Freddy R. Troya

9.6

Winderlea – Pinot Noir – 2021
Dundee Hills AVA – Willamette Valley, Oregon 🇺🇸

Overview
An elegant, terroir-driven Pinot Noir from Dundee Hills, sourced from vineyards planted in the 1970s on the region’s hallmark volcanic Jory soils. Known for finesse and purity, Winderlea delivers a beautifully balanced expression of Pinot that showcases the red-fruited, spice-laced personality that defines classic Dundee Hills.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright red cherry, wild raspberry, and cranberry purity, supported by notes of rose petal, subtle baking spice, and a whisper of forest floor. Nothing jammy, everything is lifted, clean, and precise.

Mouthfeel
Ultra-silky tannins with a soft, seamless texture. High, clean acidity keeps the wine energetic, refreshing, and food-loving. The finish is long, elegant, and gently spiced.

Food Pairings
The ultimate fondue Pinot: the wine’s acidity cuts through melted cheese, while its soft tannins and red-fruit delicacy elevate Gruyère, Emmental, raclette, or alpine-style cheeses. Also wonderful with mushroom dishes, roasted poultry, charcuterie boards, or herbed salmon.

Verdict
A benchmark Dundee Hills Pinot, refined, understated, and deeply expressive. Its purity of fruit, silky frame, and signature volcanic spice make it one of the most fondue-friendly reds in the game. A true pleasure to drink.

Did You Know?
Dundee Hills’ iconic red Jory soils, ancient volcanic ash, are famous for imprinting Pinot with subtle cinnamon-clove spice and a natural roundness. Many of Oregon’s pioneering vineyards were planted here in the 1970s specifically for these qualities.

🍷 Personal Pick Highlight: My go-to Pinot Noir for fondue night, nothing pairs better with alpine cheese than Dundee Hills elegance. — 7 months ago

Turd Ferguson

9.4

Great core of pure dark cherry. Nice concentration. Excellent balance. Was skeptical after Jackson bought them but this is very good — 4 years ago

Adriana Fabbro

9.1

I challenge you to find a better, more complete Pinot for $25 or less. It takes a moment or two, but this wine comes together nicely. High-toned, red fruit driven (sour cherry, red currant, red plum, cranberry, pomegranate, raspberry) with a touch of oak (vanilla, cinnamon, cloves) as well as some darker berries (huckleberry/marionberry), star anise, orange zest, rose petal, mushroom and red earth (maybe it’s the power of suggestion, but I can taste the volcanic Jory soils in here🤷🏻‍♀️). It’s unusual to find fruit this tart and fresh with the recent warmer vintages in the W valley, so this was a pleasant surprise. Subtle and satisfying. — 5 years ago

Matt Sterr

9.1

Jory soils. High acid, low tannin. Great food wine here. — 7 years ago

Michael Seely

9.2

Now we know we are fortunate to have the Dundee Hills and Jory soil in our midst. She takes us as the red Queen of sacred clay to yet a new level. — 8 years ago

with Jeff and Joe

Kim Brater

9.0

Juice bomb filled with cherry and cassis upfront rounding out to a really lovely and lingering light spice finish. Was great start to finish. Clay court vineyard is in the Chehelam Mountain area with east facing slopes and red Jory soil. — 8 years ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Willamette Valley Vineyards – Elton Pinot Noir 2017
Eola-Amity Hills AVA, Willamette Valley, Oregon – USA 🇺🇸

Overview
This single-vineyard Pinot Noir comes from the famed Elton Vineyard, first planted in 1983 and regarded as one of Oregon’s premier Pinot Noir sites. Perched on the east-facing slopes of the Eola-Amity Hills, the vines benefit from volcanic Jory soils and the cooling Van Duzer Corridor winds, which preserve acidity and enhance complexity.

Aromas & Flavors
Opening with seductive aromas of ripe red cherry, cranberry, and black raspberry, layered with rose petals, baking spices, and subtle forest floor. On the palate, it reveals red currant, pomegranate, and a savory touch of clove and tea leaf, supported by a refined mineral edge.

Mouthfeel
Elegant and medium-bodied, with silky tannins and vibrant acidity. The wine strikes a beautiful balance between fruit purity and earthy depth, finishing long with a persistent, savory echo.

Winemaking Notes
Hand-harvested from old vines at Elton Vineyard. Fermentation in small lots, some whole-cluster inclusion for structure, then aged 15–18 months in French oak (around 30–40% new). Crafted in a Burgundian-inspired style while remaining true to Oregon’s terroir-driven character.

