Crowley Wines, Four Winds Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley

Rose hips, wet autumn leaves, and cherry gastrique on the nose. High acidity with perfectly resolved tannins, excellent structure without any astringency. Restrained red fruit up front on the palate, followed by white pepper and woody herbs into a lingering, mineral finish. It's shocking how good this is. My first Crowley, but certainly not my last.

Two Great Under the Radar Willamette producers: Crowley and Granville (E&R Wines, Portland OR) : The nose is fresh and lifted with pretty tones of red berries, bing cherries, raspberries, violets, earth, spice cake, and a touch of nutmeg spices. There is good depth with an understated style that really draws you in. The Medium/full bodied feel is balanced and elegant with crisp, medium+ acidity and silky, medium tannins. This is a real pretty pinot that will benefit from a …