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2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir- Judge's Pick in Sip Northwest

2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir- Judge's Pick in Sip Northwest

For their Best of the Northwest Awards Issue, Sip Northwest organized a blind tasting with regional wine professionals and our 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir was named a Judge's Pick!

2017 Pinot Gris Wins Double Gold

Double Gold for Pinot Gris

Out of all Pinot Gris entries, our 2017 Pinot Gris took the top spot in Sip Northwest's Annual Awards Issue: Best of the Northwest. Sip Northwest gathered regional wine professionals for a blind tasting and here's their review:

"Here's an effortlessly versatile and perfectly food-friendly white wine. This Gris lifts with aromas of lemon verbena, green apple and honeysuckle. A delicious core of melon, peaches and a hint of lemon peel round out the palate. Art fans take note: The label artwork is by Willamette Valley-based Jane Aukshunas, known for her oil pastel pieces." 

TOP 100 WINE: Pike Road 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir!

 

         

We're very proud to announce that our 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir has made the list: out of all the wines submitted and reviewed by Wine & Spirits Magazine over the past year, they've chosen our wine as one of the "100 Best Buys of 2018":

"If you're looking to get the most for your money at the wine store here's your list. These 100 wines performed at the top of their class, regionally or by variety, whether that's Willamette chardonnay or grand cru Burgundy--and yet they're priced wll below the majority of their competitors."

So what does Wine & Spirits have to say about our Pinot Noir?

"An inviting pinot from multiple valley sources, this is as fruity as a bowl of strawberries, with a succulence and generosity that's impressive at the price. 91 POINTS" - Wine & Spirits August, 2018

 

Blue Reviews in Tasting Panel Magazine Reviews Our Wines

 

 

Prestigious wine reviewer Anthony Dias Blue has reviewed our Single Vineyard Pinot Noir with some fantastic results:

92 POINTS - 2016 Fairsing Pinot Noir

"Smooth and clean; juicy, deep, and savory with pleasing notesof earth, ripe cherry and soft spice; long, complex, and balanced."

93 POINTS - 2016 Shea Pinot Noir

"Ultra smooth and velvety; lush, rich and juicy with ripe cherry fruit; elegant and balanced, long and generous."

91 POINTS - 2016 Xander Taryn Pinot Noir

"Dense and lush with smooth, rich texture; savory, deep and showing cherry fruit; long, ripe and balanced."

93 POINTS - 2016 Zenith Pinot Noir

"Deep and bright ruby color; crisp, smooth and fresh with tangy cherry fruit; juicy, bright and long with excellent balance."

These reviews may stand alone or be accompanied by tasting notes in either Tasting Panel Magazine or the Somm Journal.

THE TASTING PANEL's Editor-in-Chief, Anthony Dias Blue, is the recipient of a 2001 James Beard Foundation Award. His wine reviews are featured in Tasting Panel Magazine, the Somm Journal, at bluelifestyle.com and on the "Blue Lifestyle Minute" radio program.

The Tasting Panel magazine is the most widely circulated trade publication in the beverage industry.

 

Robert Parker scores our 2016 Pinot Noirs

The August 2018 Robert Parker included some great reviews for Pike Road Pinot Noirs with 92 points awarded to our Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir and 90 points for our flagship Willamette Valley Pinot Noir!

Here are the reviews:

2016 Pinot Noir

"90 POINTS. Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir gives up warm black cherries and blackcurrants on the nose with tilled earth and potpourri notions. Light to medium-bodied, it offers good concentration of black fruits in the mouth, with fine-grained tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing long with some spicy accents. Delicious and a great value." - Erin Brooks

Also noteworthy is the reviews for our 2016 Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs:

2016 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir

"92 POINTS. Pale to medium ruby-purple in color, the 2016 Pinot Noir Shea Vineyard has wild blackberries and black cherries on the nose with great floral perfume and earthy touches of mushroom and wet leaves. Light to medium-bodied, it has great concentration of warm black fruits in the mouth with touches of violet and cardamom, a good frame of grainy tannins and juicy, mouthwatering acidity, finishing very long with earthy/spicy accents." - Erin Brooks

 

2016 Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir

"90 POINTS. The 2016 Pinot Noir Zenith Vineyard is pale to medium ruby-purple in color with a nose of warm black cherries, boysenberry preserves, tilled soil, raspberry leaves and violets. Light to medium-bodied, it gives good concentration of black and blue fruits in the mouth, with firm tannins and mouthwatering acidity, finishing long and spicy."- Erin Brooks

2016 Fairsing Vineyard Pinot Noir

"89+ POINTS. Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir Fairsing Vineyard is a little youthfully shy on the nose, opening to black fruits, dried blue flowers and notions of tilled earth. Light to medium-bodied and black fruited in the mouth,it has firm, grainy tannins and good freshness, finishing long." - Erin Brooks

 

2016 Xander Taryn Pinot Noir

"89 POINTS. Pale to medium ruby-purple, the 2016 Pinot Noir Xander Taryn Vineyard gives dried red and black cherries on the nose with notions of tilled soil and wet leaves. Light to medium-bodied, it's black fruited in the mouth with firm, grainy tannins and good freshness, finishing long with earthy accents." - Erin Brooks

 

Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs score big in Wine Enthusiast

Check out these fantastic scores awarded to our Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs. We are so proud of our winemakers for their consistent hard work: all four of these wines received the benchmark 90 points or higher. These reviews will post in October, 2018.