Food Pairing
Perfect with cedar-plank salmon, roast duck, wild mushroom risotto, or herb-roasted chicken. Its elegance also makes it a natural fit with soft cheeses like Brie or Camembert.

Verdict
A graceful, terroir-driven Pinot Noir that reflects both the pedigree of Elton Vineyard and the finesse of the 2017 vintage in Eola-Amity Hills. Balanced, complex, and age-worthy — a benchmark Oregon Pinot. Cheers! — 10 months ago

Scott E. Becker

9.0

[Tasted on March 21, 2023 at Home]

Red fruit with graphite. Dundee Hills blend on Jory volcanic soils. — 3 years ago

Joe Lyons

9.1

Tart fruit, raspberries, great earthy tones and nose. only 2 left but still has time IMO!! — 4 years ago

Samuel Sabori

9.2

I mean, there’s an orange on the label, what do we think it’ll taste like? In all seriousness, The vines were planted in 1984 at 700 feet elevation in rocky, volcanic (Jory) soils. Fermented in concrete egg and aged in old oak. Hazy, salty, incredibly floral on the first day, more texturally driven the second.

— 6 years ago

with Julia

Dave Montagne

9.4

A truly wonderful Spring Mtn Cab. Shows what Napa can do when handled with constraint. Thanks to Bob & Jory for sharing this bottle. — 7 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.3

* appearance: translucent pale ruby
* aromas: red cherry, damp earth, rose petals, oak spice
* palate: cherry cola, raspberry
* structure: light bodied, high acidity, ultra fine tannins, 13.1% alcohol
* finish: long
* winemaking: several clones of 100% Pinot Noir planted in 2000 in Jory soil at 800-900 feet and dry farmed
* cost: $90 — 8 years ago

with Kelly

Dave Montagne

9.0

A very nice wine with good acidity to balance the red fruit. Thanks to Bob & Jory for bringing it over. — 9 years ago

Ted

9.0

So different from the Williamette Valley Pinot Noir I had a few days ago. Much more rustic and old world. Still nice but I liked the prior one a bit more. — a year ago

with Jeni

Scott E. Becker

9.1

[Tasted on September 24, 2023 at Home with Jay]

Purchased wine during visit to the winery in October 2017. Single vineyard Pinot from Dundee Hills grown in red-clay Jory soil. Muted nose. Pomegranate and red plum fruit, with volcanic soil, pepper and floral notes. — 3 years ago

Scott E. Becker

9.2

[Tasted on January 20, 2023 at Home]

Vineyard is located in southern Eola-Amity Hills AVA and is rich in volcanic Jory soil. Black raspberry, black cherry and blueberry fruit, with orange zest, smoke, spice, cola, vanilla, rose petals, cocoa and an effervescent note. — 4 years ago

Eric Urbani

9.2

Mark Royer's inaugural vintage. Very Burgundian. Clones include Dijon 76, 95, and 548 among others. Elevation 600-700' which is relatively high for OR. Soils are a mix of Ritner, Witzel, Nekia, and Jory of volcanic origin. South and West slopes. Mesoclimate: "Very windy".
— 5 years ago

Scott E. Becker

9.2

[Tasted on August 3, 2020 at Oceana in Santa Monica]

Blueberry, dark cherry, spice, smoke, mineral, licorice and white pepper. Canary Hill Vineyard, owned by Ken Wright, is located in the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA on an east facing slope with Jory volcanic soil. — 6 years ago

Kim Brater

9.0

Fantastic Pinot Gris from this very small and super fun OR producer, Ross & Bee Maloof. Custard, citrus and mellow finish. Went well with our Mediterranean mezza dinner. Only 71 cases made. The 2016 grapes are from Thistle Vineyard. Jory soils. Fermented in neutral oak barrels and sur lie aged with no batonnage for 10 months. If you can find it...get some! — 8 years ago

Al Shikoh

9.1

Medium golden yellow with glints of green. Aromas of lemon and butterscotch with hints of honey. Lemon and wet stone are evident on the palate leading to a long, mineral finish. Medium in body with good acid for Chardonnay and 13.3% alcohol. Sourced from a dry farmed estate vineyard on a south facing slope at 600-680 feet of elevation planted mostly to Dijon clones in Jory soil fermented and aged on the lees in French oak. Drinks like a white Burgundy. $75. — 8 years ago

with Kelly