Wine critic Steven Baker follows the cool climate back roads of Oregon Pinot noir country and shares his journal. His business, Authentica Wines, is a membership based wine club.

~ February 2010

Any short list of the top pinot noir producers in the state would have to include Russ Rainey of Evesham Wood winery, located in the Eola Hills north of Salem.

Since his early days as the winemaker for Adams wines, which were made in a warehouse in Portland in the 1980s, Russ has gone on to make the most consistent, fair-priced, elegant and expressive pinot noir in Oregon - year in and year out.

This writer has collected the wines of Evesham Wood since the beginning and has had the privilege of staging or participating in a number of vertical tastings of Evesham Wood wines throughout the years. The remarkable results are always the same: Evesham Wood Pinot Noir is a steady line on a graph, with little variation in quality from vintage to vintage. Of course in some years it may be lighter in weight, depending on the vintage, but the flavors, textures and overall balance and quality are always superb by any measure, and reminiscent of any of Burgundy's finest producers best efforts.

These wines age incredibly well and represent one of the best kept secrets in the world of Oregon Pinot Noir - they are cheap! The Willamette Valley bottling, which sells out immediately upon release sells for a paltry $18.95 - just as it has for the last ten years!

Now, Russ has added a promising new vineyard to his line-up and if the results of his first vintage are any indication, this will be one to watch in the coming years. Illahee vineyard is located in the Coast Range foothills, between well known and established Croft and Freedom Hill vineyards.

The Evesham Wood Illahee 2007 is supple and finely made, with an abundance of dark, ripe and richly detailed red fruits, touches of sweet earthy loam, a hint of mocha and an herbal component that is reminiscent of Oregon pinot noir 20 years ago, before hot vintages, over extraction and high alcohols became the norm. Its almost a throw back aromatically - and a really welcome addition to the Evesham Wood stable. And with only a few hundred cases produced, this will go quickly. ~ Steve Baker

Evesham Wood
Illahee Vineyard Pinot Noir, 2007
Release Price: $30.00