it down. The Pinots are darned nice if you have patience. Haven’t had enough 2009 - 2011s to comment on their reduction.
The only Cameron wine I’ve had a seemingly incurable reduction problem with is the 2001 Abbey Ridge PN. I have one bottle left out of six and every one has been difficult. It has moderated with time, but last one opened about a year ago had strong reduction that took several hours to blow off. Other than this particular wine, I’ve had very few that I did not appreciate and consider at the top of the OR PN/Chard stack. I never had a 98 and don’t remember issues with the 2000?? In fact don’t remember anything about the 2000 even though I drank several . I just stocked up on the 2010 Clos and Abbey.
I have found the 2009’s to be reduced across the board and was pleased to find that the two 2010’s I’ve had (WV and Dundee Hills) didn’t show much/any reduction (I checked and my CT notes remark that there is a lack). I think Jay Somers learned his craft from John Paul and I’ve found several of his wines to be reduced. I’ve heard some folks refer wines that I find reduced to have “that Oregon Funk” and I’m always perplexed.
I tasted the 2009 abbey ridge Pinot recently and didn’t notice any problem other than my opening it too young. What kind of reductive aromas/flavors have others encountered?
This is one of many wine discussion quagmires; what are we all talking about when we use terms we adopted from others? To my mind, “Oregon Funk” has little or nothing to do with reduction. There are plenty of Calif syrahs that hit the market in a state of reduction. They don’t have “Oregon Funk”. Alban funk, maybe, but not Oregon funk. Belle Pente, Brick House, and Evesham Wood wines on occasion demonstrate plenty of what I call “Oregon Funk” and they are not reduced. The J. Christophers I’ve had (quite a few-great producer!) have not showed reduction.
I’d be interested to know what wines you’ve tasted and how well aged they have been. I just tasted a few of his Chards 97,97,88 and some of his older Pinots 90,91, and 95. His wines are divine and the Chards are IMHO some of the best made this side of the pond.
Funny, I think I’m pretty sensitive to reduction, but I buy up and down the Cameron lineup every year and it’s not something I’ve noticed at least as far back as 2002.
Todd or the other winemakers, does reduction manifest itself in different ways? I don’t get the burnt match or rubber out of Cameron at all. Nor is there an overriding character that masks everything else, which are the traits I usually associate with reduction.
To me, reduction from OR Pinot often smells more like rotten eggs or sewage than burnt match or rubber. Truth be told, I have noted this in Cameron, most recently from the 2009 Arley’s Leap.
The worst reduction in an OR Pinot that I can recall was from a 2006 Elk Cove Pinot…it was downright revolting.
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. I just stocked up on the 2010 Clos and Abbey.![[drinkers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/82916bed5ad74ac8470bc04089d9758b0c80c9fa.gif "drinkers"){kind=small}