Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir Estate

Popped & poured without decanting. Light bodied..smooth but no real fruit or undertones really showing....not especially impressive but wonder if an hour of decanting might have improved the product?

Cristom, St. Innocent, Johan Vineyards (Eola-Amity/Willamette Valley, OR) : Much improved since the last time I had this over a year ago. Today I get some soft green aromas, though there is some light red fruit poking through. The palate is really nice though, with impressive, almost Burgundian texture. Silky, with perhaps some stemminess and light red berry flavors. The finish kicks hard with vibrant acidity and stemminess on the finish. It builds and lingers really nicely... lots of little …

This is a very nice, easy drinking wine for current consumption, and good value. Has the smoke and raspberries typical of the site, and drinks very well right now.

Tasting in the Eola Amity AVA (Willamette Valley) : The nose smells like cleaning supplies, again quite green, along with some oak. Better, brighter fruit present on the mid-palate, with some spice, and the green does appear a bit. Spicy, nice candied red fruits on the finish.

Wow... what a step up from the 2006 vintage!! I almost didn't opt for these after finding last year's bottling to be too big for my palate, more like an alcoholic CA Pinot. But this is a pretty wine. Even in the glass, I thought it would be better, and it was. Some nose and palate of greeness...don't know if there are stems here...but it is nice, adding more interest and complexity. Very very nice wine. Elegant and classy.