The Forager Pinot Noir Willamette Valley 2017

Forager Pinot Noir illustrates that careful, experienced selection, blending and maturation of Pinot Noir lots grown in the Willamette Valley can deliver delicious flavors and interest. Excellent low-yielding sites, classic low-impact Burgundian winemaking techniques and careful maturation in top new Frenchoak capture the typicity of this area - and the purity of this noble red grape variety.

Sourced from a pair of Yamhill-Carlton vineyards, this steely effort opens with herbal beet-root aromatics. It's tight and a bit attenuated, with streaks of anise, tart berry and a touch of rhubarb. It slowly fleshes out with ample aeration.