Wine Reviews
Thanks for the great compliments Brian!
http://www.brianbailey.us/blog/?p=2715
"I was particularly taken by their Pinot Blanc. It is light, refreshing but a perfect amount of flavor for sipping on a summer’s day." -Brian Bailey
Wine With Dinner
website awards five stars to the 2004 Estate Pinot Noir. Read the wine review here.
Breaking News..
from the Beverage Testing Institute, The 2007 World Wine Championships awards Yamhill Valley Vineyards 2006 Riesling the 'Silver Medal' 88 points, "Highly Recommended", Jeraid O'Kennard, Director BTI
Matt Kramer, The Oregonian
When you taste Yamhill Valley Vineyards' excellent 2005 estate pinot noir you wouldn't know that 2005 was anything other than a lovely vintage. That's precisely what this elegant pinot noir is: lovely."
Endowed with an unusually deep, bright blackish garnet hue, this wine is vibrantly fresh, with pure wild cherry and red raspberry scent leaping from the glass. This same purity is found on the palate as well, accompanied by a slight tannic astringency that disappears as soon as the wine is paired with food. The balance is superb, with a bright acidity that enhances the flavor precision of the bright fruitiness.
Worth noting: The wine's vibrancy and purity are further magnified by the absence of any apparent oak. This kind of Oregon pinot noir neither needs nor wants much in the way of "makeup."
This is terrific 2005 Oregon pinot noir, an exemplar of the sort of finesse and purity that sets apart the best Oregon pinot noirs from any others in America."
Insiders' Wine Line
"The 1999 Pinot Gris has a lush, perfumed nose of peach, pear, pineapple and green apple with faint spicy, floral notes. The flavors of white pit fruits and minerals with a hint of grapefruit are very bright and forward followed by a crisp, fruity, ineral etched finish. A bargain.
91 Points, "Outstanding" and "Best Buy."
Brian Libby, Alaska Airlines Inflight Magazine
2000 Pinot Blanc "Dry and tangy, it sings rather than shouts." August, 2001
Wine & Spirits Magazine, February, 2001
1998 Pinot Noir Vintage "Woodland berry scents rise from a bottom note of earthiness, of tree bark, porcini and black truffles. It tastes as if the berries had been pressed against the bark, a lovely expression of earth and fruit. The flavors last, deep and savory, moist and earthy as the Oregon woods. Appealing now, this will gain complexity with age, a balanced pinot for seared duck breast in a wild mushroom reduction."
92 Points
Wine Enthusiast
1994 Pinot Noir "Ripe, concentrated, black cherry nose, with hints of cumin and cinnamon. Lush black cherry fruit melds with tart acidity. Very big, muscular and dense, with many layers of flavor, packed with personality."
94 Points, "Rated the fourth best Pinot Noir in America."
The Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine
"There is nothing like having a Pinot Gris in Oregon, close to its source…For example, we liked the Yamhill Valley Vineyards '96 even before we tasted it because it smelled so rich and creamy. In the mouth, it reminded us of lemon-meringue pie, an interesting combination of acid and cream…"
John Baxevanis, The Wine Regions of America
"…stylish and aggressive…Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir is big and well-structured, it is one of the finest in the state."
Audrey Van Buskirk, Willamette Week
"The tasting area has a nice outdoor deck and friendly young servers who pour generous tastes. Excellent fish pond."
The Wine Iconoclast, May, 2001
1999 Pinot Gris Reserve "The hue is faintly, slightly, ever so pinkish and bronze. Outrageous aromas of apple/melon play out favorably on the tongue. The nice acidity binds it all into a marvelous piece of work."
1998 Pinot Noir Reserve
"Very good indeed." 17.5 points.
Clive Coates, MW. The Vine
Silver Medal, 2001
Northwest Wine Summit
"Highly Recommended"
Tastings.com
Connoisseurs' Guide
1994 Pinot Noir Reserve "If never bombastic, this nicely composed pinot is clean, well-focused and attractively fruity from first sniff to lingering aftertaste. Along the way, its cherryish character picks up nuances of dried flowers and roots, and its texture is supple at the front with just a bit of firmness at the back. Balance and beauty make this one worthy of your attention." Two Puffs
Gold Medal, 1997 Northwest Enological Society, Seattle
Silver Medal, 1997 Oregon State Fair
Silver Medal, 1997 San Diego International Wine Competition
Silver Medal, 1997 San Francisco International Wine Competition
Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
"….one of the up and coming stars of Oregon."
David Rosengarten, Joshua Wesson, Wine and Food Companion
"There are probably no Oregon Pinot Noirs more impressive in youth than Yamhill Valley Vineyards Pinot Noirs and none giving greater promise of aging potential."
