"oregon pinot noir" news and stories

In a tasting of 2006 vintage Oregon Pinot Noirs, we sampled some fabulous bottles. According to a recent issue of Wine Spectator, this vintage isn't all bad despite a long, hot summer – you might say Indian Summer – that stressed the vines (whew!). The results are Pinot Noirs with ripe, mature fruit and a nice tannic structure that are ready to drink now.

Generally speaking, Pinot Noir is a fitting wine to transition into spring, with a lighter body yet not lacking the spices and fruit that drive a bottle into excellence. Pair these with salmon to celebrate the earthiness in both the wine and the food, and you can even tap into a sommelier's wine-pairing trick: choose food and wine from the same region by going with Pacific Northwest salmon.

After the jump, find our eight favorites. And trust us when we say that the hike in bottle price – compared to what you might pay for a mass-market Pinot Noir from California – is well worth the splurge. These are wines you are going to remember long after you've finished them.