Tualatin Estate Gamay Noir

Small lot production, carbonic fermentation, amphora aging, definitely fun craft-oriented stuff. But how good is it? Garnet red, very good clarity, moderate pigment extraction. Graphite and raspberry aromas. Spearmint, raspberry and a tad of blueberry flavor. (Winery tasting notes mention blue fruits and semisweet chocolate, which is strange since I toyed with cocoa and chocolate flavors while tasting initially). Balanced acid, almost light on alcohol but I don’t need it stronger. Moderate astringency and bitterness on finish. This should stand up to further aging, with fruit to last and lots of tannins left to soften. Not a typical choice for this variety, I know, but if you lack the patience to wait, like me, you’ll find this highly drinkable now, depending how tolerant you are with all those tannins.