Breaking Ground Chehalem Mountains Pinot Noir

Capitol Region Wine Collectors Club (WCC), USA West Coast Pinot Noir; 26 October 2023 at Fort Orange Club, Albany, NY

Group scoring, No. 3 bottle of the night.

Love that red fruit, menthol, and spruce

Savory and dancing around with zippy acidity with enough fruit to carry it.

Rich and layered. Long finish. Well made.

Intensely perfumed, Aldelsheim’s commemorative 2014 Breaking Ground Pinot Noir is composed entirely of Chehalem Mountain Pinot Noir, 12% of which is from the winery's estate. Sumptuous black cherries, black raspberry, underbrush, earth, and heirloom roses grace the nose. It’s ruby-hued and more opaque than is typical for Oregon Pinot—hinting at this wine’s concentration and depth. The tannins are fine and velvety, with a surprising degree of lift coming from a burst tart cranberry-and-iron-tinged acidity that crescendos with dried orange peel and citrus notes. 13.5% ABV | Sample

Cola. Darker fruited. 2014

I am tasting the 2018 vintage. Beautiful complex scent of black tea, wood, bacon, potpourri, wet autumn leaves. On the taste, very tart cherry, eucalyptus, black tea, almost a bit of bone marrow. Highly tannic and astringent. Mushroom finish.

Ripe fruits. Def get some chocolate and malty bites which is a surprise. Good wine. Maybe a little past it’s prime.

High QPR Willamette pinot; cherry, raspberry, earthy, nice lingering finish; perfect time to open in ‘22. Edit: opened another bottle several months later and it is passing its prime. Drink it if you’ve got it.

Fruity