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The Eola Hills Classic Pinot Noir 2017 is sourced from 7 vineyards in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Four Eola Hills Wine Cellars estate vineyards along with three others. Actually, the technical information for this wine is for the 2016 vintage their website is still selling the 2014 vintage and they have not done an update.
I found this Pinot Noir on sale at Whole Foods, it is typically found in the $18 range but was featured for $12.59. I am a huge fan of Willamette Valley Pinot noir and an even bigger fan of bargain-priced Willamette Valley Pinot noir.
Eola Hills Wine Cellars was founded in 1982 and started producing wine in 1986. Over the years some of the best winemakers in Oregon have worked there. The current winemaker, Steve Anderson, has held that post since 2000.
The Willamette Valley is located on the eastern side of the Oregon Coastal Mountains. The Eola Hills winery is found in the Eola-Amity Hills sub-AVA which is located in the center of the Willamette Valley. There are gaps in the mountains that allow cool to cold air to blow in and make what is essentially a desert, a great place for grapevines.
The tagline for the Eola Hills Classic Pinot Noir 2017 is “every day extraordinary, I am not so sure a wine that sells for $18/$19 is everybody’s idea of everyday wine. But a first-rate Willamette Valley Pinot Noir can be extraordinary.
Since the technical notes are out of date and the 2016 vintage notes are vague I can’t say too much about how they made this wine. They mention a few months in an oak barrel, but nothing more in-depth than that. The main fact of interest this that this is 2017 and 2020 seems to be the current vintage.
Since this Pinot Noir does not seem to have extended barrel aging, it does have extended bottle aging. Value-priced wines are designed to come together quickly so they are ready to be sold sooner rather than later. The Eola Hills Classic Pinot looks have been designed to be ready to sell when the time was right and not before. The alcohol content is 13.9%.
Eola Hills Classic Pinot Noir 2017 Tasting Notes
The color is very pretty, see-thru garnet red. The nose is red berries and rich spice, French vanilla, sour cherry, and faint chocolate. This is a silky smooth Pinot noir with very cool Pinot Noir funky edges.
It tastes of slightly sour cherry, black pepper, exotic spice, sweet ripe plum, and dark chocolate. The mid-palate adds orange zest, cranberry, and another late slap of spice. This is not one of those ethereal, feathery Pinot Noirs, this is one with loads of up-front flavor.
The Summary
- The Eola Hills Classic Pinot Noir 2017 is well-named as everyday extraordinary.
- At its regular price, the Eola Hills is a well-priced Pinot, but at the Whole Foods sale price of $12.59, it is an extraordinary value.
