Prince of Wine » Oregon

iPOW- Et Fille Winery- 2008 Oregon Pinot Noir

princeofwine — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 08:55:22 +0000

Howard and Jessica Mozeico are the father / daughter team behind the beautifully named artisan Oregon winery Et Fille ( “with daughter” in French). Jessica flew down to San Diego and I had a chance to taste her wines and do a quick video interview on my iPhone (OK it is just the 3Gs and I have not upgraded to the iPhone 4 … wine antenna anybody?). Jessica with father (et le Père…alright Et Fille sounds better) have just celebrated their 6th release with the 2008 offerings of Pinot Noir wines sourced from select growers as well as their own and very Burgundian tiny estate of 1 acre. The 2008 Vintage in Oregon is being heralded as outstanding due to a late yet long growing season. Besides the 2008 Pinot Noir wines, the winery also released a crisp yet bright 2008 Viognier from the Deux Vert Vineyard. 144 cases, about $24 Retail, POW 88. Plus a tiny amount (24 cases) of 2008 Rose of Pinot Noir, of which a sample bottling did not make it on the plane, no doubt since Jessica is hoarding the whole lot as she made it sans Dad. She calls it her baby: Fille’s Fille!

Here is the rundown on the 2008 Et Fille Pinot Noirs followed by my POW rating based on the 100 point scale:

2008 Et Fille Willamette Valley Pinot Noir: A blend of grapes sourced from 7 vineyards, the wine exhibits aromas of freshly picked mulberries and has a round texture with bright fruit and subtle acidity. Barrel aged for 9 months (21% new), alcohol 13.1%, 931 cases made., about $25 Retail. POW 89

2008 Et Fille Maresh Vineyard Pinot Noir: This Vineyard was originally planted by Jim Maresh in the Dundee Hills on lava soil and has produced legendary Pinot Noir for more than thirty years. This wine builds up its profile in the glass and gives you measured bits of fruit and tannins in an elegant yet complex package. Bravo for the relatively low alcohol level at 12.9%. Barrel aged for 9 months (40 % new). about $42 Retail. 100 cases made. POW 91

2008 Et Fille Kalita Vineyard Pinot Noir: There are moments when a certain wine makes a lasting impression and you remember the combination of aromas, flavors and finish for years after. I can recall clearly the 1961 La Tache, 1989 Chateau Beychevelle, 2004 Ambullneo Pinot Noir Canis Major and the 2005 Chateu Pavie Macquin St Emilion amongst a small handful of other great wines. This wine is hereby added to the gang, bravo Et Fille! Sourced from the Kalita Vineyard located in the Yamhill-Carlton district of Oregon, the wine’s fruit is delicate yet is underlain by a tightly wound acidity that delivers the exact doses of red berries and kumquat marmalade for a long pleasurable finish. Barrel aged for 9 months (42% new), alcohol 13.3%, 206 cases made., about $38 Retail. POW 93

For further details please visit the winery’s website at www.etfillewines.com

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
www.princeofwine.com

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Wine Review Short #7: 2006 Four Graces Pinot Noir Willamette Valley

princeofwine — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:28:19 +0000

The sustainable farming practices winery, Four Graces, produces a medium colored garnet wine that has aromas of red fruit, jam and spice. On the palate it has notes of plums, pitted fruit, spice and red sour candy! Medium to full body with a velvety mouth feel, nice acidity, well integrated tannins and a medium finish. Nice Effort!

For more information on the winery please visit: www.thefourgraces.com

POW 89

Walid Romaya
Prince of Wine
www.princeofwine.com

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Wine Glasses

princeofwine — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 08:00:32 +0000

I was invited last year to a ‘wine tasting glasses’ event held in San Diego by the glass firm Riedel. Six wine glasses were placed on the table of varying types, most were of great quality and of shapes that corresponded to the type of wine being poured. So a more bulbous shape for Pinot Noir and a deeper but squarer shape for a Chardonnay and so on. In addition a 16oz plastic cup was placed next to the glasses as well as a ‘normal’ tasting glass which is off course not made by Riedel.

It did not take much to escape the fact that the event was to showcase the great quality of Riedel wine glasses and how much wine glasses taste different using the dizzying variety of shapes they produce. Regardless of the commercial and promotional aspect of the event, the point was made that wine deserves to be poured in the RIGHT SHAPED WINE GLASS AND IN THE RIGHT AMOUNT. A Reserve quality Cabernet Sauvignon (that name was not given as this was wine glass tasting not wine tasting)tasted bland and odorless in a plastic cup. In a regular and small universally shaped wine glass of the kind used by many restaurants, the wine showed hints of life and form but for the most part it lacked any depth. Once poured into a proper and larger glass with no more than a 1/3 rd of the glass filled in, the wine showed remarkable nose and character. It is as though the wine was completely different. Bottom line is it pains me greatly when I go to an event or go out for dinner at a restaurant and the glasses being used are inadequate and the wine is filled to the top. When the wine glass is too full, you cannot swirl the wine adequately to release the aromas and I have had many occasions when the swirling wine launches itself in a trajectory out of the glass! As for the Reidel team, wine glass making can get a bit too far when Mr. Riedel himself announced at the event that they polled Oregon Pinot Noir winemakers about the kind of glass that showcases the unique aspects of their wines and hence launched a glass just for the specific purpose of drinking Oregon Pinot Noir.

That is over the top and too much in the other extreme. Until you can discern the difference, I want you to assert your wine glass rights and insist that your wine is poured in the right glass and in the right amount.

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