Juicy blood orange, fallen leaves, crisp Bing cherry. Young boysenberry, ground nutmeg, ripe pomegranate. Effortlessly elegant waves of high toned fruit led by black raspberry, huckleberry, and currants crash in with lifted and layered beauty as complex natural tones of forest floor, tree bark, and pine wood pleasantly complicate the vibrant display. Notes of blooming rose, lavender, and carnations softly emerge to bolster aromatics with pretty floral overtones enhanced in their beauty by wafts of cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and a range of holiday spices. Suggestions of loamy earth and marine sedimentary soils round out the attack with understated flecks of terroir that do not detract from the pure and radiant fruit. Tremendously expressive and attention-grabbing on the nose while remaining quite restrained and balanced on the palate; exhibiting a complex and multidimensional profile that is tart, fresh, and juicy yet still unquestionably serious and ageworthy. Medium bodied with elevated silky tannin cut by bright acidity. This 2018 Marshall Davis Vineyard Pinot Noir by Marshall Davis Wine classic and captivating red from Yamhill-Carlton.

Although Oregon's Willamette Valley is home to a wide range of Pinot Noir that is shaped into a myriad of different wine styles, few would argue that this region produces some of the most classic and Burgundian examples of this variety outside of Burgundy itself. This bottling, crafted by Marshall Davis Wine using Pinot Noir grown at their eponymous estate vineyard in Yamhill-Carlton, is an outstanding example of the combination of complexity and restraint that Oregon Pinot is uniquely capable of capturing. This wine gently yet expressively exudes a range of tart red and black berry fruits seasoned with pretty forest notes, lifted florals, delicate spice tones, and subtle earthiness. While extremely delicious at its current stage this possesses the structure to age effortlessly for a decade or more, and would make an interesting candidate to follow as it matures. Outstanding.