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.

~ March 2011

Any thought that the Oregon wine business is the humble, cottage industry that it once was is quickly dispelled by a drive along the rutted gravel roads high on Ribbon Ridge in the Chehalem Mountains northwest of Newberg. Although one can still find the modest house and small vineyard or an old family farm here and there, serious capital investment is evident around just about every corner in this relatively remote and unexploited sub-region of the recently christened Chehalem Mountain AVA.

It was here on a recent stormy, winter Wednesday that I found myself challenged by a biting, snow spitting north wind as I lingered to take in the spectacular view from the ridge top of Colene Clemens,a dramatically sited hilltop winery that just bottled its second vintage of Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir.

This particular corner of the Chehalem Mountain AVA is a surprisingly wild and remote corner of Oregon wine country. Its hard to believe when standing here gazing out over the snowy, wind swept landscape that you are only about thirty miles from downtown Portland as the crow flies. But that is a great part of its charm - great wine just down the road from Jethro's parted out and rusting John Deere in the front yard.

That's why it used to be big news when someone made an investment like this in the Oregon wine industry, but today it doesn't even get a second look, an indication of where we have come from, as well as a glimpse of where we might be going. If you squint your eyes just right and use your imagination, you might be able to conjure up images of what Napa and Sonoma must have been like in the late 1970's. But whatever your perspective on growth and change, its clear that the bar for Oregon wine in general and for Willamette Valley Pinot Noir in particular has been raised considerably, and the players involved today have ample resources and a burgeoning talent base to make sure that trend continues. In other words, its no longer a surprise to find such high quality in the wines of a new producer like Colene Clemens.

Named for the owner's mother, this brand, spanking new boutique winery and vineyard is still a project - only a fraction of the available land has been planted, but it has been done with a high degree of foresight and skill. Specific rootstocks have been chosen for specific soil types within the vineyard and the clonal selection has been equally thorough and well thought out by winemaker and viticulturalist Steve Goff.

Formed by uplifted basalt and later sedimentary deposits, these hills are strewn with rocks carried by the Missoula Floods thousands of years ago. "These soils are incredibly rocky. You wouldn't believe how many we had to take out just to plant the vineyard - the road bed you drove up on was built using those rocks" exclaimed Steve. Indeed, as I drove up to the modern Northwest Contemporary winery building, I passed several piles of stones the size of a bowling ball.

As we tasted various lots from 2010 out of barrel, we discussed soil types and future plantings. "We have several types of sedimentary soils. That's just one variable. There are so many different aspects of the vineyard that it will be some time before we really understand what we are going to get from the various parcels. We'll just have to be patient and see what each section gives us over time."

What its given them so far is impressive. The 2010s show bright, vibrant fruit even at this awkward stage before malolactic has been completed. A little edgy perhaps from the high malic acids common in 2010, but deep, juicy and engaging none the less.

"We got the fruit in before the last big rain storm and the brix aren't a problem." continued Steve, referring to the metric used to gauge sugar levels. But the discussion of early impressions of 2010 will have to wait for another newsletter. It is the 2008 Reserve bottling that is our focus.

A plummy, medium garnet color with good clarity, the '08 Reserve is representative of the lithe and elegant side of the pinot noir spectrum - nearly 180 degrees from the fruit forward Tendril featured last month. It is of course this stylistic range that is one of the greatest attributes of pinot noir, and its what makes Oregon pinot noir so great with food since one can find a style to pair with just about anything.

In fact, the Colene Clemons 2008 Reserve is similar in style to a really good nebbiolo, which is not surprising given the affinity between these two seemingly disparate varietals. As with top quality Barbaresco, it is reticent and subtle, but with an appeal - a "hook" - that keeps your interest and makes you want to delve deeper. It shows refined aromas of red and black fruits and a difficult to define element that conjures up impressions of truffle, black tea, olive, or a subtle savoriness best described by the Asian term "umami", which is considered a fifth element of taste. In fact, this would pair wonderfully with many Asian dishes, especially Japanese cuisine.

But that's not to say that its not Oregon pinot noir through and through - it is, and unequivocally so. After a finely perfumed and classic pinot noir nose of black fruits with a hint of cane berries, the first taste impression is how the wine fills every corner of your mouth so completely. Dark cherry and red fruit elements then begin to unfold on the mid-palate, and a tiny thread of soy/bacon/smokiness (that "umami" thing again) adds intrigue to the medium length and very polished finish.

Taken together, this is a very sophisticated and elegant pinot noir with real grace and personality. And judging by its evolution over several days after it was opened, this wine will begin to gain richness and weight if given a year or two to unwind in the cellar. After all, the 2008s have such well integrated acidity that it will take some time for them to reach their true potential. Patience is recommended.

Once again, a new player on the scene finds success early, and adds a refined and elegant voice to the choir of sweet sounding 2008 Oregon pinot noir. Its not such a surprise these days.

~ Steve Baker

Colene Clemens
Estate Reserve, 2008
Release Price: $42.00

Pinot Underground Recent Columns

January, 2010 ~ Crowley
February, 2010 ~ Evesham Wood
March, 2010 ~ Westrey
May, 2010 ~ Evening Land
June, 2010 ~ Iota
July, 2010 ~ Crowley (part2)
Aug / Sept 2010~ Ayres
October 2010 ~ Eyrie
November 2010 ~ Evening Land
Jan / Feb 2011 ~ Tendril