6 Oregon pinot noirs that stand out in a crowd
Updated Jan 30, 2021;
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By Michael Alberty | For The Oregonian/OregonLive
Have you ever been paralyzed with indecision by a store’s massive Oregon pinot noir section? I call it the “fog of noir.” With so many pinot options these days, ferreting out winners can be a daunting task.
That’s why I would like to draw your attention to six wines that deliver impressive quality for a fair price. If they are unfamiliar to you, make friends as soon as possible.
2018 Bow & Arrow Wines Willamette Valley Pinot Noir
Scott Frank of Bow & Arrow is a winemaker, DJ and easily the best air guitarist to ever graduate from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Washington. Frank claims “drinkability” for his house style, and this $20 pinot noir proves he knows what he is doing.
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Celebrity wine and spirit brands are now so ubiquitous they seem to be almost a rite of passage. For some, though, the stereotype of a vanity project doesn’t quite fit.
“We started our endeavor in the oldest way possible: We started in the dirt,” says former National Football League quarterback Drew Bledsoe. After his playing career ended, Bledsoe and his family returned to his hometown of Walla Walla, Wash., starting the aptly-named Doubleback Winery. “We purchased a piece of land and planted vines. Our kids actually helped plant vines with us back in 2007.”
Bledsoe, who played 14 seasons in the NFL, mostly with the New England Patriots, admits a bit of name recognition is helpful to the cause. “But that isn’t what this project is about,” he says. “We have always shied away from the ‘celebrity winery’ angle. My wife and I love wine, and the more we learned about the entire business, the more intriguing it became. Once we disco