92 POINTS & Cellar Selection 2016 Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir

"This new label from Elk Cove's Adam Campbell introduced a Shea Vineyard designate in 2015, and follows it up with this cellar-ready 2016. A dried mushroom note highlights elegant raspberry fruit with a sense of precision throughout. There's a whiff of steel and the impression of compact tension suggests that this wine will age for at least a decade. Drink now–2030." - Paul Gregutt

91 POINTS 2016 Xander Taryn Vineyard Pinot Noir

"An herbal thread runs through this young wine, part of a series of single-vineyard selections from this new label owned by Elk Cove's Adam Campbell. The ripe cherry fruit stands firm and is complemented with the dried herbs, as well as a dusting of coffee grounds and powdered chocolate." - Paul Gregutt

91 POINTS 2016 Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir

"There's a rock-solid feel to the midpalate of bold blackberry and black-cherry fruit. It's annotated with scents and flavors of cut tobacco, and the crisp acids add an impression of wet stone and lemon meringue. Nicely nuanced, yet strong winemaking is on display here." - Paul Gregutt

90 POINTS 2016 Fairsing Vineyard Pinot Noir

"A new label from Elk Cove's Adam Campbell, Pike Road features a number of single-vineyard designates from some of the most desirable sites in the Willamette Valley. The Fairsing brings raspberry jam, milk chocolate and a smooth mocha finish. Tannins add slightly dusty highlights to the overall creamy mouthfeel." - Paul Gregutt

Way to go Heather & Adam! We knew these wines were good, but it's great to see that an outside judge agrees with us on the consistent quality of our Single Vineyard Pinot Noir wines.

Top Scores for Pike Road Pinot Noirs!

Check out these fantastic scores awarded to Pike Road wines by Wine & Spirits. Not only did we get a Best Buy for both our flagship 2015 Black Label Pinot Noir and our 2016 Pinot Gris, but our Single Vineyard Pinot Noirs showed extremely well with a whopping 93 points for our Fairsing Vineyard Pinot Noir.

93 POINTS Pike Road 2016 Yamhill-Carlton Fairsing Vineyard Pinot Noir $50.00   

"A wine with many lives, this pinot starts out broad and suave as milk chocolate; with air, the shy plum and black cherry fruit comes forward, and by day two, savory flavors join in the delicate weave. The fine tannins keep the wine restrained and elegant, and suggest this has much more to say with time. Let it evolve in the cellar."

92 POINTS Pike Road 2016 Eola-Amity Hills Zenith Vineyard Pinot Noir $50.00

"This has a spice and a smokiness that feels sharp at first pour; but with air, the wine's black cherry and raspberry fruit emerges, and the savory notes become a wheaty, spicy accent. It's on point for duck confit."    

91 POINTS Pike Road 2015 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir $20.00  (Best Buy)

"An inviting pinot from multiple valley sources, this is as fruity as a bowl of strawberries, with a succulence and generosity that's impressive at the price."

91 POINTS Pike Road 2016 Yamhill-Carlton  Shea Vineyard Pinot Noir $50.00 

"As dark as is typical for Shea pinot, this is smoky and deep in its notes of plum, lavender, oak and mulling spice. Through this dark lens, a red beam of fruit provides layers and lift. Give it time for the fruit to meld with the structure, then serve with Cantonese smoked chicken." 

89 POINTS Pike Road 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris $16.00  (Best Buy)

"Scents of lemon and white appletake on a green and mildly phenolic tone with air, bringing to mind wild fennel and sorrel. The flavors are bright and light, dry enough for roast Oysters."

These reviews posted in the August 2018 edition of Wine & Spirits Magazine and at wineandspiritsmagazine.com.

89 Points for our 2015 Chardonnay

Our 2015 Chardonnay was awarded 89 points by Wine Enthusiast Magazine:

"This wine's strong mint scent catches your attention immediately, and that quality carries onto the palate.  Quince, pineapple and lemon flavors keep it interesting and on the light side of ripe. There's a touch of spice on the finish." - Paul Gregutt

This review posted in the February, 2018 issue of the magazine.

90 Points In Wine Enthusiast For Our 2016 Pinot Gris

We've been honored with a 90 point score for our 2016 Pinot Gris from Wine Enthusiast:

"From Elk Cove's sister label, this incorporates a fair amount of estate fruit and it's very well-made for its everyday price. Delicately fruity and vibrant, it's packed with apple, pear, nectarine and snappy grapefruit flavors. Drink over the next year or two, while it's at its freshest." - Paul Gregutt

This review posted in the February, 2018 edition of the magazine.

OUR PINOT GRIS WINS GOLD!

Our 2016 Willamette Valley Pinot Gris has been honored with a Gold Medal at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition!

The largest competition of American wines in the world names best American wines of 2018 After receiving 6,960 entries from 35 states across the country, the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition (SFCWC) has once again successfully narrowed thousands of wines down to an exclusive few.

A complete listing of the 2018 results, sortable by price point and category, can be found at winejudging.com. In the second week of January, 67 skilled judges from a variety of fields including trade, education, media, retail and hospitality traveled to the Cloverdale Citrus Fairgrounds in Sonoma County to determine the best wines in the USA. Utilizing an extensive process that divides the varietals into several categories and subcategories, the event gave the panels the chance to rate entries as Bronze, Silver, Gold or “Double Gold” (equivalent to a unanimous rating by all panel members).