Tart Bing Cherry, forest floor, fresh cranberry. Wild black raspberry, coriander seed, pomegranate husk. Underripe strawberry, cola essence, and crunchy rhubarb waft softly and elegantly over pine cones and raked leaves in a highly finessed and contemplative bouquet. Impressions of wildflowers, dried blood orange, and maturing rose further contribute to the delicate aromatics as bramble, soy sauce, and stems bring an enticing umami-infused natural edge. Cardamom and a dash of spice provide complimentary lift as notes of rust flakes and red earth leave a lasting impression of volcanic minerality. Impressively classic, complex, and restrained; undoubtedly focused on subtly over strength and balance over brawn. Medium in body with elevated tannin and bright acidity. This 2017 Chehalem Mountain Vineyard Pinot Noir by Failla Wines Oregon is an outstanding and exceptionally Burgundian red from the Willamette Valley.

Inspired by the world-class terroir and finesse-driven wines he witnessed pouring out of Oregon's Willamette Valley, luminary winemaker Ehren Jordan branched out from his typical California production and in 2016 created a formal Oregon offshoot to his well-known Failla label. This bottling, crafted by Failla Wines Oregon using Pinot Noir souced from the Chehalem Mountain Vineyard, wonderfully exemplifies the unique style of Pinot Ehren came to Oregon to pursue. While still quite young and structured this wine is already remarkably impressive, elegantly showcasing beautifully tart and delicate fruit married perfectly with pristine natural and earthy tones. It would be extremely forgivable to peg this as Burgundy in a blind tasting as its poise, precision, and expression of terroir are absolutely extraordinary. An incredible wine from a stellar producer.