By Duane Pemberton
Winery website: http://panthercreekcellars.com
Located in McMinnville, Oregon, Panther Creek Cellars has become one of the “go-to” pinot producers of the Willamette Valley because of its continued quality in a variety of price points.
This reserve bottling combines top fruit from various vineyards across the Willamette Valley.
Technical Data:
- Appellation: Willamette Valley
- Alcohol: 13.80%
- Composition: 100% pinot noir
- Aging: 16 months in French Oak – 30% new
- $60.00 bottle
Nose: Rubber tire, cranberry pie filling, band-aid, white peppercorns, cedar smoke and a nice hint of tar bubble.
Taste: Stellar flavors of cedar plank, cranberry, smoked raspberry, rubber stamp, allspice and pepper. This is a very well structured pinot in that it hits you with a nice fruit-forward approach with a mid-palate that perks up more condensed flavors and acids. The finish lingers for weeks and simply begs for roasted primal cuts of meat or smoked salmon.
