Good Pinot, Easy on the Wallet; Some manage to achieve excellent values in Oregon
Oct .06 2009
Harvey Steiman, Oregon wine critic for Wine Spectator, recently credited Erath as one of the few wineries in Oregon that crafts excellent Pinot at a great price.
Below is an excerpt from Steiman’s WineSpectator.com blog article.
"How do you make 92,000 cases of very good Pinot Noir in Oregon? For Erath winemaker Gary Horner, the formula involves finding vineyards that produce decent flavors at relatively high yields, then babying the grapes into drinkable wines. And oh, by the way, blend in those barrels that don’t make it into the high-priced cuvées to flesh out the final wine.
In a state that averages less than 3 tons per acre for Pinot Noir, getting enough production to drive the price per bottle below $20 is a challenge. That explains why I have reviewed favorably only four Pinots made in quantities of 5,000 cases or more and priced at less that $20 (and none below $10) in the past year.
California, with its vast tracts in warmer climates, can hit those lower price points more effectively, but if you want Oregon’s light, fragile structure, the minimum retail price seems to be $18. In all, I reviewed only 10 Oregon Pinots under $20 in the past year. Erath… hit that 86- to 88-point range at that price and level of availability..."