United States Pinot Noir

Organic/Bio While Stephen Hagen and his team are fine winemakers, the real story here is winegrowing. Stephen’s unique “grazing based viticulture” replaces herbicides, mowing, plowing and fertilizers with something... Read More

Organic/Bio There’s something wild going on in Stephen Hagen’s Willamette Valley vineyard, and the 2023 Juel Pinot Noir is a great way to get a taste of what grazing based viticulture delivers. Stephen replaces herbicides,... Read More

Organic/Bio There’s something joyfully incongruous about a bearded outdoors guy who wears flannel, farms his vineyard with horses, chickens, sheep, geese and (his own) children, and waxes on passionately about the quality... Read More

Organic/Bio The edges of Antiquum Farm’s “Big Field” vineyard are kind of the far edge of what Pinot Noir can do. The winemaking is simple enough – fully de-stemmed fruit, open top fermenters, a bit of... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV If you think this is impressive right now (and it is!), just wait until you give it some time in decanter or a year or two in cellar. Plenty of succulent fruit but also amazing old-vine intensity from a large... Read More

Organic/Bio Always one of Oregon's finest, the 2022 Casteel Pinot is also remarkably open, delicious and ready to enjoy. As Wine Advocate says in the 96 point rave, intoxicating scents of pomegranate liqueur, blackberry jam,... Read More

There aren’t a lot of “great” California Pinot Noirs at this price point; this is one of them. From a vineyard at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains first planted in 1910 and then replanted with cuttings from... Read More

One of the longest-running high-quality “value” Pinots we know of. As Robert Parker said of the 2013 edition: An authentic tasting Pinot Noir that sells for a song. Aromas of sweet red and black cherry fruit intermixed... Read More

Pinot from Carneros, at the southern end of Napa/Sonoma, gives a distinctive blend of freshness (from the cold bay nearby) and heft (from the clay-rich soils). This is a great example, serving up bold black cherry and blackberry... Read More

Brick & Mortar is really a California sparkling house, meaning they grow a lot of cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. When Pinot gets a bit too ripe for fizz, it’s perfect for elegant, pure, juicy still wines like this... Read More

Organic/Bio Lower ABV A great example of a quality Pinot Noir from the Eola-Amity region when put in the hands of iconic winemaker Steve Doerner, pioneer of whole cluster ferments in Oregon. Cristom Vineyards predominately works... Read More

This tiny Sonoma producer doesn’t put much of the 600 cases they made of this into retail, so jump on the chance to try their very elegant, pure, Pinot while you can! As Wine Enthusiast says in the 93 point review, “As... Read More

This 15 acre vineyard was planted in 2001 and purchased by Joe and Pat Campbell in 2009 where they built a home – and a clay tennis court. The east-facing Pommard and Dijon 115 vines give a terrific blend of rich red fruit... Read More

Pat and Joe Campbell planted this site in 1985 from Estate Vyd cuttings and named it for the favorite Puccini opera of the folks who sold them the land. Silky and lush are always apt descriptors for La Boheme Pinot Noir's... Read More

Lower ABV A deeply fruited Pinot that invites solo sipping and has the minerality and structure to shine with salmon, mushrooms and roasted birds. It’s mostly Chehalem Mountain fruit with around 25% from Ribbon Ridge and... Read More

Critic Antinio Galloni drank this at dinner in July 2024; his 96 point review: Foxen is one of my favorite producers in Santa Barbara. Their 2019 Pinot Noir Bien Nacido Vineyard Block 8 is stellar. What a wine. Deep and wonderfully... Read More

Willy Gianopulos has been growing Pinot on the Laurelwood soils of the Chehalem Mountains since 1988 and making his own wine since 1998. With a winemaking heritage from his family in Greece, a chemical engineering degree from... Read More

The vines Jim Maresh planted on their own roots back in 1970 is today arguably the best, and certainly one of the most important, vineyards in the Dundee Hills. Jim’s grandson uses almost all the fruit for his Arterberry... Read More

Ken’s signature wine and, arguably, Willamette Valley’s signature vineyard. Wine Advocate has suggested that Shea is the Willamette Valley’s one potential “superstar” vineyard and Ken makes the benchmark... Read More

Organic/Bio One of the most popular – and fine value – Willamette Valley Pinots for years, Thea’s showcases deep fruit and herbal, smoky, complexity. As Vinous says in their 92 point review, “A smoky blend... Read More

Excellent value in right down the middle Willamette Valley Pinot Noir. The whole valley is represented here, with fruit from Cascade Foothills, Corvallis, Carlton, Amity and Laurelwood, all aged in old oak. Shows more fresh, crisp,... Read More

Corine Vyd (called Olenik through 2018) sits just down the hill from Lia’s and right beyond the boundary Ribbon Ridge in the Chehalem Mountain AVA. It's in the middle of a south-facing hillside with this block near the... Read More

Unique among wines in the Patricia Green Cellar, this is a barrel selection - vs a single vineyard wine - that's made with extra lees contact and aged in 100% new French oak. In 2021, seven of 15 barrels came from the Estate... Read More

For me, volcanic soil Pinot is always a unique blend of dark red fruit - raspberry, cherry - with dark, dusky, notes of smoke and toasted spice. In 2022 you find all of that but also a bigger sense of freshness and verve to play... Read More